Carolina España, president of the technopolis, emphasizes “the role of culture as an engine of Andalusian economic development”
She also points out that “with the agreement, Málaga TechPark lands in the cultural heart of the capital.”
Málaga TechPark and Teatro Soho Caixabank signed a collaboration protocol on Monday to jointly promote cultural, innovation and technology transfer activities. According to Carolina España, Minister of Economy, Finance, and European Funds of the Junta de Andalucía, and president of Málaga TechPark, accompanied by Antonio Banderas, president of the Teatro Soho Caixabank, this agreement, is an “example of the best public-private collaboration” and “it will allow to create a new alliance between culture and technology and to promote that those go hand in hand and continue to add up in Málaga.”
This agreement is committed to promoting an environment of interaction between business activity and the cultural and technological industry, which helps to promote transfer, innovation, research and training in the space of Málaga TechPark itself. Moreover, this protocol seeks to transfer the business and innovation activity, developed by the Park, into the Theatre. Thus, the signing will also be useful to the cultural companies and startups that are developing in the Teatro Soho Caixabank since they could be added into the companies list and directory of Málaga TechPark.
The Minister has explained that “with the agreement, Málaga TechPark turns up in the cultural heart of the capital of Málaga” and she has added that “the creation and the start-up of this enclave will consolidate the development of a common collaboration model focussed on carrying out common cultural projects, innovation, transfer and promotion of entrepreneurship.”
Furthermore, this agreement will promote the start- up of meetings with the DIRCOM and CEOS of the companies located in Málaga TechPark, with the objective of making the cultural activity that takes place in the Teatro of Soho Caixabank public, at the same time that activities for the searching of technological solutions will be promoted facing challenges posed by the Teatro.
Taking into consideration all the previous information, the signed protocol contemplates facilitating access to financing for startup and innovative and cultural projects, which allows promoting a mutual economic growth among companies, universities and other agents of the Park.
The president of the technopolis has said that “with this agreement, we continue spreading out the Málaga TechPark activity from the Park to the city and we are able to guarantee that it is going to help us to create new synergies that contribute to the economic growth of both Málaga TechPark, the Teatro and all the city.”
The Minister and president of Malaga TechPark has claimed that “culture is also an engine of economic development. An economic development that is also differentiating. Therefore, the signature of this agreement between two development poles, such as the Málaga TechPark and the Teatro del Soho CaixaBank, represents much more than the sum of the positive synergies that both have separately.” Also, she has stated that “Málaga has no ceiling and, for us, it has no limits. This city has vibrant creativity and talent. A creativity that is contagious and that we want to continue radiating to all of Andalusia and all of Spain.”
Common objectives
Málaga TechPark has among its objectives the promotion of programs that encourage the creation of business projects through advice, training and the promotion of the entrepreneurial spirit. With a trajectory that exceeds its first 30 years, Technopolis continues radiating innovative activity outside the physical limits of the Technological Park, once it already has work enclaves, such as the one located in the expansion of the Teatinos University Campus, the one established in the Port of Málaga or the coworking space, located in the Unicaja Foundation Cultural Center in Málaga, which will be inaugurated in the coming months.
Regarding the Teatro Soho Caixabank, created and pushed forward by Antonio Banderas, the actor, director and producer of Málaga, was born as a center of production, training and dissemination of the performing arts in November 2019, until becoming nowadays a clear cultural epicenter of the city of Málaga. This space, a personal bet of the Málaga’s entrepreneur, has embraced works such as “A Chorus Line”, “Company” or “Godspell”, at the same time it has served as a stage for events of international relevance, such as the 35th edition of the Goya Awards in 2021.
Carolina España has said that “our objective is to consolidate Málaga TechPark as a bastion of the productive model for Andalusia that we defend from the Andalusian Government, based on innovation and sustainable growth.” She has warned that “we will keep supporting the alliance search and cooperating with public and private institutions, betting on the diversification of the activity, the innovation and the quality. Not only we look for continuing growth, but also, growing in a better way.”