What Cluster Digital de Catalunya does

Cluster Digital de Catalunya (Associació Clúster Digital de Catalunya) is a private non-profit membership association constituted in 2015 in Barcelona, recognized as an Agrupació Empresarial Innovadora (AEI) by Spain's Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Trade. It operates as a digital industry cluster serving 101 associated members — SMEs, startups, large enterprises (including Oracle and MasOrange), universities, training centers, and technology/research centers (e.g., Eurecat) — to drive the digital transformation of Catalonia's manufacturing industry. The cluster's primary outputs are R&D+i project origination, public-funding facilitation, training delivery, and ecosystem coordination rather than proprietary software products. Its core activity mix includes 47% member participation in R&D+i projects and a 91% proposal win rate, with €3.6M secured in AEI grants 2020-2024 (3rd in Catalonia, 8th in Spain) and €5.2M+ in subsidies captured 2023-2025.

The association's product surface comprises PRISMA Digital (an Akaroa Technologies-built innovation search engine covering six verticals, exclusive to members), Cluster Academy (a Moodle-based e-learning platform built with Acceleralia), the annual Baròmetre de la Transformació Digital report, training courses (e.g., 30-hour Cybersecurity & Blockchain program), and the DonaIndústria 4.0 pre-acceleration program. Distribution is event-led and membership-driven: Digital Days (annual flagship), IN Talks, Match&Build matchmaking sessions, and direct member account management. Technology focus areas promoted among members are Artificial Intelligence, Big Data & Data Analytics, Blockchain, Cybersecurity, IoT, and Cloud Computing.

Revenue is generated almost entirely through annual membership fees tiered by organization staff size (€500 for 1-5 employees; €1,000 for 6-30; €2,000 for 31-250; €3,000 for 250+), supplemented by public grant overhead allocations and training fees. Strategic partnerships span Eurecat, Packaging Cluster, CEEC, Cluster Audiovisual, AMBIT, CIAC, MODACC, CAAR, FIDEM, Akaroa Technologies, Acceleralia, IDConsortium, CDTI, and ACCIÓ — supporting both AEI/national funding flows and European programs including Horizon Europe, Eurostars, and Digital Europe.

Name

Cluster Digital de Catalunya

Legal name

Associació Clúster Digital de Catalunya

Website

https://clusterdigital.cat

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Barcelona-based non-profit digital industry cluster (founded 2015) connecting 101 Catalan member companies — SMEs, startups, large firms, universities, and tech centers — to drive manufacturing digital transformation through R&D+i coordination, public funding access, training, and networking.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Barcelona

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Annual Membership Fees: Cluster Digital de Catalunya generates revenue through annual membership fees scaled by organization staff size. The association is a non-profit private association. No other commercial revenue streams are disclosed.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Cluster Digital de Catalunya is a non-profit association that operates as a digital industry cluster, providing membership-based services to companies and institutions in the Catalan ICT sector. Its core offering includes access to collaborative R&D+i project coordination, public funding facilitation (AEI, IRC, Horizon Europe grants), training programs (Cybersecurity, Blockchain, Agile), networking events (Digital Days, IN Talks, Match&Build), the PRISMA Digital innovation search engine, the Clúster Academy e-learning platform, and the annual Baròmetre de la Transformació Digital industry report.

Product overview

Cluster Digital de Catalunya operates as a digital cluster organization offering a portfolio of interconnected services focused on promoting digital transformation of Catalonia's manufacturing industry. The core offering includes PRISMA Digital (an exclusive innovation search engine for members), Cluster Academy (Moodle-based e-learning platform), and specialized training courses. Supporting services include project financing support, the Baròmetre digital transformation report, and collaborative projects like BREF Digital Packaging. The organization functions as a membership-based association rather than a traditional software product company, with offerings designed to serve SMEs, startups, large companies, universities, and technology centers in the Catalan digital ecosystem.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• PRISMA Digital Advanced innovation search engine providing up-to-date data on startups, investments, featured news and global trends across six exploration territories (Mobility & Logistics, Retail, Industry 4.0, Smart Cities, Health Tech, Fintech). Available exclusively to Cluster Digital members.
• Clúster Academy Moodle-based e-learning platform developed with Acceleralia's LMS expertise, hosting digital training courses, resources, and community for cluster members. Supports live Zoom classes and digital training delivery.
• Membership (Cluster Digital Associació) Annual association membership providing access to collaborative R&D+i project opportunities, training programs, networking events, public funding facilitation, the PRISMA Digital platform, Clúster Academy, and member visibility. Tiered by staff size: €500 (1-5 emp), €1,000 (6-30 emp), €2,000 (31-250 emp), €3,000 (250+ emp).
• Project Financing Services End-to-end support for member R&D+i project financing — from consortium creation and proposal preparation through coordination and reporting — across AEI grants, IRC grants, NON grants, Epicentre cascade funding, and Nuclear Transition Fund business grants.
• DonaIndústria 4.0 Pre-acceleration program for women with STEM profiles, digital talent, or innovative ideas wanting to create technology solutions applied to manufacturing. Combines training in AI, IoT, automation, data analytics, and cloud with mentorship, business guidance, and networking.
• Training Courses Continuous training programs including Project Management with Agile methodology, Cybersecurity and Blockchain course (30 hours), and the La Salle Digital & Management program, addressing technical skills shortages and digital training gaps for member organizations.
• Baròmetre de la Transformació Digital Annual benchmark report on the digitalization level of Catalonia's manufacturing industry, providing public intelligence and analytics on industry-wide digital maturity trends.
• BREF Digital Packaging Best Available Techniques Reference Document (BREF) for digital transformation in the packaging sector. Strategic project developed with the Packaging Cluster, providing a practical guide for adopting digital technologies (AI in production, traceability, digital systems integration).
• Digital Days Annual flagship event organized by Cluster Digital de Catalunya for strategic reflection, networking, and digital training, positioning the cluster as a thought leader in digital transformation.

