Ramon Gras invited as speaker on metropolitan economic development

Ramon Gras was pleased to participate in the course “Metròpoli i desenvolupament econòmic: estratègies per al segle XXI”, organized by the Pla Estratègic Metropolità de Barcelona (PEMB) on the 14th of November 2025. He presented Aretian Urban Analytics and Design’s comparative study of five global cities: Amsterdam, Barcelona, Boston, Munich and Stockholm. The analysis highlights the urban excellence of Stockholm and Barcelona, the strong economic diversification of Munich, Boston’s leadership in innovation, and Amsterdam sustainable mobility. For Catalonia, the study points to major industrial and research strengths, while underscoring the need to improve technology transfer and rebalance the weight of tourism. He introduced our evolving digital twin of the metropolitan region of Barcelona, designed to address challenges such as housing, economic development and mobility. 

Ramon also led a panel discussion with representatives of the Metropoolregio Amsterdam, Annette Keates and Els Meines, who emphasized the importance of focusing on strategic sectors like AI, life sciences, and energy to build a more balanced, polycentric region. They highlighted the need for effective densification, efficient infrastructure use, and citizen engagement. Staffan Ingvarsson, CEO of Stockholm Business Region, also participated in the panel and explained Stockholm’s 30-year strategy centered on mixed-use densification, strong public transport, and coordinated metropolitan governance. 

Aretian is proud to support these conversations and to help metropolitan regions build more sustainable futures.