With a very strict health protocol, the XIV edition of the Mobile World Congress (MWC) returned to the Fira de Barcelona on Monday, June 28.

The event returns after two years, with its last edition being held in a hybrid, online and in-person format. The occasion is one of the most important technological congresses in the world after the pandemic.

From June 28 until July 1, the event is being held with between 30,000 and 50,000 attendees, 300 exhibitors, 600 speakers and 350 startups. 

There are staff specifically tasked with reminding attendees to keep their distance and avoid crowds.

This year, much of the conference is focused on startups and local businesses, rather than the large companies that usually participate.

"It's very good news that two worlds like big industry and start-ups are moving closer together, even if it's little by little, because they need each other," said Ignasi Capellà of Broomx, an immersive solutions company. 

Similarly, Marc Obrador, from the security company Build38, celebrated the visits of Korean congress attendees and those from different European countries.

"The classic Mobile is different, there you have the highest level, this is more flexible and horizontal, it is helping us to establish connections with other start-ups," complimented Obrador's partner, Pedro Hernández, who arrived from Singapore to attend Mobile after a year and a half without setting foot in his hometown or seeing his colleagues.

The return to this international congress in the city has been something that many companies and startups have been looking forward to over the last year, as part of their process of positioning themselves in the technology industry. With a mandatory antigen test to be performed every 72 hours, MWC attendees support the importance of holding the event in a relaxed atmosphere, despite continuing to wear the mask at all times.