Barcelona will test a micro-hub vehicle for HORECA goods distribution 

• The Barcelona Innova Lab Mobility, promoted by Barcelona City Council, Fundació BIT Habitat, Fira de Barcelona and Mobile World Capital Barcelona, has selected the winner of the urban challenge for the optimisation of HORECA distribution in the city. 

• The winning proposal is based on a monitored loading and unloading vehicle available in high-density areas of restaurant and catering establishments. 

4 / November / 2025

The Barcelona Innova Lab Mobility (BILM), the initiative promoted by Barcelona City Council, Fira de Barcelona and Mobile World Capital Barcelona, has selected the DUMH – BCN Project as the winner of the urban challenge ‘Optimisation of HORECA distribution in the city of Barcelona’. 

The selected proposal, led by the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) and the ADISCAT Association, consists of creating smart loading and unloading zones exclusively for HORECA operators, strategically located in areas with a high density of hospitality venues. 

Smart zones to optimise HORECA distribution in Barcelona 

The DUMH – BCN Project has a budget of €125,000 and a execution period of 18 months. It will be implemented through a pilot test in one or more areas with a high concentration of restaurants, where delivery vehicles will serve as micro-hubs centralising deliveries and collections of goods. Acting as small storage centres, these hubs will distribute orders on foot or via light transport to nearby establishments, thus reducing congestion caused by urban freight traffic. 

This project incorporates digital technologies and data-based optimisation algorithms to identify optimal locations, manage operations and monitor performance in real time. The pilot will also include specific signage and the development of a digital application to manage reservations, control parking duration and record actual use of the zones. Monitoring will be carried out through a digital platform with automatic registration via RFID (radio frequency identification) and IoT sensors, ensuring traceability and objective data collection. This follow-up will allow an assessment of operational efficiency, user acceptance and the impact on public space. 

The DUMH – BCN Project also takes into account the unique characteristics of neighbourhoods such as Gòtic, Raval and Born, where high logistical demands coexist with heritage settings and pedestrian-friendly areas. 

The urban challenge ‘Optimisation of HORECA distribution in the city of Barcelona’ 

The call for entries closed on 30 June, receiving 30 proposals, 57% of which were international, including projects from Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom and China. Out of all the applications, 10 finalists were selected: CIMNE, CITET, Fundación para la UOC, Kale AI, Algorae, Coding the Curbs, Vaive Logistics, Shargo Tech, NRG4YOU and Parabol. Six of the most outstanding projects are being presented during Tomorrow.Mobility World Congress, held within the framework of the Smart City Expo World Congress at Fira de Barcelona’s Gran Via venue. 

The challenge seeks technological solutions that contribute to transforming the current urban goods distribution (UGD) model in the city -particularly in the hospitality, restaurant and catering (HORECA) sector- thereby reducing traffic and improving coexistence in urban spaces. This initiative aligns with the City Council’s goal of halving emissions from professional mobility by 2030. 

It also promotes public-private collaboration to find efficient and sustainable innovations that improve mobility in Barcelona, engaging companies, startups and innovation centres. Furthermore, it enables pilot tests in real urban environments. 

This is the fourth call launched by BILM, an initiative driven by Barcelona City Council through the Mobility Department and the BIT Habitat Foundation, together with Fira de Barcelona, to promote and facilitate pilot tests and new projects in the field of smart and sustainable urban mobility. To date, BILM has addressed challenges such as reducing motorcycle accidents, improving bus circulation, and tackling noise pollution. This latest challenge on goods distribution was launched in collaboration with Mobile World Capital Barcelona, which has joined as a new partner to strengthen exchange with the local and international innovation and technology ecosystem.