The opening of the Andalusian Technology Corporation’s new facility reinforces Granada’s role as a hub bringing together universities, businesses and the local community to promote R&D&I projects with a real impact. Educa.Pro is part of the panel of experts, with a presentation by its director, Pablo Ybarra.
Granada is hosting the opening ceremony today of the new headquarters of CTA (Andalusian Technology Corporation), a milestone that consolidates the city’s position as one of southern Europe’s strategic hubs for innovation. Located at the University of Granada’s Technology Transfer Centre (CTA), this new space has been created with the aim of bringing the CTA’s resources, services and capabilities even closer to the province’s business, scientific and technological ecosystem.
The Andalusian Technology Corporation, a private, not-for-profit foundation with a track record spanning more than 20 years, works connecting more than 180 companies, universities, technology centres and public authorities for to turn knowledge into solutions that can be applied in the market and have a real impact on the local area.
Granada, a region with an innovative DNA
The choice of Granada as the new venue is due to structural factors that go beyond its academic heritage: a growing technology sector, a business community increasingly focused on collaboration and, above all, a community of professionals and executives who are actively committed to the city. The establishment of the CTA aims to reinforce these dynamics by facilitating access to public funding, the development of collaborative projects and the provision of strategic support to organisations across the province.
The opening ceremony brought together high-level institutional representatives — the Mayor of Granada and the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Granada — alongside companies, technology centres and stakeholders from the Andalusian R&D&I system, all united around a shared message: collaboration between the private sector, academia and public institutions is no longer optional. It is a prerequisite for competitiveness.
Educa.Pro: learning and technology to support growth
The round-table discussion, entitled “Granada as a strategic hub for innovation and knowledge transfer: real-life examples of collaboration and growth”, was attended by Pablo Ybarra, director of Educa.Pro. His speech addressed the critical role of training and bridging the digital divide as drivers of business competitiveness, and positioned Granada at the heart of a strategy to attract talent that is yielding tangible results.
We were born in Granada, but the reason we’re still here isn’t out of nostalgia: it’s because Granada has a real appeal. There are senior executives who are investing in the city, and something is happening that you can really feel. That’s exactly what an innovation ecosystem needs to take root: people who decide to stay and build something. – Pablo Ybarra
From this perspective, Educa.Pro’s involvement highlights a key aspect of innovation: the need for technological progress is accompanied by in-house capabilities that enable organisations to adapt, make decisions and scale up in a sustainable way.
Innovation as a shared strategy
The round-table discussion, moderated by Mayra Rocío Granados Andrade, Innovation Consultant at CTA, addressed key issues for any organisation committed to innovation: the factors that drive growth, the role of strategic partners, and the results achieved when there is a shared vision amongst the various stakeholders in the ecosystem.
Among the key topics of the debate were Artificial intelligence as a major collective challenge —with the University of Granada spearheading the launch of a European-based AI foundation—, the need for combining a long-term vision with speed of execution, and the public-private partnership as the only viable model for projects with a real impact.
Alongside Pablo Ybarra, the following took part in the panel: María Consuelo Trillo Díaz, Head of R&D&I Project Management at ROVI Pharmaceutical Laboratories; Jesús García Puerta, Chief Executive of Grupo La Caña; Enrique Herrera, Vice-Rector for Research and Knowledge Transfer at the University of Granada; and Ignacio de Marín Juan, Co-Founder and CEO of DEBOS.
A starting point for new projects with a real impact
CTA’s new headquarters in Granada is thus taking shape as a a meeting place to forge partnerships, identify opportunities and launch R&D&I projects that go beyond the theoretical realm. A space designed to facilitate direct contact between those who generate knowledge and those who apply it.
For Educa.Pro, taking part in this event reinforces its commitment to an approach to corporate learning that is aligned with innovation, talent development and collaboration between key players in the ecosystem. The opening marks the start of a new phase in which Granada is consolidating its role as an innovative region, and in which businesses, universities and institutions are working together towards growth models based on knowledge, technology and people.
