MWC Barcelona: dates, who attends, and how founders get in
“Join the mobile technology ecosystem at the largest and most influential connectivity event in the world, hosted by GSMA in Barcelona, Spain, 2027.”
- Next edition
- Mar 1–4, 2027 · MWC Barcelona 2027 source
- Where
- Fira Gran Via, Barcelona, Spain source
- Format
- hybrid · 4 days (2026 and 2027 editions).
- Tickets
- €399–€5,499 incl. VAT (2027; 4YFN Attendee Pass to MWC VIP Pass). source
- Startup pass
- €399 with VAT; €362.73 exc VAT (2027). source
- 4YFN Awards 2027
- Top 20 startups: €1,500 cash prize and a free exhibition pod for four days at 4YFN 2027. Each of the five finalists: €2,500 cash prize. Winner: €20,000 cash prize. source
- Cadence
- Annual, generally in late February or early March. MWC Barcelona 2020 was canceled; the 2021 edition took place 28 June–1 July in Barcelona and online. It was back in early March in 2026, with the next edition announced for March 2027.
- Economic impact
- €588 million (2026) source
GeneralistAIHardwareSpaceRoboticsFintechHealth & biotechClimatePre-seedSeedSeries AGrowthPublicFoundersInvestorsCorporatesPressPolicy & governmentPartners
Next edition
| Dates | Mar 1–4, 2027 source |
|---|---|
| Edition | MWC Barcelona 2027 |
| Venue | Fira Gran Via, Barcelona, Spain source |
| Timezone | Europe/Madrid |
| Tickets | mwcbarcelona.com source |
Deadlines that matter to founders
- Oct 26, 2026 — 4YFN Awards 2027 application · apply
Ticket tiers as published
| Tier | Price | Includes | Edition |
|---|---|---|---|
| MWC Exhibition Pass source | €989 with VAT; €899 exc VAT (2027). | Unlimited MWC showfloor access, targeted summits, selected partner programmes, GSMA Summits, Connected Industries, Talent Arena and access to 4YFN. | 2027 |
| MWC Leaders Conference Pass source | €2,419 with VAT; €2,199 exc VAT (2027). | Exhibition Pass benefits plus conference access, Flagship Sessions, Leaders Lounge access and curated networking. | 2027 |
| MWC VIP Pass source | €5,499 with VAT; €4,999 exc VAT (2027). | All-access conference, exhibition and 4YFN programme benefits, plus published VIP travel, hotel and networking privileges. | 2027 |
| 4YFN Attendee Pass source | €399 with VAT; €362.73 exc VAT (2027). | Four-day 4YFN access, MWC exhibition access on Wednesday and Thursday, Meeting Hub, networking formats and MWC App meeting scheduling. | 2027 |
| 4YFN Investor Pass source | €1,099 with VAT; €999.09 exc VAT (2027). | Four-day access to 4YFN and MWC, investor zone, investor networking programme, curated founder meetings and VIP-night invitation. | 2027 |
| 4YFN VIP Pass source | €1,299 with VAT; €1,180.91 exc VAT (2027). | Premium access to 4YFN and MWC Barcelona, including exclusive face-to-face engagement in a dedicated VIP environment. | 2027 |
How founders get in
4YFN presents itself as a practical business-focused startup event: founders can meet investors and corporates, join mentoring and networking, and pursue deals, pilots and partnerships. Its published description says attendees come to move their companies forward, not simply to be entertained.
- Choose a pass for the edition you plan to attend. For 4YFN27, founders can buy an Attendee Pass; it gives access to 4YFN throughout the event and to the MWC exhibition on Wednesday and Thursday (2027). An MWC Exhibition Pass is another published option and includes 4YFN access (2027).
- Complete registration online before arriving, purchase the pass, and finish the required photo and ID validation. The organiser says a valid passport or EU national ID card is required for MWC Barcelona registration (2027).
- For the 4YFN Awards, submit the online application by 2026-10-26. Eligible startups must be incorporated, within the published age limit, and have a commercially available product or solution; Top 20 entrants must exhibit at 4YFN and attend in person (2027 Awards).
