AI is revolutionizing coding. When Anthropic launched Claude Code in early 2026, it contributed to a number of sell-offs in enterprise software stocks. Now, more and more builders are clamouring to experiment with AI, and Barcelona is quickly becoming a hub for tech adoption in Europe.
On April 9th, World Trade Center Barcelona will play home to the second official Claude Code event ever in collaboration with Anthropic, AI Summit Barcelona, World Trade Center Barcelona, and Happy Operators. This is just the tip of the iceberg, however.
AI Summit Barcelona, taking place between September 22nd to 23rd later this year, promises to bring together over 10,000 builders with over 200 speakers and 50 side events. Organized by Jérémie Benhamou, Guillaume Rostand, Adam Hruska, and Tanguy Wincker, the event will be competing with World Summit AI as one of the biggest AI events in Europe.
Both the upcoming Claude event and the September summit demonstrate there is a rapidly-growing community of technologists across the continent that are looking to learn more about AI.
What you need to know about AI Summit Barcelona
The first AI Summit Barcelona event took place last year, and it’s thanks to the success of that event that Jérémie Benhamou, event organizer and founder of consulting firm The Tech Nation, decided to do another event.
“To be honest, last year’s edition was a huge surprise for us because of the energy and the help that all the directors of the city gave us to mount this event, but it was almost involuntary to have something huge last year. So at the end of the first edition, we realised that we had something,” Benhamou told Novobrief.
“Barcelona is having a special energy […] there is a lot of tech, there are a lot of startups, now we have a lot of big tech installing here, and there is quite a lot of unique stuff in Europe […] it’s really easy to travel around Europe, but there is a particular vibe,” Benhamou said, noting the city is often compared to the San Francisco of Europe.
This year’s event will feature a range of speakers from leading firms including Accenture, Amazon Web Services, Tony Blair Institute, Picart, and more.
It will also feature a hackathon – in which 500 builders will come together to code – plus over 50 events organized by partner organizations. These include workshops, meetings, and networking across Barcelona throughout the week.
The summit will be broken down into seven distinct tracks: AI For Tech; AI For Builders; AI Foundations; AI For Good and Impact; AI For Today; AI For Tomorrow; and AI For Growth. Benhamou says organizers hope attendees can enter the tracks they want to attend in an app, which will then construct the user’s journey.
At the time of writing, base ticket prices for the event range from €350 to €1,390 with early bird discounts reducing pricing – €175 to €990. Silver, Gold and Platinum tickets are available.
Silver provides access to all stages, the experience village, workshop village, the Seaview Food Court and after-work parties, while the Gold ticket provides exclusive access to the Gold Seaview Terrace with premium catering, a live DJ and a limited edition AI summit hype pack. Platinum provides all of the above plus private lounge access with speakers and partners, a VIP inauguration event, and a personal Rusker concierge.
Building a tech ecosystem
While AI Summit Barcelona is a single event, it has the potential to be a feather in the cap of the European tech scene. Events like this have a critical role to play in encouraging adoption of emerging technologies, while also educating people on AI’s capabilities.
“Since the beginning, the idea is for builders. I have a phrase that I like: if you build a startup, you’re welcome; if you build your family, you’re welcome; if you build the world of tomorrow, you’re welcome too,” Benhamou said. “The event is for all AI curious people, all people that are building something.”
AI Summit Barcelona itself is a testament to how fast interest in AI is growing. During the September 2025 event, organizers expected just 500 attendees, but the summit totalled 1,500. With this year’s event anticipated to feature 10,000 attendees, Europe’s growing appetite to learn to build with AI is all the more evident.
Given that Barcelona is reportedly the third-leading city in the world for attracting foreign investment in AI, the rise of events like AI Summit Barcelona suggests Spain is tomorrow’s innovative hub.
Featured image: AI Summit Barcelona via LinkedIn
