The Cabildo de Tenerife will strengthen its link with the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) to develop strategic projects in Tenerife. Thus, the Minister for Innovation, Research and Development, Juan José Martínez, announced it yesterday during a visit to the center’s facilities together with the president of the Island Corporation, Rosa Dávila, and the director of the IAC, Rafael Rebolo. Martínez pointed out that “collaboration with the IAC is carried out in many areas, not only those directly linked to research, with a program that finances an activity that is renewed every year and to which we want to give a multi-annual character. We want to go beyond the grants of every year and have an agreement that gives stability to the research activity of the IAC, at least for the next four years”.
The visit took place at Iactec, which is located at the INtech Tenerife facilities, in the Las Mantecas Science and Technology Park, in La Laguna, and whose activity is oriented towards astrophysics, space and scientific instrumentation for sectors such as medicine, safety and the environment.
At the end, Rosa Dávila indicated that “the Cabildo and the IAC are strategic allies in the development of Tenerife and the Canary Islands. We have projects in common and we want to strengthen that alliance and cooperation. That is why we have created a new specific department for research, science, development, innovation and technology, so that we can strengthen all these alliances, not only in economic terms, but also in terms of projects that can be developed in Tenerife. We want scientists to be able to come and also for researchers from here to be able to investigate with all the projection that the IAC gives us and the prestige at an international level.
A leading center
Dávila pointed out that “there are projects specifically for Tenerife, such as the Drago camera satellites, which are already a reality. We have seen the resolution and, above all, the capacity that we have to develop technology here, in a leading technology center worldwide. This is also part of our commitment to diversify the economy and create opportunities for our researchers”.
Martínez added that “we want to continue increasing the number of developments and transfers that are based on IAC initiatives and, therefore, continue to generate that ecosystem linked to innovation in Tenerife, which, without a doubt, is what will transform our island”.
For his part, Rafael Rebolo, highlighted the excellent relationship between the IAC and the Cabildo “and we trust that together we can continue promoting the creation of advanced technology in Tenerife, both in space projects and in large telescopes, optical communications and technological applications to biomedicine”.
Currently, there is an agreement signed with the Iactec, where the IAC manages the agreement fund with which to cover the expenses related to the management and payment of basic building supplies, ensuring, at all times, its proper functioning.