- Use the official MWC App for networking and meeting planning. 4YFN describes curated founder-investor matchmaking and investor activities; the 4YFN Attendee Pass also includes access to the Meeting Hub and networking formats (2027).
| Startup price | €399 with VAT; €362.73 exc VAT (2027). source |
|---|---|
| Includes | Four-day access to 4YFN and MWC exhibition access on Wednesday and Thursday (2027); the 4YFN Meeting Hub, networking formats and meeting scheduling via the MWC App. |
| Eligibility | The pass is described as suitable for founders, startups, scale-ups, SMEs and innovation professionals. No additional founder or company-age qualification is published for this pass. |
| Investor pass | Purchase the 4YFN Investor Pass online. source |
| Investor eligibility | Designed for VCs, CVCs, business angels and private-equity firms; no further published financial threshold is stated. |
| Press | Press and industry analysts apply through the MWC Press Zone and are subject to accreditation review. The organiser’s registration FAQ says to allow 5–10 working days for review. The 2027 complimentary media application form says applications are reviewed against audience reach, content quality, industry relevance and demonstrated coverage capabilities. |
| Application required | No, tickets are purchased |
4YFN Awards 2027
| Prize | Top 20 startups: €1,500 cash prize and a free exhibition pod for four days at 4YFN 2027. Each of the five finalists: €2,500 cash prize. Winner: €20,000 cash prize. source |
|---|---|
| Format | 4YFN Awards 2027: the Top 20 pitch in the semi-finals; a panel selects one finalist from each of five categories; the five finalists pitch live at the finale for the overall award. The rules schedule the semi-finals for 2027-03-01 and the finale for 2027-03-03. |
| Eligibility | Applicants must be incorporated and registered startups with no more than seven years of existence when the application period opens, based in an eligible country, and offering a digital-technology solution that has launched and is commercially available. Top 20 startups must exhibit at 4YFN 2027 and attend the in-person programme. |
| Application deadline | Oct 26, 2026 source |
Winners
- Biorce (2026) — €20,000 cash prize, José Faria source
Judges
- Itxaso Del Palacio, General Partner at Notion VC source
- Raymond Liao, VP & MD Ventures at Samsung NEXT source
- Vikram Taneja, Head of AT&T Ventures at AT&T source
- Karine Peters, VC Investor at T Capital source
- Cristina Fonseca, General Partner at Indico Capital Partners source
Meeting investors there
4YFN describes a curated startup database that attending investors can use to prepare their meeting agenda, plus curated matchmaking and direct founder interactions. The Investor Pass provides access to investor-only spaces and activities; the organiser says meetings can be scheduled using the MWC App. source
| Investors attending | Hundreds of investors at 4YFN, with €70 billion in collective funds (2026) source |
|---|---|
| Matchmaking | MWC App source |
| Formats | Curated investor-startup matchmaking sessions and face-to-face meetings (4YFN26). · Investor-founder speed-dating, investor roundtables and an investors summit (4YFN26). · Investor committees, pitching-event Q&A participation and Awards jury roles (4YFN26). · The Investor Pass includes investor roundtables, pitching committees and curated founder meetings; investors can schedule meetings through the MWC App (2027). · The 4YFN Investor Pass includes an invitation to the 4YFN VIP night (2027). |
| Meetings arranged | 700+ curated meetings at 4YFN (2026) source |
Investor firms the organiser lists (MWC26 (completed 2026-03-02 to 2026-03-05) for outcomes; MWC27 (announced 2027-03-01 to 2027-03-04). MWC27 Exhibition Pass: €989 with VAT €899 exc VAT.)
4Founders CapitalAAlchemy Ventures LimitedActon CapitalSwisscom VenturesAkka NordicsFortino VenturesChamaeleonARABAN (Red de Inversores)Chausson PartnersAlstin CapitalAdara VenturesHidalgo Venture CapitalSupernova InvestAT&T VenturesIndico CapitalNotion CapitalSamsung NextT.Capital
Before you go: the hub's cold email to VCs playbook covers the pre-event outreach that fills a meeting calendar, and Causo matches your stage and thesis to the funds in its database so you know who to ask for a meeting.
