Mobile World Capital Barcelona honours global innovation at the MWCapital Awards ceremony

• The awards, organised in collaboration with B Lab Spain, GSMA Foundry, the Ministry for Digital Transformation and Public Service and Red.es, celebrate technological projects that drive sustainability and positive impact
  
• The six winning projects were selected from 17 international finalists in a ceremony held at La Pedrera, one of Barcelona’s most iconic landmarks

18/June/2026

Mobile World Capital Barcelona (MWCapital), in collaboration with GSMA Foundry, B Lab Spain, the Ministry for Digital Transformation and Public Service and Red.es, unveiled the winners of the second edition of the MWCapital Awards. This year the awards recognised six innovative projects that use technology to address global social and environmental challenges.

The announcement took place during a ceremony held at La Pedrera, one of Barcelona’s most iconic architectural landmarks, which brought together the 17 international finalists, members of the jury, and representatives from across the global innovation ecosystem.

The second edition of the MWCapital Awards received 298 applications from 62 countries, with international submissions accounting for 65% of the total. From this call, 17 finalist projects were selected for their innovation, scalability, and contribution to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), before a jury selected six winning projects across the different award categories following a rigorous evaluation process.

The winning projects of the 2026 edition are:

• HeliumDoc AI (Nigeria): an AI-powered climate and disaster-resilient healthcare platform that delivers continuous care in flood-prone communities through remote consultations, digital health records, geospatial mapping, and mobile-based services, developed by Helium Health.
  
• ChargeByte (Kenya): solar-powered energy and connectivity hubs providing affordable access to electricity, device charging, public Wi-Fi, and digital services for schools, healthcare facilities, and underserved communities across Africa, developed by ChargeByte Limited.
  
• SAM Photo Diagnosis App® (Senegal): a digital solution that uses a single photograph to rapidly detect severe malnutrition, even offline, while enabling data collection, analysis, and visualization to strengthen community health responses, developed by Fundación Acción contra el Hambre.
  
• RCare (China): an AI-powered millimetre-wave radar system that provides clinical-grade, contactless monitoring of vital signs, including heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, and ECG signals, developed by the Harbin Institute of Technology.
  
• Nun Jukrä Tä Kwin (Panama): a drone-enabled health logistics initiative that improves access to medicines and diagnostic tests in remote communities through aerial delivery, supply traceability, and strengthened health information systems, developed by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) in collaboration with the FC Barcelona Foundation.

In addition, the winner of the Barcelona Horizon Award, HERA, a Turkish project developed by HERA Digital Health, will receive up to €50,000 to pilot its solution in Barcelona. HERA is an AI-powered digital health platform designed to improve access to essential healthcare for underserved and refugee populations. Cocreated with refugee communities, the solution supports women in navigating key services such as prenatal care, vaccination programmes, and primary healthcare through intelligent, personalised health guidance and structured care pathways.

The pilot aims to test the scalability and impact of HERA’s model in an urban European context, with the goal of strengthening equitable access to healthcare through inclusive, AI-driven tools.

All winners of the MWCapital Awards receive international visibility and access to collaboration opportunities within the global innovation ecosystem. The selected projects are also invited to present their solutions at the next edition of MWC Barcelona, an international platform that enables broader exposure and the possibility of strategic partnerships.

Empowering a global network of changemakers

The awards recognise innovation within a global network of changemakers committed to driving meaningful impact and bridging digital and social divides through technology. By spotlighting pioneering ideas and collaborative solutions, the initiative celebrates organisations and individuals who are actively shaping more inclusive, sustainable and resilient futures across industries and communities worldwide.

Laia Corbella, General Director of Mobile World Capital Barcelona, highlighted the calibre of this year’s submissions: “The quality, diversity and ambition of the projects submitted this year demonstrate that technology has become one of the most powerful tools for tackling society’s most pressing challenges.” Corbella added: “The MWCapital Awards aim to give visibility to initiatives that are not only innovative but also rooted in collaboration and capable of generating real and measurable impact on people’s lives.”

John Hoffman, CEO of GSMA Ltd. said, “Barcelona shows what happens when long-term investment in connectivity, talent and collaboration comes together. Over two decades with MWC, the city has built a globally recognised innovation ecosystem, and what we’re seeing through initiatives like the MWCapital Awards is how technology can translate that foundation into real-world impact. It’s a powerful example of how bringing people together turns ambition into progress. Huge congratulations to our applicants, finalists, and today’s winners.”

For his part, Lucas Hunter, Interim Executive Director of B Lab Spain, stated, “innovation has an extraordinary potential to generate meaningful positive impact when guided by purpose. At B Lab Spain, we are proud to support initiatives such as the MWCapital Awards, which demonstrate that technology is an indispensable transformative force in driving a more inclusive, sustainable and responsible economy.”

Red.es highlights “technology as a key opportunity to address the major social and environmental challenges of our time and emphasises that this year’s recognised initiatives are a clear example of how innovation can generate a tangible impact on people’s lives. In this context, the MWCapital Awards continue to establish themselves as a strategic platform for showcasing and connecting projects that are driving a more responsible digital transformation”.

Through the MWCapital Awards, Mobile World Capital Barcelona reinforces its commitment to harnessing technology as a force for positive economic, environmental and social impact. Aligned with the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda, the awards celebrate innovative solutions that are helping address some of the world’s most pressing challenges, highlighting the transformative potential of technology to build a more sustainable and inclusive future.

The MWCapital Awards are organised by Mobile World Capital Barcelona in collaboration with GSMA Foundry, B Lab Spain, the Ministry for Digital Transformation and Public Service, and Red.es. Together, these organisations share a commitment to promoting a responsible digital transition and reinforcing the role of technology as a driver of sustainability and positive social impact.