SIL Barcelona, the leading international trade fair for logistics, transport, intralogistics and supply chain management organised by the Consorci de la Zona Franca de Barcelona (CZFB), will become from 3 to 5 June the main showcase for the latest innovations applied to the logistics sector. This will be achieved through the more than 160 new developments that participating companies will present on site at the 28th edition of the fair, as well as through the participation of nearly 80 startups showcasing all kinds of solutions aimed at addressing the technological, sustainability, energy and talent challenges facing the logistics industry.
Air logistics using drones in airport and urban environments, artificial vision systems on cranes for ship loading, fully electric loading docks, energy communities and smart grids in logistics parks, 100% recyclable agricultural fibre pallets, customised charging points for electric vehicles, automated measurement systems for bulky goods, conversational Artificial Intelligence (AI) for logistics decision-making, and AI applied to human capital transformation to ensure generational renewal in road transport, are among the solutions that can be found at this year’s fair.
In the words of Pere Navarro, Executive Chairman of the CZFB and President of SIL Barcelona, “these are just some examples of the more than 160 innovations that will be presented over the three days of SIL Barcelona. In this edition, the countless applications of Artificial Intelligence in the logistics sector will undoubtedly stand out, but also other types of technological, sustainable and energy‑efficient solutions, which are increasingly being seen in logistics environments.”
All these innovations will be eligible for the SIL 2026 Best Innovation Award, which will be presented during the fair. The jury will be made up of journalists from specialised logistics and transport media.
Investor Day
Meanwhile, close to 80 startups will present their innovative solutions applied to the logistics sector at SIL Barcelona. These emerging companies will be located in the Startup Meeting Area, where they will be able to share their solutions with exhibitors and visitors. This space will be located next to the stand of the Logistics 4.0 Incubator, promoted by the Consorci de la Zona Franca de Barcelona, in collaboration with the Incyde Foundation. The 21 selected startups will have the opportunity to present their projects in a pitch format to a specialised audience and will be eligible for the Best SIL 2026 Startup Award.
Blanca Sorigué, General Director of the CZFB and of SIL Barcelona, points out that “startups are gaining increasing acceptance among logistics-consuming companies. At least, this is what has been expressed by the directors of these visiting companies at SIL Barcelona who took part in the Barometer of the Círculo Logístico. 66.4% of these professionals view positively the possibility of hiring or outsourcing services to startups specialised in logistics. In fact, 26.2% already collaborate with one of them, a figure that surpasses the 24.8% who stated they did so last year. At SIL Barcelona, they will have the opportunity to discover new solutions that may fit into their projects”.
As a new feature of this edition, the pitches will take place as part of the Investor Day, an event that will bring together the main players in the entrepreneurial ecosystem to foster innovation and collaboration opportunities. The programme will kick off with an investor session analysing trends, investment criteria and market challenges, followed by the presentation of the projects. The finalist startups competing for the award are: Beyond Reality AR, Bluepoint AI, ControlT, Ddigital Warehouse, Dronomy, DS4T, Elevenais, Greenpath Logistics, IA Drivers, IberMove, Kamport, Logistics WMS, MAR Technologies 5.0, Methanol Reformer, Multidepot, Netretina AI, OrbisLinks, Signos IoT, Tennders, Urkolitics and Vanguard Technology & Innovation. Finally, the closing ceremony will be held, during which the award will be presented.
For more information visit: zfbarcelona.es/en
