Many MWC regulars track the price of the classic bocadillo sandwich lunch deal available at the show.
On that measure, things are getting expensive. The average sandwich-crisps-and-drink combo has risen from €17.60 in 2022 to €23.00 in 2026 – a steep 6.9% CAGR.
Bocadillo lunch pricing has mirrored global telecoms market growth, which is also running around 7%. But that’s nothing compared with the growth rates of some of the most exciting technologies dominating this year’s show floor. And it was clear to me that nowhere is there more demand for these innovations than in Asia.
Robotics markets, for example, are growing around 10% annually, while areas such as AI and non-terrestrial networks (NTN) are projected to grow at close to 40% CAGR.
Here are my three big takeaways from this year’s event.
One of the most noticeable shifts at MWC 2026 was the visibility of robotics and embodied AI – with robot demonstrations everywhere.
China Telecom's robot kitchen
While robotics has historically sat outside the telecom ecosystem, the convergence of AI, edge computing and ultra-reliable connectivity is bringing the two worlds together. And demos across the show floor illustrated how future networks will increasingly support autonomous systems operating in physical environments.
Asian companies were particularly prominent in this space. Chinese players such as Agibot drew significant attention with advanced robotics platforms, while Honor showcased AI-driven humanoid technologies that hint at how mobile ecosystems may evolve beyond smartphones.
This included a robotic phone camera gimble that followed a lady tirelessly dancing around the booth for hours on end, and an array of LLM-enabled talking toys including a panda, a mini-robot and a talking cactus.
Left: Honor's AI toy collection | Right: Honor's robotic camera
With strong manufacturing ecosystems and large domestic markets for automation, Asia is well positioned to lead the development and deployment of robotics in sectors such as logistics, manufacturing and services.
But competition is tough, and the main Asian players are constantly seeking new technologies that can give them an edge. This is where the opportunities for nimble, high-tech international scaleups lie, especially those producing novel vision, audio, communications and AI/ML systems that can be easily integrated into larger systems.
Satellite connectivity has long been discussed as a complement to terrestrial telecom networks, but this year it felt firmly integrated into the mainstream industry narrative. Many conversations around future network architectures – including early discussions around 6G – now assume hybrid terrestrial-satellite infrastructure.
Companies such as Open Cosmos and Sateliot highlighted how smaller, commercially-driven satellite platforms are enabling new approaches to connectivity, data services and Earth observation.
Left: Open Cosmos' expansion plans | Right: Sateliot stand
For operators and technology vendors, satellite integration offers a pathway to global coverage, resilient networks and new IoT applications – particularly in remote and maritime environments.
And with NTN entering a new phase in its growth, the Asian giants like NTT, SK Telecom, Jio Reliance and China Telecom are scouring the global for partners to enable their services at scale.
European companies selling spacetech – including satellite innovations, thrusters, communications hardware and software and operating systems – are well positioned to win business across the region given their decades-long R&D programmes and global approach to business.
Another noticeable development was the revitalised presence of venture-backed deeptech startups. The optimism that infused MWC 2022 and 2023 and manifested itself in wonderfully novel product concepts at the time has returned.
Naturally, there was a glut of companies flogging LLM wrappers under the guise of ‘Agentic AI.’ At least 60 exhibitors featured ‘AI’ in their company names, and many more in their descriptions.
Thankfully, though, plenty of young companies were showcasing highly differentiated technologies aimed at redefining how people interact with communications platforms.
Examples included French startup Skyted, which is developing silent speech technologies for private voice communication (imagine not having to listen to your office mate’s Teams conversations at full volume ever again) … Videobot, which is converting long, complex written instructions into short-form, interactive video content … and Myvox, which is developing a MEMS fan – yes, an air pump the size of a computer chip.
These are all innovations that are perfect for selling into Asian markets.
Left: A delegation from Softbank visiting Videobot | Right: A talk from Sony's innovation team
Across robotics, satellite connectivity and AI-driven platforms, Asian companies were highly visible at this year’s event. And operators in markets such as Japan, Korea and Southeast Asia continue to move quickly in deploying new network architectures and advanced connectivity solutions.
For western deeptech companies, the implication is clear: Asia is likely to be where many of these technologies scale first.
Companies that engage early with partners, operators and investors in the region will be best-placed to capture the next wave of growth in telecom and connectivity technologies.
In the meantime, we’re looking forward to next year’s MWC, and will have to wait to see whether the meal-deal exceeds €25 for the first time.
The Intralink team at MWC 2026