BARCELONA, Spain -- The place I stayed in Barcelona fit all my requirements for covering a convention:: walking distance to the event, free Wi-Fi, laundry, kitchen and more.

What's more, it was cheap. I spent about $50 a night. That compares with the $300 or more a night most people paid for a cramped European hotel room 20 minutes or more away from the center.

What if I told you it was a hostel? And that my "roommate" was a CEO? Of a company still trying to get off the ground?

Nilesh Parikh is CEO of Condor Networks, a company in Plano, Texas, trying to bring biometrics to the mobile phone. You can see his passion for the business, working tirelessly. He was up at 7 to hit the center and up until 3 a.m. having late night conversations over Skype with his development team in India. And with an hour to spare before leaving for the airport, he went to find a Valentine's Day gift for his wife.

He thinks 3GSM probably landed him a couple of sweet deals. If it didn't, he at least walked away with a stack of cards three inches tall.

Wanna know more? Check out Condor.