The digital research and innovation center i2CAT inaugurated its new headquarters this Wednesday at the Pier01 building of Tech Barcelona, located in the Palau de Mar. The strategic objective is to increase its participation in European research and development projects by 50%. The Minister of the Presidency of the Generalitat, Albert Dalmau, presided over the inauguration ceremony of the new facilities, marking the institution's move after two decades at the North Campus of the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC) to integrate into the Catalan capital's entrepreneurial hub.

The strategy for this new phase will focus its activity on three pillars: advanced communications, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence (AI), as reported by the center in a statement. In alliance with the Government, i2CAT will immediately activate two missions: an AI-based cybersecurity “digital shield” and a resilience plan to secure the critical networks of the public administration.

The new space, exceeding 2,000 square meters, will manage a network of 15 decentralized laboratories, notably the 6GStarLab, Europe's first low-orbit laboratory dedicated to 6G, supported by a ground station in Móra la Nova (Tarragona).

With a staff of 250 professionals, the center also plans to strengthen its knowledge transfer to the market by creating a new technological spin-off each year, following the model of its 3D holographic solutions firm, Volum Technologies.

Furthermore, i2CAT has signed an agreement with the Port of Barcelona to apply drones and 5G networks to port management. The adaptation of these infrastructures has been made possible by a grant of almost 10 million euros from the UNICO R&D 6G program of the Ministry for Digital Transformation, funded by the European Union through NextGenerationEU funds.