Association of Science and Technology Parks of Spain (APTE) and TECPARQUES today brought to a conclusion the 19th Iberian Meeting of Science and Technology Parks, organised by the Parque Tecnolóxico de Galicia and held in Ourense and Santiago de Compostela, . The event was characterised by strengthened cooperation between the innovation ecosystems of Spain and Portugal and by joint reflection on the role that the parks must play in the face of the technological transformation of the economy.
The meeting’s programme focused on some of the strategic technologies that are redefining the competitiveness and autonomy of both countries:artificial intelligence, the aerospace sector, security and defence, dual-use applications and cybersecurity, with the aim of turning technological capabilities into new partnerships between parks, companies, institutions and talent in Spain and Portugal.
The main day’s activities, held at Tecnópole, brought together representatives from institutions, companies, universities, knowledge centres, and science and technology parks from both countries. During the opening ceremony, the history of collaboration between APTE and TecParques was highlighted, along with the need to continue making progress on joint projects, cross-border links and new forms of cooperation that will strengthen the role of science and technology parks in the economic and technological development of the Iberian Peninsula.
Another key focus was artificial intelligence, approached from the perspective of AI Factories and their business applications. In this context, Martín Piqueras, Senior Executive Partner at Gartner, highlighted the importance of governance and the need to use artificial intelligence in accordance with security and control criteria. In his speech, he emphasised that AI is not inherently unsafe, but that certain models, especially AI agents, require clear rules, oversight mechanisms and ‘guardrails’ to prevent deviations and undesirable outcomes. He also highlighted the role of AI platforms as an integrating element between agents, development and governance, within an increasingly complex technological environment.
Strategic technologies, talent and business cooperation
The programme also addressed the aerospace, security and defence sectors, with sessions focusing on cross-border cooperation between Spain and Portugal, the AEROGANP project, the aerospace sector and dual-use applications. These sessions provided an insight into opportunities for
collaboration between companies, public administrations, universities and innovation stakeholders from both countries in areas of growing strategic importance.
The event also included a specific session dedicated to women, technology and talent, which addressed issues such as leadership, career choices and the retention of STEAM talent, with contributions from Nieves Lorenzo, from the University of Vigo, and Claudia Costa e Silva, a specialist in innovation, entrepreneurship and technological talent.
During the event, the future of science and technology parks was also discussed in a round-table session moderated by Soledad Díaz, managing director of APTE, with the participation of Raquel Veiga, from iParque Coimbra; Melany Ribeiro, from PCI Aveiro; Belén Talavera, from the Extremadura Science and Technology Park; and Montserrat Fernández Antuña, from the Gijón Science and Technology Park.
The panel led a discussion on what a potential “Iberian park model for 2030” might look like. Among the issues raised were the possibility of establishing an Iberian network of experimentation spaces so that Spanish and Portuguese companies can test technologies and run pilot projects in different science and technology parks across the peninsula; the creation of a potential “Iberian passport” to facilitate companies’ access to services across the entire network, and the development of a shared catalogue or marketplace of capabilities; as well as new approaches to supporting the growth of start-ups and SMEs and facilitating their cross-border expansion between Spain and Portugal.
The session concluded with an Iberian pitch by Spanish and Portuguese companies and networking activities aimed at fostering new business and technological connections.
Cybersecurity and the handover to Madrid 2027
The final day of the meeting took place today at the Cidade da Cultura de Galicia, in Santiago de Compostela, with a specific session dedicated to cybersecurity, which addressed the transposition of the NIS2 Directive and the main challenges posed by the protection of infrastructure, businesses and organisations in an increasingly digitalised environment.
The closing ceremony also served to pass the baton to the next edition. The 20th Iberian Meeting of Science and Technology Parks will be held in 2027 in Madrid and will be organised by the Science Park of the Carlos III University of Madrid (UC3M), continuing a well-established event as a forum for cooperation between the innovation systems of Spain and Portugal.
With this nineteenth edition, APTE and TecParques are strengthening a partnership that began over two decades ago and is aimed at building an increasingly connected Iberian alliance, capable of sharing capabilities, promoting joint projects and generating new opportunities for businesses, institutions and talent in both countries.