At the end of 2021, the Barcelona Free Trade Zone Consortium (CZFB) opened the DFactory, a modern building located on the grounds of the former Seat, essentially intended to house emerging companies dedicated to new technologies. Its promoters say that today it has become too small. That is why they want to start their expansion now and this Friday they let the first vice president of the Government, María Jesús Montero, know.
“The urgency to begin the second phase has been conveyed to the vice president,” sources familiar with the meeting described to La Vanguardia. In addition to meeting with the top officials of the CZFB, the Minister of Finance also visited the DFactory and learned about some of the so-called industry 4.0 projects that are carried out there. The CZFB wants the involvement of the Government and Montero, publicly in a press conference, pointed out the “success” of the center and confirmed that “we must work on a second phase.” “We have to continue expanding,” she said.
There were no further details on the matter at the moment. The collaboration of the Executive could come in the form of financing and also providing incentives to companies that install in the equipment owned by the CZFB, which is a public entity.
Today, the DFactory occupies a plot of 17,000 square meters, housing around thirty firms dedicated to robotics, sensors, augmented reality and artificial intelligence, among other areas. The plot saved for extension is located right next door and plans to add 72,500 square meters. The special delegate of the State at the CZFB, Pere Navarro, showed the enormous plot of land to Montero from the terrace of the current Dfactory, a center that also serves to celebrate events such as the Barcelona New Economy Week or the Barcelona Woman Acceleration Week, which celebrate in a few days.
CZFB sources comment that the current facilities work very well as a place to start a business. The collaborative economy with other firms is even encouraged. But once the idea is mature and you want to produce it, “more space is needed.” In fact, “more open and spacious” places are being designed for the second phase. They estimate to create 1,500 direct jobs and 5,000 indirect jobs.
There is already a kind of preliminary project prepared by the architect of the first building. The extension of the DFactory may require an investment of approximately 100 million euros. The CZFB is looking for a technology investor willing to bet. “There are some interested foreign investors,” they point out from the organization, which included the urbanization of the space – basic services such as sidewalks or pipes – in its budgets this year.
