The Tech East guide to surviving and making the most of MWC

This is the second in our occasional series of guides to the world’s biggest tech events. If you’re thinking of attending Mobile World Congress (or #MWC as everyone calls it) read on!

Telco industry mega-show or tech startup conference? Well, MWC is actually both and to understand its scope is to recognise that tech underpins every industry and most aspects of life.

Here are our top ten survival tips based on Tim's (our Tech East COO’s) 2023 experience. It’s an absolute beast of an event but full of riches for brave tech people.

1.     Scale. In a word, giant. It’s about a mile from one end of the ‘Fira’ convention centre to the other. Legend has it that the government of Catalonia and Barcelona built this huge facility specifically for MWC. You’ll easily average 15-30,000 steps a day so bring comfy shoes (plus a change for the evenings!). While 2019 saw a peak of well over 100,000 delegates this year 2023 had closer to 80,000 yet still felt busy and buzzing. If you’ve been to Web Summit this is even bigger (8x huge pavilions). Barcelona is a big city but it’s easy to get around by public transport.

2.     Duration. The event runs Monday AM to Thursday PM but Tuesday is definitely the biggest day and not to be missed for sheer energy. By lunchtime on Thursday it’s winding down. Plenty of side and fringe events take places over the preceding day or two and some stay on afterwards so consider staying for the whole week. 

3.     Practicals. The good news is that MWC is a very slick operation with modest queues compared with other marquee tech events (e.g. Web Summit and CES). You register for your digital pass in advance using the app. Once you’re in the convention centre you can also print out a networking badge. Cloakrooms are available too so you can come straight from the airport and bring your bags on the last day. Allow at least 30 minutes from the big transport hub at Plaça d’Espanya to get to the furthest corners of the Fira (via L8 to the Fira Europa metro station).

4.     Preparation, preparation, preparation. Like any conference on this scale you’ll never see it all so do some homework in advance (key objectives, specific stands to visit, timed networking events). Research some of the side events that might be good to attend – these are not listed on the app but may be discoverable on social media (I particularly recommend browsing Eventbrite listings for Barcelona in MWC week as lots of these will be free e.g. the legendary Swedish Beers networking event). 

5.     Phone charger! You can easily get through a full charge in a day which won’t be great news if you’ve still got to pay for meals or taxis in the evening so consider bringing a portable charger (or find someone who’s got one!).

6.     The experience overall. Along with the 7 main halls you’ll also find hall 8 with 4YFN , a startup conference and exhibition co-located with MWC which is worth checking out if you’re a founder, investor or ecosystem leader. The side events are often more productive than schlepping around the big halls and if you’re from the UK check out any receptions or mini events that the Department for Business and Trade are hosting on the UK stand.

7.     Costs and accommodation. There are plenty of cheap flights from UK to Barcelona but hotels and Airbnbs inevitably get pricey and scarce so book as early as you can. 2023 saw a free public transport pass which is very handy for all those metros and buses you’ll be taking to and from the city centre. Make sure your accommodation is close to a Metro station!

8.     UK angle. You’ll be in good company. Whether you’re a UK company visiting or from elsewhere in the world and interested in the UK ecosystem take advantage of the 'Great' branded stand (Great Britain and Northern Ireland) and the  Department for Business and Trade  team – they are a friendly and super-helpful bunch. Most afternoons there is a networking reception on the stand and you’re guaranteed to meet some interesting people with British connections.

9.     Enjoy Barcelona. It’s one of the greatest of all European cities. MWC itself is located a few miles outside the centre in a modern, commercial area with little going on after-hours so definitely consider staying in the centre of the city. This year I stayed in the Poble Sec neighbourhood which is good value and very walkable to Metro stations. Personally I’d avoid the biggest tourist traps around Barri Gotic. The weather can be rather variable in February (bright and sunny or equally cold and wet) so pack clothes accordingly. My only other tip is to be careful of bags and wallets as there is an ongoing problem of pickpockets in the centre of BCN and you don’t want to spend your days reporting a theft or getting an emergency passport! 

10.  What are the alternatives? If you’re looking for the best telco and mobile conference this is definitely the one but for tech more broadly I’d also recommend Web Summit in Lisbon in November and  Slush  in Helsinki in December. I’m also hearing good things about Viva Technology in Paris and the smaller TechBBQ in Copenhagen.

Many thanks to all the amazing people who helped our team get the most out of MWC and whose own experiences fed directly into this article. Where would you like us to report from next?