Two youngsters engage in a football video game at the Saló del Gaming (SAGA). / GERARD ARTIGAS
We live in an era where, thanks to the Internet and digital technologies, a gateway to entrepreneurship opens up more easily than it could have been 30 years ago. The ability to communicate for anyone worldwide almost for free on platforms like YouTube and social media, coupled with a range of digital tools that allow us to automate and simplify processes, many of them already powered by Artificial Intelligence, are the perfect allies to carry out your project.
However, in Spain, the culture of entrepreneurship and innovation does not seem to be common and is even considered strange. When I was at university, hardly anyone had personal projects or was interested in developing a project in collaboration with someone else. There was more concern about obtaining the title with expectations of working for others rather than creating a business. In my specific professional sector, Physical Education, it is even more challenging because, although they strive for more competencies, the only exclusive job for graduates in this field will be teaching in secondary schools, vocational training, or universities. That is why the goal is reduced to working for others sustained by the State, in other words, taking competitive exams and securing a position as a civil servant seems to be the only goal that is strived for once studies are completed.
More specifically in the Canary Islands, protests were held last weekend highlighting the need to limit tourism, improve housing options, stop exploiting natural spaces, and reduce the high percentage of poverty and unemployment in the islands. This message has been represented by Canarians living in different cities in Spain, as well as in cities like London. Faced with this situation, we must view entrepreneurship as the foundation for job creation and an opportunity for the Canary Islands to become the innovation hub of our country, which due to its climatic characteristics and location, offers advantages over opportunities that cannot be found on the mainland. However, being in an archipelago seems to pose a limitation for physical products, as import and export become more complicated despite the excellent international geographical location.
A recent event called SuperNova was organised by the Commerce area of Tenerife, where guests like José Elías, Mónica Mendoza, and Agoney Melián were invited, and I had the opportunity to attend. The event highlighted the possibilities for improving any project and the need to support entrepreneurs in the islands, as local companies and young entrepreneurs gathered in one place with the hope of enhancing this sector in the islands. Here, I would like to share José Elías’s reflection, using the story of cavemen to emphasise the need to step out of the comfort zone (leaving the cave) due to the necessity to improve the current life situation (snake bite) and carry out our projects (facing the danger of hunting and abandoning the comfort of the cave).
From here, we can consider embarking on entrepreneurship in various sectors, but I would like us to reflect on the possibilities of gaming. I currently see entrepreneurship based on the use of video games as promising, albeit challenging, like any other sector. Here, I simply aim to present some ideas and reflections that may aid in taking the step into this realm. In the Canary Islands, we are familiar with projects centred around events such as the Tenerife Lan Party or the Tenerife GG. Others are more focused on dissemination and education, such as Esport Talent Canarias, Las Chicas También Juegan, or Esports Lanzarote. In terms of competition, nationally, there is Junior Esports and locally, Liga Hiperdino. We also encounter projects focusing on personal branding, whether based on user performance improvement, competitions, or entertainment, such as PiniAlex’s simracing channel. Some streamers and content creators who originated a few years ago now collaborate with national and international brands. In game development, we have the educational project Reboot Academy, offering fast-track educational programmes teaching programming and design skills with a 100% employability rate. Singular Factory creates solutions for companies and work and educational interaction experiences. With immersive technologies, we find VirtualON in Tenerife and the recent arrival of immersive gaming with Virtual Revolution Centre in Gran Canaria.
Within the gaming and esports realm, we need to identify a market need that can help gamers or consumers in this sector, and I believe there are untapped areas that are more advanced in other countries. This includes data analysis platforms for gamers, health and training improvement in esports for performance, educational tools for teachers for classroom implementation, specific content development to promote the islands’ natural and cultural spaces, as well as family guidance and proper use.
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These are just a few of my ideas that can serve as inspiration for both you and me to step out of the cave and enhance entrepreneurship in gaming and in the Canaries.
