I|A INTANGIBLE ASSETS x MWC Barcelona 2026: turning “The IQ Era” into governed, defensible value (by Jordi Gonzalez I|A INTANGIBLE ASSETS Founder)

If you read that list as a technology roadmap, you’re right.
But if you read it as a value roadmap, you’re even more right-because what these themes really describe is the acceleration of intangible assets as the primary source of enterprise value (and enterprise risk): data, software, AI models, brands, customer relationships, ecosystem contracts, proprietary processes, and talent.

That’s the synergy with I|A INTANGIBLE ASSETS: helping organizations make these assets visible, governable, defensible, and monetizable-and translating them into board-level language that drives decisions in strategy, risk, reporting, and transactions.

MWC is where the future gets demoed. I|A is about making sure the future is also owned, controlled, and valuable.

Below is a practical map of how I|A aligns with MWC Barcelona 2026-theme by theme-and why it matters for leaders who want to scale AI and connectivity without scaling chaos.

1) Intelligent Infrastructure: when networks become platforms, contracts become strategy

“Intelligent Infrastructure” is the story of networks evolving into programmable platforms-powered by cloud, edge, automation and AI. In this shift, the biggest value isn’t only in bandwidth; it’s in the intangible layer:

orchestration software and automation logic

data generated by the network and services

models embedded in operations and products

APIs and platform capabilities sold to partners

service reliability, resilience, and trust

Where deals fail (and margins leak): ownership and rights.
Who owns the data? Who owns derivatives? What happens when vendors change? What obligations exist if the platform fails?

I|A lens: build an “asset reality” behind the platform:

clear asset inventory (data, software, models, know-how)

chain-of-title and licensing clarity

third-party dependency governance (cloud + vendors + integrators)

resilience framed as measurable value-at-risk (not just “IT risk”)

When infrastructure becomes intelligent, governance becomes commercial.

2) ConnectAI: connectivity is the substrate; data + models + trust is the product

ConnectAI is the business reality of 2026: connectivity enables new services, but differentiation comes from how data and AI are used, and whether customers trust that use.

This is where many organizations hit the same friction:

“We want to monetize our data.”

“We’re building AI-powered services.”

“We’re exposing network APIs.”
…and then procurement, compliance, and customers ask: What exactly are we buying? What are the risks? Who owns the outputs?

I|A lens: treat “trust” as a managed intangible asset.

define data rights and permitted uses (including derived data)

clarify ownership of outputs (models, insights, embeddings, fine-tunes)

contract the risk (liability, security, audit, governance commitments)

build a defensible story: not just “we’re compliant,” but “we’re governable”

ConnectAI is where AI monetization meets legal reality. Intangible strategy prevents revenue ambition from turning into regulatory or reputational exposure.

3) AI 4 Enterprise: scaling AI means scaling intangible governance

AI 4 Enterprise is where pilots end and scaling begins-and where hidden gaps start to cost real money.

At scale, AI isn’t a feature. It’s an operating model:

model lifecycle management

data governance and provenance

security controls and access

documentation, auditability, accountability

business continuity and vendor management

Most organizations have “AI initiatives.” Fewer have a managed portfolio of AI assets.

I|A lens: “assetize” AI so it becomes governable:

create an inventory of AI assets (datasets, models, prompts/agents, pipelines, tools)

document provenance and rights (training data, third-party components)

define accountability and decision controls (who can deploy what, where, and why)

translate AI risks into business language (revenue impact, legal exposure, brand risk)

Enterprise AI will increasingly be judged not by demos-but by governance maturity. The organizations that can evidence ownership and control will win bigger customers, better terms, and faster approvals.

4) AI Nexus: ecosystems create value fast-and ambiguity faster

AI Nexus is the partnership theme: platforms, startups, enterprises, public sector, academia. MWC is one of the world’s best “collision spaces” for these ecosystems.

But ecosystems are where intangible assets get messy:

co-development that blurs ownership

data sharing with unclear rights

models fine-tuned across partners

contracts that quietly transfer value to someone else

I|A lens: make partnership value non-leaky:

co-development “hygiene” (who owns improvements, derivatives, and outcomes)

licensing structures aligned to your value thesis (not just vendor templates)

transaction readiness (because many partnerships become acquisitions-or disputes)

If you want ecosystems to compound value, you need the legal and governance scaffolding that keeps value where it belongs.

5) Tech4All: inclusion, responsibility, and sustainability are now “license to operate”

Tech4All brings a crucial layer: inclusion, accessibility, responsible deployment, and trust. These are not “nice-to-have” narratives anymore; they increasingly shape:

procurement decisions

regulator expectations

talent attraction/retention

investor scrutiny

brand strength and customer loyalty

I|A lens: treat reputation and “license to operate” as strategic assets.

align public commitments with measurable evidence (policies, controls, outcomes)

manage brand and stakeholder trust as risk-and-value drivers

link human capital, culture, and training to operational resilience

support sustainability and reporting expectations with traceable governance

In 2026, trust is not a marketing line. It’s a balance-sheet-adjacent asset.

6) Game Changers: frontier tech means frontier intangible portfolios

Game Changers is where emerging domains accelerate: space, smart mobility, next-gen compute, new interfaces, new identity and security models. Frontier tech amplifies the importance of intangible assets because competitive advantage is mostly:

IP strategy (what to patent vs keep as trade secret)

proprietary know-how and processes

regulatory navigation

platform and ecosystem positioning

I|A lens: build a repeatable strategy for protecting and monetizing innovation:

IP + trade secret governance tied to product roadmaps

regulatory know-how treated as a transferable capability

value narrative ready for fundraising, partnerships, or M&A

In frontier domains, the winner is often the firm that can prove and protect differentiation-not just claim it.

The five MWC conversations I|A can anchor (and convert into action)

Across the agenda, these questions appear again and again-sometimes explicitly, sometimes between the lines:

“We want to monetize data/AI/network APIs-what do we actually own?”

“Our AI is scaling-are we assurance-ready for customers, auditors, regulators?”

“We rely on hyperscalers and key vendors-what is our lock-in risk and exit reality?”

“We’re partnering fast-are our intangibles protected or silently leaking?”

“We talk trust and responsibility-can we evidence it and protect the brand asset?”

This is the overlap between MWC’s “what’s next” and I|A’s “what’s real.”

Why this matters in 2026: the IQ Era is an intangible asset era

MWC Barcelona 2026 is more than a tech conference; it’s a marketplace of intangible value. The strategic edge won’t come only from having AI. It will come from having AI that is:

owned (rights are clear)

controlled (governance is operational)

defensible (risk is managed, trust is evidence-based)

monetizable (value can be contracted and priced)

transaction-ready (transferable, auditable, investable)

That’s the synergy: MWC shows what can be built. I|A ensures it becomes sustainable value.

If you’re attending MWC 2026 and any of these themes match your priorities, I’d love to compare notes-especially if you’re exploring data/AI monetization, platform partnerships, or transaction readiness in the IQ Era.