BARCELONA INNOVA LAB MOBILITY

€100,000 challenge launched to transform HORECA urban deliveries in Barcelona

Challenge Closed!

The Barcelona Innova Lab Mobility (BILM) is an initiative led by the Mobility Area of the Barcelona City Council with the support of BIT Habitat and Fira de Barcelona. It aims to boost the implementation of innovative projects and pilot tests in smart and sustainable urban mobility.
The launch of this specific challenge also counts on the collaboration of Mobile World Capital Barcelona, a key partner in promoting the digital and technological transformation of the city.

The Lab will define a series of challenges in order to spark innovation and attract disruptive solutions related to the mobility sector. The fourth challenge is now open – with €100,000 in funding available. Submit your proposal for a chance to have your innovative solution for HORECA urban distribution funded and piloted in the city of Barcelona!

CHALLENGE #4

Rethinking HORECA Urban Deliveries in Barcelona

How can we optimize goods deliveries to hotels, catering, and restaurants without overwhelming the city?
This year’s challenge focuses on a crucial yet often overlooked activity: urban goods distribution (DUM) for the HORECA sector (Hotels, Restaurants, and Catering). These daily operations generate a high volume of traffic, occupy public space, and contribute to air pollution in the city.

We are looking for innovative, collaborative, and sustainable solutions that rethink how deliveries happen — making them smarter, cleaner, and more efficient. The winning project will be piloted in real urban conditions, with a clear goal: create scalable impact on city logistics.

Your proposal should address one or more of the following action areas:

Knowledge and Data: Implement innovative solutions for collecting and managing data related to goods distribution, aiming to optimize HORECA deliveries.

Technological Solutions: Innovative technologies including modifications to load consolidation and business collaboration to optimize delivery routes.

Behavioral Nudges: Create innovative solutions that encourage changes in the usage patterns of HORECA distribution, traffic, and public space utilization.

Phase 2 Closed: Winners to be Announced Soon!

The finalists of the Barcelona Innova Lab Mobility Challenge #4 have already submitted their proposals. A big thank you to all the projects for their hard work and dedication throughout this phase.

Selected Finalists:

CIMNE – Spain
CITET – Spain
Fundació per a la Universitat Oberta de Catalunya – Spain
Kale AI – United Kingdom
Algorae – Spain
Coding the Curbs – Netherlands
Vaive Logistics – Spain
Shargo Tech – Spain
NRG4YOU – Italy
Parabol – Turkey

The challenge is now entering its final stage, and the winners will be announced on October 8. Stay tuned!

What will winning proposals gain?

• A budget allocation of up to 100,000€

• An 18-month timeframe for implementation

• The chance to test the project in a real environment to achieve a measurable impact

• Institutional and technical support from Barcelona City Council and strategic partners

• The opportunity to present the solution at Tomorrow.Mobility World Congress (Barcelona, 4-6 November 2025)

DISCOVER THE WINNER!

After a highly competitive call, DUMH-BCN, led by the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) and in collaboration with ADISCAT, was selected as the winning solution of our 4th challenge.

WINNER!

Universitat Oberta de Catalunya

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Spain

HORECAHub BCN - UOC

The winning project is DUMH-BCN, led by the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) in collaboration with ADISCAT. The initiative aims to improve urban distribution in Barcelona’s HORECA sector by creating exclusive DUMH zones where a time-slot micro-hub vehicle centralizes deliveries and collections. From these points, last-mile distribution is carried out on foot or with light vehicles, reducing traffic, emissions, and irregular use of public space. The system is digitally managed through automatic RFID registration and IoT sensors, ensuring traceability and objective performance data. The project was selected for its high level of maturity and its strong connection with the urban freight distribution sector.