Castelldefels: City of Science and Innovation
Diana Morant, Minister of Science and Innovation of Spain, announces new distinctions for Castelldefels and nine other cities
On Friday, March 3rd, Ms. Diana Morant, Minister of Science and Innovation of the Government of Spain, announced that the Ministry is granting the distinction of 'City of Science and Innovation' to ten new cities: Castelldefels, Algemesí, Irún, Lugo, Puerto Real, Riba-Roja de Turia, Rubí, Sagunto, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat and Vitoria Gasteiz.
ICFO, located in the Mediterranean Technology Park in Castelldefels, celebrates this distinction that reflects the support and collaboration that the institute receives from the city, facilitating its missions to conduct frontier research at the very highest international level, attract and train the next generation of scientists and technologies and provide knowledge and technology transfer.
ICFO’s Director of Knowledge and Technology Transfer, Silvia Carrasco comments, “ICFO is fortunate to have found a home in Castelldefels, where the city has consistently partnered with our institute to make this a place where some of the brightest minds in our field choose to carry out research that will have a positive impact on society. We share a vision with the City Hall of the importance of cutting-edge research and its translation into economic growth, talent attraction and high quality job creation in Castelldefels”.
The Photonics Incubator at ICFO is an excellent example of this. Through an agreement originally signed in 2016, Castelldefels illustrates its commitment to support the institute in the creation and development of new enterprises in Castelldefels, helping the region attract talent and investment, create new opportunities for graduates, increase the demand for R+D+I as well as create wealth, among other benefits.
Morant stressed that these cities will receive recognition from the Government of Spain for having devised and supported initiatives based on innovation to transform their municipalities, base their production model on a new model of sustainable development and create more and better job opportunities for their people, especially young people. These cities form what she referred to as a 'Network of Cities of Science and Innovation' (‘Red Innpulso’). She underscored that through this network, the Ministry of Science and Innovation wants to make visible and emphasize the work that is done on the municipality level in order to improve the lives of citizens through knowledge of innovation.