The incubator specialized in logistics 4.0 of the Barcelona Free Zone Consortium (CZFB), The Logistics 4.0 Incubator, celebrates two years of fruitful activity with an exceptional balance. Since its launch, it has hosted 59 startups, of which 33 remain active in the program. This entrepreneurial ecosystem has achieved an impressive 88,1% survival rate, with only seven projects having ceased activity to date.
The economic impact of these startups is significant. Last year, startups incubated at the CZFB closed with a combined turnover of 29.091.545 EurosProjections for 2025 are even more ambitious, expecting to reach the 46.568.000 Euros, which represents a increase of 60% compared to the previous year.
La international vocation of the incubator is evident, with 20 of the 59 startups coming from various countries, which is equivalent to 33,9% of totalProjects from Poland, Sweden, Ukraine, Costa Rica, Denmark, Iran, the United Kingdom, Colombia, Russia, Venezuela, the United States, Nicaragua, Argentina, India, Croatia, Mexico, and France have found a space to grow and develop their innovations in the Logistics 4.0 Incubator.
Pere Navarro, the State's special delegate to the Barcelona Free Trade Zone Consortium, praised the results: "The excellent results of the Logistics 4.0 Incubator are yet another example of the importance of collaboration between the public and private sectors, which in this case has allowed us to promote a logistics hub in Barcelona open to innovation, digitalization, digital talent, and sustainability. At the CZFB, we will continue to strive to consolidate this sector in order to increase its economic impact, creating a quality business network with a positive return for society and industry."
The survival rate of incubated projects is 88,1% and success stories follow one another, including a company with more than 60 employees and another with a turnover exceeding €5 million, among other examples.
Navarro also emphasized that "in these two years of activity, we have supported 59 initiatives that are offering value-added services to the business, scientific, and technological communities, helping them design innovative products and processes that are transforming the logistics industry. Together, we are helping to make the logistics sector more digital, connected, and efficient today, and to make a clear and decisive commitment to innovation and sustainability."
Despite the overall success, the report highlights an area for improvement in the female representationOnly 8 of the 59 incubated startups were founded by women, representing 13,6% of the total, a figure slightly lower than the European average of 17%. Furthermore, 36,5% of employees in these startups are women.
Blanca Sorigué, general director of the CZFB, addressed this disparity: “The female presence continues to be noticeably underrepresented in the entrepreneurial ecosystem, in the technology sectors, and in STEM professions. That's why, at the CZFB, we're promoting initiatives such as the Feel the ZF Power program—which brings girls and adolescents closer to companies in the Free Trade Zone to foster technical vocations—the Barcelona Woman Acceleration Week—which we celebrate around March 8—and the Women's Council of the Free Trade Zone, where we give visibility to the female talent in our area.” Sorigué also underscored the company's commitment to sustainability: “The Logistics 4.0 Incubator fosters the development of the most innovative technologies applied to logistics, but also their sustainable nature, as all approved projects meet requirements for respect and care for the environment; and many of them even base their raison d'être on sustainability, following the guidelines of the 2030 Agenda for the United Nations Development Goals.”
The anniversary celebration served to present various success storiesAmong them, a company that invoiced nearly 5 million euros last year with solutions Click & Collect and a smart locker system for managing deliveries and returns, with more than 155 clients worldwide. Another leading smart locker company already operates in 1.000 locations and projects revenue of €6 million this year.
In the human resources sector, a recruitment platform that generates professional CVs and offers AI-validated training courses has grown to employ 10 people, serve more than 60 clients, and expects to exceed €3 million in revenue this year. Similarly, a land transportation software company, founded in 2021, incorporates AI for accident and theft prevention, already has 60 employees, more than 100 clients, and expects to reach €3,5 million in revenue by 2025. Finally, a web platform that connects exporting and importing companies with carriers to optimize prices, with 70 clients and €2 million in revenue last year, is another example of the incubator's impact.
These projects focus on key emerging technologies for Logistics 4.0, including Print 3D, robotics, automated warehouses, Internet of Things (IoT), Big Data, last Mille, Artificial Intelligence (AI) y green logisticsAll incubated projects meet rigorous requirements of respect and care for the environment, aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations 2030 Agenda.
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