- The alliance strengthens the Foundation’s position as a national innovation hub by incorporating the expertise of the country’s leading technology center
The Ricardo Valle Institute of Innovation Foundation (Innova IRV) and Tecnalia announced today the signing of an agreement through which the technology center joins the board of trustees of Innova IRV, reinforcing its role as a national leader in industrial innovation.
TECNALIA is the largest center for applied research and technological development in Spain. It currently chairs the European network of technological centers, EARTO, and is a member of the Basque Research and Technology Alliance. Its team of over 1,500 professionals works to help companies improve their competitiveness and enhance quality of life.
Tecnalia anticipates future challenges through technology thanks to its global network of projects and advanced laboratories in fields such as smart manufacturing, digital transformation, energy transition, sustainable mobility, health and food, urban ecosystems, and circular economy.
In 2024, the center reported €147 million in revenue, contributed €793 million to the Basque innovation ecosystem’s GDP, and invested more than €20 million in new facilities focused on decarbonization, mobility, hydrogen, digitalization, digital health, and quantum computing.
“The addition of Tecnalia represents a major qualitative leap for the Foundation, positioning us as a key player in the national innovation ecosystem,” said Ezequiel Navarro, President of Innova IRV.
“Innova IRV is committed to collaboration and the connection of resources, talent, infrastructure, and specialized knowledge as a lever for helping our companies scale and become more competitive through market-oriented innovation. This alliance not only strengthens our technical capabilities and reach, but also places us in a privileged position to lead large-scale projects with real impact on the country’s technological transformation. We are confident that Tecnalia’s experience, knowledge, and collaborative network will play a crucial role in fulfilling our mission,” Navarro added.
“TECNALIA is a tool at the service of businesses and society. Our goal is to maximize economic and social impact through technological research and innovation. We are facing new and complex challenges that we can only overcome through joint efforts (technological centers, companies, public administrations, and universities). This collaboration with Innova IRV, framed within our open innovation strategy, enhances our capabilities and network to quickly transform market opportunities into competitive advantages for the industry. We must stay ahead of increasingly rapid changes, leverage new technologies, and integrate them into our lives and businesses,” said Agustín J. Sáenz, Director of Strategy, Market, and Technology at TECNALIA.
A Growing Innovation Ecosystem
Tecnalia’s addition to the foundation’s network of technology centers follows that of other key partners such as Eurecat and the Aragón Institute of Technology. It reinforces the Foundation’s commitment to providing companies and institutions in the ecosystem access to Spain and Europe’s top research center, helping close the technological gap with other innovation ecosystems and fostering networked collaboration and efficient use of technological resources, from cutting-edge infrastructure and labs to a large pool of specialized researchers.
The combination of technological capabilities, critical research mass, and territorial presence makes the Foundation an ideal vehicle to lead strategic projects aligned with European innovation policies, to strengthen competitiveness in areas such as microelectronics, defense, mobility, sustainability, and Industry 4.0, among others.
About the INNOVA IRV Foundation
Innova IRV is a public-private foundation aligned with the European Union’s strategic objectives in key areas for transformation and growth, driving technological and industrial innovation in Spain.
The Foundation is promoted by the Málaga City Council, the Andalusian Regional Government through the Ministry of Universities, Research and Innovation, Grupo Myramar, Fundación Sando, and Mayoral, and receives financial support from Unicaja.
Innova IRV is supported by partners such as Accenture, Aertec, Agencia Digital de Andalucía, Ametic, Anovo, Atarfil, Bic Euronova, Celestia TST, CSG Ingeniería, DayOne by CaixaBank, Dekra, Diputación de Málaga, Endesa, Ericsson, Eurecat, Famadesa, GMV, Google, Hispasec, ITA, Iturri, Málaga Tech Park, Orange, Premo, Simón, Smart City Cluster, Smart Health TV Solutions, Tecnalia, Telefónica, Tinámica, Top Digital, Trops, Tupl, Empresa de Turismo de Andalucía, University of Granada, University of Málaga, University of Seville, and Vodafone.