Talent Arena 2026 elevates its offering with XPRO, a new knowledge hub for professional talent 

XPRO will bring together innovation leaders from leading multinationals such as Google, Microsoft, AWS, GitHub, and Spotify in sessions focused on technology and real-world use cases 

The programme includes 15 advanced workshops led by companies such as NVIDIA, IBM, Qualcomm, and Huawei, with a practical focus on AI, Cloud, cybersecurity, Edge Computing, and quantum computing 

Barcelona, 22 January 2026 – Talent Arena 2026, Europe’s leading event dedicated to digital talent —organised by Mobile World Capital Barcelona, co-located with MWC26 Barcelona and 4YFN— strengthens its professional offering with the launch of XPRO, a new paid zone aimed at developers and active technology professionals seeking specialised technical knowledge, strategic networking and high value-added experiences. 

XPRO is conceived as a specialised environment within Talent Arena, designed to meet the needs of a highly qualified audience. The space will combine high-level technical conferences, hands-on workshops led by leading companies, exclusive meet-ups and networking areas, establishing itself as the go-to meeting point for the professional technology community. 

“The XPRO Zone brings together the highest level of technical depth and a more selective mix of content and profiles,” highlights Jordi Arrufí, Director of Digital Talent at MWCapital. “With XPRO, we take a step further — moving from inspiration to specialisation — to reach technical profiles looking for real use cases explained directly by professionals from the world’s leading technology companies.” 

XPRO will offer an exclusive programme featuring more than 72 conferences, 15 workshops and hackathons, focused on real-world use cases, applied innovation and the trends shaping the future of the digital sector. 

XPRO Conferences: advanced knowledge and emerging technologies 

XPRO conferences are designed for experienced professionals currently active in the sector and will delve into technical content based on real cases, presented directly by those leading them. Sessions will explore how cutting-edge technologies are being implemented in business environments and high-level research contexts. 

The programme will feature participation from top-tier technology companies including Google, GitHub, Microsoft, Amazon Web Services, Atlassian, Figma, Scopely / Playgami and Spotify, which will share their experiences from development through to real-world deployment. These companies will be joined by internationally renowned experts including Bianca Cefalo (Space DOTS), Konrad Yang (TSMC), Pablo Jarillo-Herrero (MIT) and Cristian Canton (BSC), who will address key areas such as space tech, semiconductors, supercomputing and quantum computing. All of them will share insights, lessons learned and perspectives on the future of technology. 

Exclusive workshops led by industry leaders 

In addition to the conference programme, XPRO attendees will have access to 15 exclusive workshops delivered by internationally influential technology companies such as NVIDIA, Huawei, Linux Foundation, IBM, Qualcomm, Dynatrace, Bitrise and Edge Impulse, among others. 

These sessions are designed to provide in-depth exploration, from a practical and advanced perspective, of the technologies shaping the present and future of the sector. Participating companies will link their workshops to strategic thematic blocks and real use cases, covering areas ranging from accelerated computing, Edge and AI to cybersecurity and frontier technologies such as quantum computing and graphene. 

Through the resolution of concrete challenges, XPRO participants will be able to work with complex technological solutions, experiment in real-world conditions and acquire skills directly applicable to their organisations. 

From idea to solution: hackathons to apply technology in the real world 

In line with its specialised content offering, Talent Arena 2026 introduces a programme of hackathons and technology competitions aimed at developers. These initiatives place applied innovation at the heart of the event and focus on solving real challenges in strategic areas such as artificial intelligence, connectivity and cybersecurity, enabling participants to work with real data to develop high-impact solutions. 

Among the most prominent initiatives is the GSMA Open Gateway Hackathon, driven by Nokia, where participants will develop intelligent solutions using real-time 5G network APIs, exploring new use cases in advanced connectivity and digital services. 

The programme also includes other hackathons such as More Than a Hack, developed in collaboration with the Barça Innovation Hub, which explores the application of generative artificial intelligence to real FC Barcelona data to enhance tactical analysis and performance in professional football; NextArena Challenge, promoted by EAE Business School and MWCapital, which invites participants to rethink the Talent Arena of the future; and the World2Meet hackathon, focused on developing digital solutions for smarter, more efficient and sustainable tourism. 

In addition, Talent Arena 2026 will host the Capture The Flag cybersecurity competition, a technical challenge that will test the skills of professionals and hacking enthusiasts through realistic attack-and-defence scenarios. 

Taken together, these initiatives consolidate Talent Arena as a space where technology is not only discussed but actively put into practice to address real challenges within the digital ecosystem.