VinclesBCN

Evolution of the service

From the initial conceptualisation of the project to its current high level of implementation, VinclesBCN has gone through various stages of improvement and growth. The service continues to evolve on a daily basis, in order to adapt to technological advances and to the changing needs of its users.

This is a summary of the VinclesBCN service's development, starting with its most recent achievements and then going back to its origins:

• A thousand users and technical improvements (December 2018)
The service reaches 1,000 active users throughout the city.

The tablet and the application are renewed and improved to adapt them to the predicted growth of the service.

• Growth of the service (May 2018)
There are now 600 active users and the service is continuing to grow, thanks to its implementation in all the city's districts.

• City-wide implementation (March 2018)
The pilot project has come to a close and the service is being implemented throughout the city.

• Expansion of the pilot project (July 2017 – March 2018)
The pilot project is being expanded to all the neighbourhoods of the Eixample and Sant Martí districts, with the aim of reaching 400 users:

  • Sagrada Familia
  • Dreta de l’Eixample
  • Fort Pienc
  • Sant Antoni
  • Camp de l’Arpa del Clot
  • El Clot
  • El Parc i la Llacuna del Poblenou
  • La Vila Olímpica del Poblenou
  • Poblenou
  • Diagonal Mar and Front Marítim del Poblenou
  • Provençals del Poblenou

• The pilot project begins (November 2016 – June 2017)
Implementation of the pilot project in five city neighbourhoods:

  • Nova Esquerra de l’Eixample
  • L'Antiga Esquerra de l'Eixample
  • El Besòs i el Maresme
  • La Verneda i La Pau
  • Sant Martí de Provençals

• Development process (spring of 2016)
Preparation for the launch of the pilot project, based on technology development processes, defining the support services for users and all the other features involved in constructing VinclesBCN.

• Re-examination (autumn of 2015)
Re-examination of the project in order to involve the people around the users and empower senior citizens in tackling loneliness.

• VinclesBCN Conferences (5 and 6 February 2015)
The 2015 VinclesBCN Conferences are being held to raise awareness about the project and encourage activism among the general public.

• The Mayors Challenge Award (autumn of 2014)
The decision to award Barcelona the Bloomberg Philanthropies Foundation's first Mayors Challenge Prize is made public. Barcelona is chosen from 21 finalist cities.

• Preparation and presentation (spring of 2014)
Imagine Creativity Center, the accelerator and social-innovation project incubator lends its support to the project at one ceremony held in Cadaqués, another in London and a third in Silicon Valley (USA), where the first prototype is being created and its real viability tested in a senior citizen’s day centre.
Barcelona presents the VinclesBCN project for the 2014 Mayors Challenge Prize, organised by Bloomberg Philanthropies. A total of 155 cities from around the world have submitted projects.

• Research (autumn of 2013)
The City Council begins researching social innovation projects in the autumn of 2013 and finds the Canadian collaborative support network Tyze.

Mayors Challenge The fact that Bloomberg Philanthropies is organising the prize has been decisive in accelerating the project.