The government led by Pedro Sánchez aims to establish Tenerife as the leading hub of the Spanish microchip industry. Specifically, Óscar López, the Minister of Digital Transformation and Public Function, has announced an investment of 4 million euros into the Tenerife-based firm Wootpix to enhance its production capabilities and increase its capacity.
The goal is to empower this unique company within Spain, enabling it to become a benchmark in the sector and support the digital transformation of the nation.
The minister made this revelation during his tour of the Tenerife Technology Park in Las Mantecas, which houses both Wootpix and IACTec facilities.
López also highlighted that The Canary Islands will receive up to 33.3 million euros to promote digitalisation and strengthen its infrastructure, ultimately aiming to diversify its economy.
A moment from the minister’s visit to Tenerife. / Maria Pisaca
Investments
In this context, the department led by López will allocate 23.5 million euros to the Iris Network, which interlinks the Observatories of the Canary Islands, to Enhance the optical network and data transmission. “This exemplifies public-private collaboration,” López asserted, emphasising that this type of partnership is vital for the advancement of the country’s economy.
Furthermore, another 6 million euros will be dedicated to upgrading the submarine cable that links Gran Canaria to Cádiz, as its operational lifespan is set to conclude in 2026.
In addition, the minister reminded that 50 million euros will be allocated by the Ministry of Science and Innovation for the construction of 13 new telescopes to be installed at the Roque de Los Muchachos Observatory as part of the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) project. This technological and scientific initiative aligns with the principles that López advocates: positioning the Canary Islands as a centre of innovation and moving the Archipelago away from the notion that growth is solely dependent on the tourism industry.
