Powering tomorrow’s digital talent
By Amiya Johar
After a successful pilot at MWC24 Barcelona, Talent Arena is set to make its full debut this year with a three-day event packed with workshops, keynotes and a hackathon designed to bridge the gap between digital talent and industry opportunities.
Held alongside MWC25 and start-up focused 4YFN, Talent Arena brings together digital professionals, high profile speakers, leading technology companies and educational institutions in a collaborative environment dedicated to learning, networking and career growth.
With a focus on nurturing human connection in the technology industry, Talent Arena is setting out to consolidate Barcelona as a digital talent hub.
Its development has been driven by Mobile World Capital Barcelona, in collaboration with the GSMA, Barcelona City Council, Generalitat de Catalunya and the Ministry of Digital Transformation.
Francesc Fajula, CEO of Mobile World Capital Barcelona, told Insight Talent Arena “completes the ecosystem by emphasising digital talent” given the events it runs alongside.
Hosted at MWC’s former home Fira Montjuic, sessions cover six key areas: AI, software engineering, cybersecurity, cloud computing, leadership and management, and future technology trends.
A roster of more than 200 industry-leading speakers will explore these topics at keynotes and conferences.
The impressive line-up of guests includes Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak; former senior development engineer at SpaceX Lauren Lyons; head of engineering and responsible AI at Meta Platforms Cristian Canton; chess grandmaster Garry Kasparov; and Sarah Novotny, former director of open source strategy at Microsoft Azure.
Its two stages have a combined capacity of 1,000 people with sessions set to feature live demos and practical insights.
“Attendees should not miss our line-up of top-tier speakers. We’re thrilled to welcome some iconic figures,” Fajula enthused.
Away from the stages Talent Arena has specialised zones with dedicated themed activities.
In the Learning and Exhibition Zone attendees can explore a wide range of industry training programmes and connect with institutions.
Meanwhile, the Connection Zone offers participants the chance
to engage with companies and industry professionals to uncover collaboration opportunities. In the Mentoring Area, attendees can gain one-on-one guidance from industry experts.
Across Talent Arena attendees have the opportunity to explore up to 45 workshops delving into key industry topics.
Adding to the line-up, the GSMA Open Gateway Hackathon will relocate to Talent Arena for 2025, challenging participants to create innovative solutions using operator data made available through Nokia’s Network as a Code platform.
The ability to develop people is the lifeblood of success going forward
John Hoffman, CEO, GSMA Ltd
VISION
Talent Arena is set to cover 20,000sqm in its inaugural full edition, a big increase on the 1,500sqm area of MWC24 which acted as its pilot. It is expected to attract more than 4,000 visitors.
Commenting on the event’s rapid growth, CEO of GSMA Ltd John Hoffman told Insight he believed this year’s edition could “lay the groundwork for a very successful, long-term project”.
Fajula highlighted the event caters to a range of visitors from seasoned industry leaders to students and junior professionals aiming to bolster their careers.
He added this made “Talent Arena a space where the entire digital ecosystem connects, innovates, and shapes the future of technology”: a vision that encapsulates MWC25’s theme of Converge. Connect. Create.
BEYOND THE ARENA
Although boasting a packed on-site agenda, Talent Arena’s vision extends beyond Fira Montjuic with two unique in-transit programmes.
In partnership with Vueling Airlines, a Digital Talent Flight is being chartered to travel from Paris to Barcelona on 4 March.
Promoted as a move combining travel, technology and innovation, passengers will witness the culmination of a hackathon held in Paris weeks earlier.
The top five developer teams will showcase innovative solutions to enhance Vueling services through AI with the in-flight presentations then evaluated by judges and the winning team celebrated upon arrival at the Talent Arena.
The second initiative will see a high-speed train dubbed Talent Express connect Madrid and Barcelona on 3 March.
A collaboration between Mobile World Capital Barcelona and Spanish rail brand Iryo, the service is set to unite the talent of Spain’s two largest cities, facilitating event access for 70 developers from Madrid.
Aiming to showcase collaboration and creativity, Fajula anticipates the projects will bring a renewed sense of “innovation and energy” to Talent Arena.
LOOKING AHEAD
Reflecting on plans for Talent Arena beyond MWC25 Barcelona, Hoffman expressed an ambition to export it across the globe, stating talent identification and development remain worldwide industry challenges.
“At the heart of every enterprise business group is people; and the ability to develop people is the lifeblood of success going forward,” he added. “Talent Arena fulfils this critical role to identify and develop talent for today and well into the future”.
Talent Arena will run from 3 to 5 March, at Pavilion 8, Fira de Montjuic. Upon registering for the event participants will also receive a free pass to attend MWC25 Barcelona on Thursday 6 March.