Who speaks (MWC26 (completed 2026-03-02 to 2026-03-05) for outcomes; MWC27 (announced 2027-03-01 to 2027-03-04). MWC27 Exhibition Pass: €989 with VAT €899 exc VAT.)
- John Stankey, CEO · AT&T
- Johanna Faries, President · Blizzard
- Allison Kirkby, CEO · BT Group
- Karandeep Anand, CEO · Character.AI
- He Biao, CEO · China Mobile
- Tim Höttges, CEO · Deutsche Telekom
- Kaiwei Tang, CEO and Co-Founder · Light
- Kate Johnson, President and CEO · Lumen
- Justin Hotard, CEO · Nokia
- Akira Shimada, President and CEO · NTT Inc
- Tom Hale, CEO and Board Member · OURA
- Christel Heydemann, CEO · Orange Group
- Cristiano R. Amon, President and CEO · Qualcomm
- Roberto Daniel Nobile, CEO · Telecom Argentina
- Alex Blania, CEO and Co-Founder · Tools for Humanity
- Margherita Della Valle, CEO · Vodafone
- Aaron Paul, Actor, Producer, and Entrepreneur
Full lineup: official speakers page.
Sponsors and partners
Main Sponsor (4YFN26) 2
Banco SabadellCaixaBank
Theme Headline Sponsor (4YFN26) 1
EY
Host Sponsor (4YFN26) 2
ACCIOICEX
4YFN Awards Prize Sponsor (2026) 1
GSMA Foundry
Media partners: Mobile World Live, CNBC, CNET Group, Financial Times, Fortune, The Wall Street Journal, C114, Euronews, RCR Wireless
Government partners: Government of Catalonia
Full list: official partners page.
Startups there
4YFN26: over 1,000 startups and exhibitors combined; the organiser does not give a startup-only figure (2026). · official startup directory
Alumni the organiser highlights
- Marvel Fusion (4YFN edition not specified by organiser) source
Programme
| Tracks | Agentic AI (4YFN27) · Climate Tech (4YFN27) · Corporate Innovation (4YFN27) · Fintech (4YFN27) · Founders (4YFN27) · Health Tech (4YFN27) · Investors (4YFN27) · University & Spin-offs (4YFN27) source |
|---|---|
| Side events | The 4YFN Attendee Pass lists group mentoring, roundtables, meetups and happy hours. The Investor Pass lists the 4YFN VIP night and investor-focused roundtables and curated meetings (2027). |
| Awards | The startup competition is the 4YFN Awards. At the completed 2026 edition, Biorce won the overall award and €20,000. For 2027, the organiser lists five categories—Health Tech, Fintech, Climate Tech, Connectivity and Digital Horizons—with a Top 20, five finalists and an overall winner. The announced rewards include a €1,500 cash prize and four-day exhibition pod for each Top 20 startup, €2,500 for each finalist and €20,000 for the winner. The 2027 Awards application deadline is 2026-10-26. |
| Hackathon | No organiser-published MWC Barcelona or 4YFN hackathon programme was identified. The published startup competition and pitch programming includes the 4YFN Awards and other startup pitching sessions. |
| Call for speakers | MWC Barcelona 2027 speaker submissions opened 2026-08-12; the deadline is 2026-11-05 at 23:00 CET. 4YFN27 speaker applications opened 2026-08-10; the published deadline is also 2026-11-05 at 23:00 CET. source |
| Volunteering | No organiser-published volunteer programme, volunteer application route or volunteer-for-pass offer was found in the published MWC Barcelona or 4YFN participation information. |
| Languages | English |
| Official app | MWC Series App |
| Hashtag | #MWC27 |
Past editions, as published
