Spain Marks Milestones in Digital Economy with Supercomputing and Data Center Events

Spain recently highlighted significant advancements in its digital economy infrastructure through two influential events: the 20th anniversary of the Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC-CNS) and the second edition of the Comillas Data Center meeting. These events underscore the country’s strategic focus on digital innovation and the growing prominence of data centers and supercomputing in driving economic and scientific progress.

At the BSC-CNS anniversary celebration, Juan Cruz Cigudosa, Secretary of State for Science, Innovation, and Universities, praised the center as “the great digital brain of Spain” and a symbol of the nation’s shift toward a knowledge economy. Established in 2005 with just 60 employees, the center has expanded to 1,400 professionals across diverse scientific disciplines including artificial intelligence. Over the past five years, the Spanish government increased funding for BSC-CNS to over 552 million euros, tripling previous investment levels. The center has played a pivotal role in supporting pandemic research and continues to address critical global challenges such as climate change. Cigudosa emphasized the importance of public investment in disruptive technologies to foster societal benefits and innovation.

Concurrently, Comillas University hosted the second edition of its data center forum, reflecting on the challenges and opportunities the digital economy presents. The event, inaugurated by Vice-Rector Dolores Carrillo, featured a panel of key industry leaders like Ismael Clemente of Merlin Properties and Javier Sánchez Rojas from NVIDIA. Moderated by Ismael Fernández Antón, the discussion focused on the technological infrastructures essential to Spain’s digital transformation. This gathering affirmed Comillas' commitment to innovation and thoughtful analysis of digital infrastructure that underpins economic growth.

Together, these events illustrate Spain’s proactive approach to strengthening its digital economy through robust investment in supercomputing capabilities and expanding data center ecosystems. The government's drive to nurture public leadership in cutting-edge technologies is central to positioning Spain as a leader in knowledge-driven economic development.