Diversifying the economy of the Island is a key initiative for the president of theCouncil, Rosa Davila, since taking office. This entails fostering training and employment across various sectors, from primary industries to services, including science and technology. The institution has a significant asset in the Innovation Master Plan, which establishes the strategy for the island’s policies in R&D&I. These are aimed at promoting economic advancement and establishing the Island as a prominent hub. The Scientific and Technological Park of Tenerife (PCTT) plays a crucial role in this endeavour with its four sites – Las Mantecas, Innovaparq ULL, Innovaparq Dársena, and Cuevas Blancas – focused on developing the employment landscape of the sector by attracting companies and creating 110 new positions in 2024.
Rosa Dávila emphasises that “the outcomes from the Science Park are encouraging, as we have succeeded in attracting ten new companies that have generated nearly a hundred jobs, whilst some already present have expanded their teams.” She aims to “enhance the existing talent in Tenerife and also reclaim that from beyond the Island, and I believe we are on a promising path.” The president concludes: “Our goal is to continue expanding in sectors like aerospace, which can position us as a national and international leader.”
Leadership
Dávila cites the recent partnership with the Institute of Astrophysics Canary Islands (IAC) as an example of Tenerife’s leadership, aimed at utilising satellite imagery and drones to combat forest fires and other environmental crises, as well as hosting the Intech Tenerife Hub, where 30 technology giants and nearly 300 Canarian businesses convened. Rosa Dávila believes that “Tenerife is firmly establishing itself as a technological centre not only within the Canary Islands but also on an international scale, becoming the hub of talent and innovation.” She perceives this as an opportunity for collaborations and projects with organisations from other nations, benefiting our business and academic sectors.”
Companies
The Minister of Innovation, Research and Development on the Island, Juan José Martínez, highlights that “we now have 32 companies in the hubs, reflecting a 30% increase from last year. These include ventures linked to electricity, photovoltaics, software development, healthcare, gastronomy, cybersecurity, as well as satellite design and manufacturing. Martínez explains that “the PCTT provides services for businesses such as the CEDeI programme (Centre of Excellence for Development and Innovation), which aims to train nearly 200 individuals in key areas like cybersecurity, information technologies, quantum computing, earth sciences and sustainability, biotechnology, biomedicine and healthcare, cosmological sciences, creative industries, and Industry 4.0. He appreciates the agreements with the Incyde Foundation and the School of Industrial Organisation (EOI) “that enable us to develop training initiatives on the Island. More than a hundred individuals have had the opportunity to gain knowledge and enhance their skills to improve their capabilities.”
Niches
New entrants in the PCTT hubs include EAVE (providing electrical installations and consulting for public and private sectors towards sustainability); Opener (specialising in photovoltaic installations); DST Factory (software development); Firmafy (developing advanced electronic signature software for businesses); Talos4Tec (a digital platform supporting those in need of healthcare and daily living assistance); OpenCosmos (designing, manufacturing, and operating advanced satellites); Zibarit (delivering gastronomy and healthy living events); Asitango (software development); Nuncys (cybersecurity); and Startdevs (software development).
Events
The Tenerife Science and Technology Park hosts events aimed at young individuals, such as the now well-established First Lego League Canary Islands or educational centre visits to the PCTT. In the realm of business and training, the Intech Tenerife Hub is particularly noteworthy, along with guided tours of companies. Concerning trade missions, 2024 proved to be a busy year, with numerous representatives from both national and international enterprises visiting.
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