| Edition | Dates | Attendees | Investors | Startups | Recap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 · 4YFN is co-located with MWC Barcelona; it is the startup event of the mobile-industry exhibition. source | Mar 2–5, 2026 | Nearly 105,000 attendees (2026). | Hundreds of 4YFN investors representing collective funds totalling €70 billion (2026). | 4YFN: 1,000+ startup and exhibitor companies (2026); 260+ startup pitches (2026). | recap · video · photos |
| 2025 source | Mar 3–6, 2025 | 109,000 attendees (2025). | Over 900 4YFN investors representing collective funds totalling €60 billion (2025). | 4YFN: over 1,000 startup exhibitors (2025). | recap |
| 2024 source | — | Over 101,000 unique in-person attendees (2024). | Over 1,000 4YFN investors; collective funds totalling €50 billion (2024). | 4YFN: 930 exhibitors (2024). | recap |
| 2023 source | — | Over 88,500 in-person attendees (2023). | — | 4YFN: almost 800 exhibitors (2023). | recap |
| 2022 · Barcelona was confirmed as MWC host through at least 2030 (2022). source | — | — | — | — | |
| 2021 · Smaller hybrid-format physical summer edition; marked the return after the 2020 cancellation (2021). source | — | — | — | — | |
| 2020 · Cancelled due to health concerns (2020). source | — | — | — | — | |
| 2019 · Official event rebrand to MWC (2019). source | — | — | — | — | |
| 2018 source | — | 107,000 attendees (2018). | — | — | |
| 2017 source | — | 108,000 visitors (2017). | — | — | |
| 2016 source | — | Attendance surpassed 100,000 (2016). | — | — | |
| 2015 source | — | Nearly 100,000 attendees (2015). | — | — | |
| 2014 source | — | — | — | 4YFN, MWC's startup show, launched (2014). | |
| 2013 · Moved from Fira Montjuïc to Fira Gran Via (2013). source | — | More than 72,000 visitors (2013). | — | — | |
| 2012 · Final edition at Fira Montjuïc; move to Fira Gran Via announced (2012). source | — | 67,000 attendees (2012). | — | — | |
| 2011 source | — | — | — | — | |
| 2010 source | — | More than 60,000 visitors (2010). | — | — | |
| 2009 source | — | — | — | — | |
| 2008 · The event adopted the Mobile World Congress name (2008). source | — | — | — | — | |
| 2007 source | — | 55,000 visitors (2007). | — | — | |
| 2006 · The 3GSM World Congress moved from Cannes to Barcelona (2006); hosted at Fira Montjuïc. source | — | — | — | — |
Cities: Madrid (1995, GSM World Congress); Cannes (from 1996, including the 3GSM World Congress); Barcelona (since 2006; Fira Gran Via since 2013)
Formerly: GSM World Congress, 3GSM World Congress, Mobile World Congress
Who attends
| Breakdown | 58% represented industries adjacent to the core mobile ecosystem; 17% were C-suite; 45% were director level and above; 27% were women (2026). source |
|---|---|
| Geography | Attendees from 207 countries and territories (2026). source |
| Roles | Founders, Investors, Corporates, Press, Policy & government, Partners |
| Stages | Pre-seed, Seed, Series A, Growth, Public |
Official links and socials
Travel & apps
In the press
- Tech Now, MWC Barcelona: What's New In Phone Tech? — BBC (2026)
- MWC Barcelona 2026 Preview: Mobile Industry Reckons With AI and Geopolitics — Bloomberg (2026)
Prepare for it
- How to cold email VCs — book the meetings before you land.
- The 12-slide seed deck — what to have ready when a partner says "send me the deck".
- Pitch Deck Roaster — a slide-by-slide pass before you submit to 4YFN Awards 2027.
- Accelerator deadlines — the application windows that open around the event.
