I’ve been working at Sirus as a data engineer for almost two years. This year, I had the exciting opportunity to join my Sirus colleagues at the Smart City Expo World Congress in Barcelona, from November 3rd to 6th. The time flew by, and it was an incredible experience. Here are my main takeaways from the 4 days at the Expo:
Top 5 takeaways from the Smart City Expo World Congress in Barcelona
Three packed days at one of the world’s biggest smart city events—here’s what stood out for me:
The scale is unreal
The expo itself is massive and full of energy. Our Flemish/Belgian pavilion felt tiny compared to the global footprint around it, which really puts the international smart city ecosystem in perspective.
Networking came naturally
Travelling with colleagues who already had a strong network helped a lot. It made it easy for me to connect with so many new people—Flemish and international alike.
Pac-Man still pulls a crowd 👾
At the Sirus booth, our Pac-Man setup turned out to be a perfect icebreaker. It attracted people of all ages and sparked great conversations throughout the event.
International outreach is still a challenge
Even on a global stage like this, drawing in international clients isn’t straightforward. A good reminder that growing visibility takes consistent effort.
AI was there… just not everywhere
With all the hype, I expected AI to dominate every corner of the expo. It didn’t. It was present, but more balanced than I anticipated—maybe a sign things are settling into reality.
And beyond the work takeaways: yes, it is possible to eat too many tapas in five days, and I accidentally discovered a long-lost family connection with someone from ABB. Barcelona keeps surprising you.
