The big event of the Valencian science parks took place this year at the Polytechnic City of Innovation, science park of the Polytechnic University of Valencia (UPV), which hosted last Thursday the VI edition of the Awards of the Valencian Science Parks Network (rePCV), an event to recognize the most outstanding initiatives in the field of business innovation and scientific-technological entrepreneurship of the Valencian Community and linked to Valencian public universities.
The gala, held at the UPV's Blue Cube Auditorium on July 11, brought together prominent personalities from the public, academic, business and innovation sectors. The event began with a warm welcome by Juan Vicente Capella, Director-Manager of the Polytechnic City of Innovation - UPV, who was accompanied by Juan José Cortés, General Director of Innovation of the Valencian Government (GVA), and Tonia Salinas, President of the rePCV. Representing the University of Valencia Science Park and the University of Valencia, attended, respectively, Pedro Carrasco, director of the PCUV, and Rosa María Donat, vice-rector of Transfer and Innovation of the UV.
Capella highlighted the high level of the 38 companies that presented their candidacy to the awards, and congratulated the winners. Cortés, for his part, pointed out that "innovation has two ingredients: talent and opportunity" and stressed the mission of the GVA in "offering the conditions for opportunities to emerge". To conclude the welcome, Salinas remarked the support of the Valencian science parks to facilitate the consolidation of innovative initiatives in the ecosystem of the Region.
Juan José Cortés and Ester Olivas, General Director of Entrepreneurship and Internationalization, intervened from the Regional Ministry of Innovation, Industry, Trade and Tourism of the Valencian Government. Both directors presented the new IVACE+i support lines for the Valencian business ecosystem. Cortés highlighted the efforts of the GVA to promote innovation, mainly in the simplification of procedures in the new IVACE+i lines. In turn, Olivas announced the "star aid" of the new lines of the institute for the promotion of the internationalization of Valencian companies and the support to SMEs for the incorporation of young talent with 100% of the financing of the hiring in the first year.
Entrepreneurship, humor and entertainment with science
The day continued with an inspiring speech by Mayte Bacete, Director of Maxlinear Hispania and President of the Valencia Silicon Cluster, who presented a successful case of company-university collaboration. Bacete highlighted the positive impact of business-university cooperation and linkage. In turn, the director and president highlighted the need for institutional support to encourage start-ups and spin-offs: "Leading countries have a brutal start-up ecosystem. Aid, programs and tax benefits are needed, as well as training programs in universities." Regarding training and professionalization of talent, he placed special emphasis on the upcoming chairs in microelectronic design, as well as the future international campus of semiconductors of the Valencia Silicon Cluster that are being developed in collaboration with the UPV and the University of Valencia.
Subsequently, the gala featured various entertainment and humorous performances. Francisco Pedroche, researcher at the University Institute of Multidisciplinary Mathematics (IMM) of the UPV and winner of the 1st edition of the UPV Scientific Monologues Contest, gave a humorous scientific show to the 200 attendees.
Jaime Gómez-Hernández, professor at the UPV and head of the Hydrogeology Group of the Institute of Water Engineering and Environment (IIAMA-UPV) starred in an amazing magic show giving the public a fascinating view of the science park of the UPV. And the trophy ceremony was preceded by a live musical performance by the group The Street Foxes to the rhythm of swing.
Three categories and nine companies awarded
The climax of the event was the presentation of the nine awards, one prize and two runner-up prizes for each of the three categories: Spin-Off, Start-up and Company-University Collaboration.
Tonia Salinas and Juan Vicente Capella awarded the trophies in the Spin-Off category, with the prize going to Matteco, linked to the UV Science Park, and the runners-up prizes to Kerionics SL and Corify Care SL, both spin-offs of the Polytechnic City of Innovation - UPV. The winning spinoff, Matteco, stood out for its materials technology that decarbonizes the economy, especially through its innovative catalysts and electrodes for the production of green hydrogen. The trophy was collected by Gonzalo Abellán Sáez, co-founder and CTO, José Manuel Sanchis, Marketing and Communications Manager and Jorge Romero, co-founder and Senior Researcher.
Next, the trophies in the Start-Up category were handed out by Alberto Conejero, Vice Rector for Students and Entrepreneurship of the UPV, and Ester Olivas (GVA). Both presented the award to UPV start-up Verázial Labs, represented by Alejandra Castillo, Digital Marketing Specialist. The company located in the Polytechnic City of Innovation was awarded for its Verazial ID solution, which offers secure identification with biometric technology. The runner-up prizes went to SCALE Nanotech OÜ, a start-up linked to and located at the UPV, and AirBiometrics, a start-up from the Universitat Jaume I.
Network of Valencian Science Parks
The Network of Valencian Science Parks (rePCV) is made up of the Science Park of the Miguel Hernández University, Espaitec-Science and Technology Park of the Jaume I University, the University of Valencia Science Park, the Polytechnic City of Innovation- Polytechnic University of Valencia and the Alicante Science Park-University of Alicante.
The rePCV aims to be an instrument to promote the competitiveness of companies and knowledge-generating institutions installed or linked to Valencian science parks. In addition, it promotes the culture of innovation, diversification and growth of a new business and industrial fabric, quality, differentiated and committed to social responsibility policies.
See the summary of the day