Startup Valencia has brought together leaders in innovation and tech transfer between universities and private companies. Elisa Rivera, Director General of Planning, Coordination, and Knowledge Transfer at the Ministry of Science, Innovation, and Universities, and Paula Llobet, Councilor for Tourism, Innovation, and Investment Promotion at the Valencia City Council, attended this event organized by the association’s Tech Transfer Committee at the Innsomnia tech hub in La Marina de Valencia.
The goal of this event was to present the Spanish government’s tech transfer strategy, led by Elisa Rivera, Director General of Planning, Coordination, and Knowledge Transfer at the Ministry of Science, Innovation, and Universities. Rivera emphasized that Valencia has significant experience in science transfer, stating, “It is important to continue fostering and improving these initiatives.”
To analyze this strategy, along with its challenges and opportunities, the event featured members of the Startup Valencia Tech Transfer Committee, a working group created to promote and strengthen the connection between scientific and technological offerings with startups and the productive and industrial sectors.
Judith Saladrigas, coordinator of the Committee, secretary of Startup Valencia, and partner in the Innovation and Entrepreneurship area of RCD, moderated the event. Committee members José Capmany (co-founder of iPronics and VLC Photonics, professor of Photonics at UPV, and 2012 Rei Jaume I Prize winner for New Technologies), Andreu Climent (CEO and co-founder of Corify Care), Narcís Cardona (director of the iTEAM Research Institute and co-founder of FiveComm), Miguel del Cañizo (founding partner of Bullnet Capital), and Fernando Conesa (UPV Innovation Director) took part in a panel discussion analyzing the current status of tech transfer activity and knowledge-based entrepreneurship from the perspectives of different participants in the ecosystem.
During the debate, it was noted that Spain is a leader in research but needs to align policy and support to boost tech transfer to companies. They also agreed that the entrepreneurial spirit in research must be strengthened, with a focus on knowledge transfer from the beginning of the process and fostering entrepreneurship among educators.
To share international experience and best practices in this field, the event featured Javier García Martínez, founder of MIT spin-off Rive Technology, professor at the University of Alicante, and 2023 National Research Award winner, and Pepe Sepúlveda, Vice-Rector of Technology and Digital Transformation at VIU-Valencia International University and former Director of the Tech Transfer Office at the National University of Singapore.
Nacho Mas, CEO of Startup Valencia, also participated, highlighting that “tech transfer not only drives innovation and competitiveness but also plays a fundamental role in job creation, sustainable economic growth, and improving the quality of life for citizens.”
