Expression of Interest (EOI): Carve Startup Labs Soft Landing Program to Spain | Smart City Expo World Congress 2026
Carve Startup Labs, in partnership with the Catalan Trade & Investment Board (Government of Catalonia), is inviting applications for the Soft Landing Program to Barcelona, Spain aligned with Smart City Expo World Congress 2026—one of the world’s leading platforms on urban innovation.
🗓️ Program Dates: November 2–6, 2026
📍 Location: Barcelona, Spain
WHO CAN APPLY?
The program is particularly relevant for startups working across sectors such as: smart cities, mobility & logistics, climate tech & sustainability, energy, AI & IoT for infrastructure, proptech & urban development, water management, and public systems.
WHAT THE PROGRAM INCLUDES?
The program is designed to provide startups with structured exposure to the Spain and broader European innovation ecosystem through ecosystem engagements, institutional interactions, curated meetings, and participation in Smart City Expo World Congress 2026.
The agenda combines market access exposure, networking opportunities, innovation ecosystem visits, and stakeholder interactions to support startups exploring expansion and collaboration opportunities in the region.
👉 Click on each day below to explore the day-wise overview and engagements planned as part of the program.
November 2 | Pre-Congress Ecosystem Immersion
• Ecosystem engagements across Barcelona
• Session on Catalonia ecosystem, regional strengths, and soft-landing support
• Visits to ecosystem and innovation stakeholders including Barcelona Activa and the Port of Barcelona
• Exposure to smart city deployments, maritime logistics, and 5G connectivity
November 3–5 | Smart City Expo World Congress 2026
• Participation in Smart City Expo World Congress 2026
• Opening Ceremony and guided expo tour
• Catalonia Pavilion meetings with government bodies and ecosystem stakeholders
• Networking engagements, B2B interactions, and ecosystem meetings
• Curated meetings with clusters and ecosystem organizations
• Expo exploration, follow-up meetings, and networking interactions
• ACCIÓ networking cocktail
November 6 | Post-Mission Integration
• Visits to leading research and technology organizations including Barcelona Supercomputing Centre and Eurecat
• Exposure to advanced research infrastructure, applied innovation, and high-performance computing applications
• Innovation ecosystem engagements and regional market exposure
Alongside this, the program includes
• Tickets to the Smart City Expo World Congress 2026.
• Curated ecosystem meetings and engagements
• Access to the Catalonia Pavilion
• Institutional and innovation centre visits
• Visa guidance
• On-ground coordination and support from the Carve Startup Labs team
• Post-program follow-up support for up to 3 months
Please note: Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis; given the curated cohort, we encourage early applications, and only shortlisted startups will be contacted.
If this aligns, we invite you to submit your application for consideration.
For more details and the detailed program agenda, please feel free to reach out to info@carvestartuplabs.com.
Organizer
Carve Startup Labs is a trusted global expansion partner specializing in organizing startup delegations, corporate innovation programs, and trade roadshows worldwide.