Sources
Every fact above was read from one of these official pages on Oct 7, 2026:
- watch.gsma.com/mwc-barcelona
- 4yfn.com/4yfn-awards-2026
- 4yfn.com/articles/4yfn26-in-numbers-innovation-startups-and-infinite-ai
- 4yfn.com/articles/biorce-crowned-champion-of-electrifying-4yfn26-awards-at-mwc26-barcelona
- 4yfn.com/articles/the-founders-playbook-for-2026-what-it-takes-to-build-a-startup-that-lasts
- 4yfn.com/attend/investors
- 4yfn.com/get-involved
- 4yfn.com/investors/attending/1650-juan-felipe-gonzalez
- 4yfn.com/investors/attending/1939-laura-josipovich
- 4yfn.com/investors/attending/1951-markus-torstedt
- 4yfn.com/investors/attending/2823-andrea-casati
- 4yfn.com/investors/attending/2855-stefan-kuentz
- 4yfn.com/investors/attending/2913-arthur-puig
- 4yfn.com/investors/attending/2925-alex-santos
- 4yfn.com/investors/attending/3337-hugh-phelan
- 4yfn.com/investors/attending/3341-daniel-twal
- 4yfn.com/investors/attending/3522-juan-sainz-de-vicuna
- 4yfn.com/investors/attending/3541-andreas-schenk
- 4yfn.com/passes/attendee-pass
- 4yfn.com/passes/investor-pass
- 4yfn.com/passes/vip-pass
- 4yfn.com/programmes/investors/attending
- 4yfn.com/rules-of-entry
- facebook.com/mobileworldcongress
- gsma.com/about-us/regions/europe/gsma_events/mwc26-barcelona
- gsma.com/get-involved/gsma-membership/gsma_events/mwc-barcelona-2025
- gsma.com/newsroom/press-release/gsma-mwc-barcelona-2024-closes-with-over-101000-attendees
- instagram.com/mwcseries
- linkedin.com/company/gsma
- mwcbarcelona.com
- mwcbarcelona.com/20-years
- mwcbarcelona.com/agenda
- mwcbarcelona.com/app
- mwcbarcelona.com/articles/a-resurgent-mwc-barcelona-2023-brought-debate-inspiration-and-business-deals-for-the-mobile-ecosystem
- mwcbarcelona.com/articles/biorce-crowned-champion-of-electrifying-4yfn26-awards-at-mwc26-barcelona
- mwcbarcelona.com/articles/gsma-celebrates-a-resoundingly-successful-mwc25-barcelona
- mwcbarcelona.com/articles/gsma-mwc26-barcelona-closes-20th-anniversary-edition
- mwcbarcelona.com/articles/gsma-mwc26-barcelona-draws-closer-as-ceos-from-character-ai-oura-and-qualcomm-confirmed-as-speakers
- mwcbarcelona.com/attend
- mwcbarcelona.com/attend/big-ideas
- mwcbarcelona.com/become-a-speaker
- mwcbarcelona.com/experiences/4yfn
- mwcbarcelona.com/hotels
- mwcbarcelona.com/passes/exhibition
- mwcbarcelona.com/passes/faqs
- mwcbarcelona.com/passes/leaders-conference
- mwcbarcelona.com/passes/vip
- mwcbarcelona.com/press-zone
- mwcbarcelona.com/register-your-interest
- mwcbarcelona.com/sponsors-partners
- youtube.com/user/GSMAOnline
- x.com/MWCHub
MWC Barcelona: frequently asked
When is MWC Barcelona 2027?
MWC Barcelona 2027 runs Mar 1–4, 2027 at Fira Gran Via, Barcelona, according to the organiser's published dates.
How much does MWC Barcelona cost?
Published ticket prices run €399–€5,499 incl. VAT (2027; 4YFN Attendee Pass to MWC VIP Pass)..
How many investors attend MWC Barcelona?
The organiser reports Hundreds of investors at 4YFN, with €70 billion in collective funds investors for the 2026 edition. 4YFN describes a curated startup database that attending investors can use to prepare their meeting agenda, plus curated matchmaking and direct founder interactions. The Investor Pass provides access to investor-only spaces and activities; the organiser says meetings can be scheduled using the MWC App.
What is 4YFN Awards 2027?
MWC Barcelona's pitch competition. Prize as published: Top 20 startups: €1,500 cash prize and a free exhibition pod for four days at 4YFN 2027. Each of the five finalists: €2,500 cash prize. Winner: €20,000 cash prize.. Eligibility: Applicants must be incorporated and registered startups with no more than seven years of existence when the application period opens, based in an eligible country, and offering a digital-technology solution that has launched and is commercially available. Top 20 startups must exhibit at 4YFN 2027 and attend the in-person programme.
How big is MWC Barcelona?
Nearly 105,000 attendees attendees (2026), 1,000+ startup and corporate exhibitors at 4YFN startups, from 207 countries and territories countries, per the organiser.