The Mobile World Congress 2023 started in Barcelona

As of today and until March 2, Barcelona once again attracts all eyes with a new edition of the Mobile World Congress (MWC)an event that brings together the greatest exponents of technology and telecommunications.

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According to GSMA, organizer of the event, it is expected to receive close to 80,000 visitors, 2,000 exhibitors and have an economic impact of 350 million euros.

Among the novelties for this year, an immersive space called ‘Journey to the future’ stands out, in which attendees will be able to experiment with all kinds of technological solutions.

They will also present news related to artificial intelligence, 5G, the Internet of Things, virtual reality, blockchain and quantum computing, among other technologies.

Among the great figures expected at the event, executives from companies such as Telefónica, José María Álvarez-Pallete; Nokia, Pekka Lundmark, and Ericsson, Börje Ekholm.

Colombia will also participate in the Mobile World Congress 2023, with a stand that will have a delegation made up of 40 companies from Medellín, Bogotá, Floridablanca, Barranquilla, Cali, Pereira, Cartagena and Bucaramanga. It should be noted that these companies will have the support of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism and ProColombia.

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“The national delegation, which is the largest in South America, will show its high value-added offer in software development and mobile applications, solutions based on 4.0 technologies such as blockchain, machine learning, IA, IoT and NFTs, augmented reality, strategic models of city, data analysis, among others”, said Carmen Caballero, president of ProColombia.

Caballero added that with this participation of Colombia in the MWC they hope to generate synergies with similar entities from other countries and from Spain.

“Everything, in order to seek new opportunities and projects that help us in our work of international promotion of the Colombian software and IT sector, and support the increase in exports of the Industries 4.0 chain ”, Knight added.

It is worth noting that, according to reports from ProColombia, in 2022, Industries 4.0 exports reached US$950 million, with an increase of 17.4% compared to 2021. There, software and IT services contributed US$294 million, which represented an increase of 34.4% compared to 2021.

Likewise, ProColombia highlighted that among the main buyers of this sector were countries in the region such as Uruguay, Chile, Mexico, Peru and Argentina, as well as the United States and the Ivory Coast.

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Between 2009 and 2022, software and IT services exports achieved a compound annual growth of 27%according to company reports to ProColombia.

Likewise, while in 2009 these external sales totaled US$13 million with 139 companies from five departments, reaching 15 destinations, last year sales of US$294 million were registered, with 955 companies from 15 departments, reaching 36 markets.

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It should be noted that since 2009, exports made by the business fabric have been made in a greater proportion by MSMEs, which have achieved a participation of more than 75% of the total number of companies that sell to other countries.

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