Quantifiable outcome

• €3,633,134 secured in AEI grants (2020-2024), ranking 3rd in Catalonia and 8th in Spain
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

AI capability3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Eurecat — Centre Tecnològic de CatalunyacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEurecat is a key strategic partner of Cluster Digital, collaborating on multiple R&D+i projects, training programs (including the DonaIndústria 4.0 pre-acceleration program and Cybersecurity & Blockchain course), and technology transfer initiatives. Eurecat provides technological expertise and research capabilities to cluster projects.
• Packaging ClustercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-promoter of the BREF Digital Packaging project (€99,949.04 budget, 2025-2026) focused on accelerating digital transformation of the packaging sector in Catalonia. Both clusters collaborate on inter-cluster innovation initiatives.
• Cluster de l'Energia Eficient de Catalunya (CEEC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration partner in AEI 2026 project proposals, focusing on digital transformation of energy-efficient industrial applications.
• Cluster Audiovisual de CatalunyamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration partner in AEI 2026 project proposals involving audiovisual technologies and AI for industrial knowledge preservation.
• Cluster d'Equipament de la Llar i el Contract (AMBIT)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration partner in AEI 2026 project proposals, contributing to inter-cluster innovation in the home equipment and contract sector.
• Cluster de la Indústria d'Automoció de Catalunya (CIAC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration partner in AEI 2026 project proposals related to automotive industry digitalization.
• MODACC — Cluster de la ModamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration partner in AEI 2026 project proposals for digital transformation in the fashion and apparel sector.
• CAAR — Cluster Aragonès de l'AutomocióminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCross-regional collaboration partner in AEI 2026 project proposals for automotive industry digitalization.
• FIDEM — Fundació per a la DonacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint promoter of the DonaIndústria 4.0 program, contributing expertise in female entrepreneurship and leadership to the pre-acceleration initiative for women in STEM and digital industries.
• Akaroa TechnologiescoreTechnology or IntegrationDeveloped the PRISMA Digital platform — an advanced innovation search engine — exclusively for Cluster Digital members. The cluster is the first in the world to offer this service to its members.
• IDConsortiumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating consultancy specialized in European R&D+i projects (Horizon Europe, Eurostars, Digital Europe, etc.) that supports cluster members in accessing European funding programs.
• CDTI (Centro para el Desarrollo Tecnológico Industrial)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpanish public entity providing funding instruments for business innovation projects. Presented at cluster events as a key partner for accessing national public innovation funding.
• ACCIÓ — Agency for Business Competitiveness of CataloniacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment agency backing the cluster as an accredited entity within the Catalunya Clústers Program. Provides IRC grants, cluster accreditation, and support for innovation projects. Co-funder of the BREF Digital Packaging project.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Mobile World Capital Barcelona: Barcelona-based foundation driving digital transformation through mobile technology and ecosystem programs. Comparable digital-innovation facilitator role in the same Catalan ecosystem, with similar event-driven, partnership-oriented engagement model.
• Eurecat: Catalonia's main applied technology center and a strategic partner of Cluster Digital, providing R&D capabilities in AI, IoT, blockchain, and cybersecurity. Functions both as a member and as a service provider to the cluster, making it the closest capability peer in the Catalan digital innovation system.
• Barcelona Tech City: Barcelona-based non-profit tech ecosystem builder that connects startups, corporates, and investors around digital innovation. Highly comparable mission and Barcelona geography, though focused more on the startup community while Cluster Digital targets industrial digital transformation and SME members.
• Cluster de Energía Eficiente de Catalunya (CEEC): Catalan industry cluster focused on energy efficiency, and an active co-bidder with Cluster Digital on AEI 2026 projects. Runs on the same AEI-accredited membership association model in the same Catalan ecosystem, making it the most direct cluster-format counterpart.
• Packaging Cluster: Catalan sectoral cluster and co-promoter with Cluster Digital of the BREF Digital Packaging project. Same cluster management model, same AEI registration framework, same ACCIÓ program membership—just oriented to the packaging industry rather than digital/ICT.

Broad incumbents

• EIT Digital: EU-funded pan-European digital innovation organization with nodes across Europe including Spain. Operates at much larger scale in the same digital transformation / industry digitalization space, serving as the broader-incumbent reference point for funding-led digital ecosystem orchestration.
• Fedit (Federación Española de Centros Tecnológicos): Spanish federation of technology centers, including Eurecat. Operates at national level aggregating the same kind of technology and innovation intermediaries that Cluster Digital represents at regional level, making it the natural nationwide counterpart.
• ACCIÓ (Catalan Government Agency for Business Competitiveness): Catalan government agency that accredits Cluster Digital under the Catalunya Clústers program and channels IRC grants. Acts as the public-sector umbrella and policy body above Catalan clusters, broadly overseeing the same SME digital transformation agenda.

Others

• European Cluster Collaboration Platform (ECCP): EU Commission's online platform for cluster organizations across Europe, hosting Cluster Digital's profile and benchmarking data (Bronze Label). Functions as a peer ecosystem and discovery layer rather than a direct competitor.
• IASP (International Association of Science Parks and Areas of Innovation): Global membership organization for science parks, innovation districts, and cluster organizations. Industry-level infrastructure body over which Cluster Digital is one of many member innovation intermediaries in Europe.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Cluster_Digital
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@clusterdigitaldecatalunya
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cluster-digital-de-catalunya

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Cluster Digital de Catalunya