MWC 2022 without Russian companies. What’s new in Barcelona? [TOPtech]

MWC (Mobile World Congress) is one of the largest in the world and the largest European technology event. They have been held almost continuously for 35 years (and since 2011 in Barcelona). One exception was 2020, when they were canceled shortly before take-off due to the outbreak of the coronavirus outbreak.

In 2021, they were also not held normally, because they were moved from February to the end of June and were organized in a hybrid mode. Many companies took part in them only virtually, and the exhibition halls were empty.

This time the Fira Barcelona halls have already been filled. There were also the biggest and most important players in the world of new technologies, but also many smaller companies – mainly Asian ones – showed their products. The fair was not attended by Russian producers who, in the face of Russia’s attack on Ukraine, were officially excluded from the event.

According to preliminary estimates, less than 2,000 people decided to participate in MWC 2022. exhibitors (from 183 countries), and the event attracted at least 40 to 60 thousand. journalists and potential business partners from all over the world. It is therefore glad that the fair is returning in a stationary form, although it is still far from what it was before the pandemic (109,000 participants appeared in 2019).