The municipal contribution will be 46.3 million euros, while the Catalan Employment Service (SOC) will provide 16.3 million euros, consolidating its collaboration with the municipal agency.

Over the course of the next financial year, the agency expects to provide support and guidance for 55,000 people, 1,500 entrepreneurial projects and 6,500 companies.

More inclusive city

The programmes and services of Barcelona Activa are geared mainly towards improving the employability of the groups of the population where unemployment is common.

The gender perspective will be strengthened, with the Crea Feina and Impulsem el que fas subsidy schemes among the measures to get a boost. Gender criteria will also be applied in municipal capital venture funds, prioritising investment in companies headed by women.

As for young people, the agency will continue to support their access to the world of work and quality jobs, in line with the priorities in the Plan to Promote Young People’s Employment, maintaining the agreement as a reference space for this collective.

Support for the over-45s, who represent 74% of long-term unemployment in the city, will also be a priority in 2026. Next year the agency expects to provide support for 20,000 people over the age of 45, who require support with jobseeking or self-employment.

Finally, Barcelona Activa will continue to support other priority groups through its insertion and contracting programmes (PICs) and its inclusive employment service, which expects to help more than 2,000 people at risk of social exclusion.

More competitive entrepreneurial and business ecosystem

Barcelona Activa will be maintaining is established support programmes for businesses and entrepreneurs in 2026 and strengthening its backing for new funding instruments.

In this respect, the municipal capital venture strategy will be consolidated with the full rollout of the Barcelona Investment Fund, launched in the second quarter of 2025 with a budget of 30 million euros, and with the launch of a new growth fund.

Barcelona Impulsa

The Barcelona Activa action plan comes within the context of Barcelona Impulsa, the roadmap for economic promotion through until 2035, pursuing the goal of supporting the city’s manufacturing fabric and driving strategic sectors capable of generating progress and quality jobs.

This year has seen the launch of the Barcelona XRLAB, a leading space for innovation and immersive digital content; Barcelona Circular (BAC), to drive the circular economy and digital transformation of industry; and the Pol de Cures, a care hub focusing on professionalisation and strengthening a key sector for people’s well-being.