Barcelona – September 11, 2026 -- The Smart City Expo World Congress (SCEWC) will convene 1,000 cities, more than 25,000 visitors, over 1,000 exhibitors and 600 speakers in Barcelona from November 3-5, 2026, organized by Fira de Barcelona under the theme "Urban Solutions, Real Impact."
Housing takes center stage as a top urban priority
The 2026 edition places special emphasis on housing, one of the most pressing challenges facing cities globally, showcasing technologies aimed at delivering scalable, tangible results. SCEWC will host the first edition of "HOWS Barcelona," a new global housing summit focused on urban planning, land policy, housing law, affordable housing and building renovation and reuse.
Congress program spans seven thematic tracks
The conference program is structured across seven areas: Enabling Technologies, Energy & Environment, Mobility, Governance & Economy, Living & Inclusion, Infrastructure & Building, and Blue Economy, covering digital transformation, artificial intelligence, green energy, governance and social equity.
More than 600 experts confirmed to address urban innovation
Confirmed speakers include Nikolas Badminton, chief futurist and head of the think tank at Futurist.com, who advises organizations on strategic foresight and long-term scenario planning for complex urban environments. Ayumi Moore Aoki, founder of Women in Tech Global, will address diversity and inclusive leadership as drivers of urban innovation. Other speakers include Bibiana Aido of UN Women, Bilel Jamoussi of the ITU, and Chiara Corazza of the Women's Economic Forum.
Global tech giants and 50 sustainability solutions to exhibit
Exhibitors on the show floor will include Google, Microsoft, NVIDIA, Dell Technologies and Deutsche Telekom IoT, alongside multiple country and city pavilions. A new exhibition, "Terra50," will feature what organizers describe as the world's 50 best sustainability solutions for urban environments.
Barcelona consolidates position as multi-event innovation hub
SCEWC 2026 will run concurrently with the Tomorrow.Mobility World Congress, Tomorrow.Blue Economy, HOWS Barcelona, the Barcelona Deep Tech Summit and the Barcelona Cybersecurity Congress, reinforcing Barcelona's role as a global meeting point for urban innovation this November.