Artificial intelligence, industrial IoT, digital twins, augmented reality, 5G connectivity… these are some of the digital technologies that can potentially change the industrial sector at great speed. The IoT Solutions World Congress (IOTSWC) will bring together thousands of attendees to showcase the way forward, writes Antony Savvas.
Organised by Fira de Barcelona, the 2025 edition of IOTSWC will take place on 13-15 May at the Fira Gran Via, Barcelona, Spain venue. In its tenth anniversary, under the theme “Connect to the Next Level”, IOTSWC will include a congress programme structured across three main themes: digital transformation strategy, emerging technologies and processes, and work in adverse environments.
IOTSWC will be structured around four areas: an exhibition zone featuring leading companies, the StartUp Pavilion, highlighting the most disruptive emerging projects, The Dome, that will host several presentations, and the congress programme, with experts from around the world specialising in digital transformation. The programme will focus on three main topics: Power of Innovation, Emerging Technologies, and 5G and Wireless Connectivity.
The IOTSWC will be held jointly with the Barcelona Cybersecurity Congress (BCC), also organised by Fira de Barcelona. The two shows will bring together more than 250 international exhibitors in Hall 8 of the Gran Via.
The conferences and sessions will feature top-level speakers who will tackle issues such as the use of AI to generate economic return, the optimisation of processes as a sustainable initiative, the use of autonomous vehicles – such as robots or drones – to operate in environments inaccessible to humans, the energy transition and the future of Europe in the global AI race, among other topics. And success stories will be presented to show how the application of disruptive technologies is contributing to a change in business models.
Among the speakers are Emanuela Girardi, president of ADRA, the European association for AI, Data and Robotics, the head of environmental, society and governance (ESG) services at Fujitsu Spain, Elisabeth Margarit Borras, the executive director of Qilimanjaro Quantum Tech, Marta Pascual Estarellas, Atlantis Industries founder and CEO Brad Morrison, the generative AI expert and co-founder of Microbrains, Claudio Lima, and the head of the telecommunications programmes of the future division of the European Space Agency (ESA), Xavier Lobao.
Other companies attending include the likes of Avanci, Edge Impulse, Emnify, iot squared, STMicroelectronics and many more.
Last year
Last year’s combined event drew around 11,000 attendees. Director of the IOTSWC, Marc Tarragó, says: “IOTSWC 24 was an outstanding showcase for the solutions and technologies that are reshaping the industrial landscape. Visitors were able to discover how digitisation can future proof their companies and business, while experts and exhibitors provided an accurate roadmap of how to achieve this.”
Last year attracted official delegations from China, Brazil, Denmark, India, Turkey and Wales, together with hosted buyers from countries such as France, Germany, Ghana and Poland.
In 2024, 70% of IOTSWC visitors were decisionmakers, while the BCC had 77% of attendees in this category.
LoRaWAN
At this year’s event, with the aim of bringing the LoRaWAN protocol closer to the industrial sector, the LoRa Alliance has organised a conference to showcase success stories. Implementation options, and end-user experiences will be covered, to help drive take-up of the low-power, open wireless communication technology for data transmission between IoT devices.
Cybersecurity
Enhancing digital protection in an increasingly interconnected world will be a challenge discussed at both IOTSWC and the Barcelona Cybersecurity Congress.
BCC, co-organised with the Catalonia Cybersecurity Agency (ACC), will feature companies and experts who have developed tools to create a “safer digital world” at a time when the surge in connected IoT devices and the adoption of 5G technology have heightened exposure to cyber attacks.
Under the slogan ‘Building a Secure Future for Industries’, the BCC will feature an exhibition area, and a congress addressing issues such as the need to increase investments in cybersecurity, emerging technologies, and supply chain protection. It will also include a Hacking Village, where ethical hacking experts will demonstrate their skills and share knowledge.
The BCC will share the StartUp Pavilion and The Dome with IOTSWC. One of the new features of this year’s edition is the VIP Cocktail Party, an exclusive event for C-level executives from major companies, aimed at fostering networking.
STEM Women
On 14 May, as part of the IOT Solutions World Congress, there will be a special STEM Women Congress event, a space designed to promote innovation, technology, and female talent in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
Throughout the day, the event will explore cybersecurity in key economic sectors and analyse challenges and solutions to ensure protection in industries where security is paramount. “From critical infrastructure to finance and healthcare, we will discuss how to strengthen resilience to cyber threats in an increasingly digitalised world,” the organisers say.
The event will also address these challenges from a gender perspective, highlighting the role of women in cybersecurity, and the importance of diversity in fostering innovative and inclusive approaches to future challenges.
Awards
Robots for land and lunar exploration, AI systems to monitor large infrastructures and industries, more sustainable fuels, and satellites to promote low-cost connectivity or applications to improve the cybersecurity of companies. These are some of the 15 projects eligible for the Industry Solutions Awards 2025, which will be presented during IOTSWC.
The expert jury for the awards has listed potential winners from Germany, Saudi Arabia, Australia, France, Iran, Spain and the UK, involving areas like AI, cybersecurity, connectivity, sustainability and industry 4.0.
The IoT Solutions World Congress will take place on 13-15 May at the Fira Gran Via, Hall 8, Barcelona, Spain.
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