The Valencian Institute for Business Competitiveness (IVACE) visited Alicante to hold an institutional meeting with representatives of the City Council, with the aim of strengthening collaboration in the areas of attracting investment, business development and support for businesses at the municipal level.
Representing Alicante City Council at the meeting were Vicente Seguí – Director-General for Employment, Business Development and the New Economy – and Elisa Díaz – Head of the Employment and Development Service. IVACE was represented by María Hueso Gabriel, Maite Hueso Gabriel, María José Martínez Villaplana and Rafael Llopis Baeza. IVACE was represented by María Hueso Gabriel, Maite Hueso Gabriel, María José Martínez Villaplana and Rafael Llopis Baeza.
The meeting served to strengthen coordination between the two institutions and explore new avenues of cooperation to boost business competitiveness and encourage new investment in the city and the Valencian Community as a whole.
The visit also provided a first-hand insight into the main initiatives being promoted by Alicante City Council through Alicante Futura and ALIA, two key strategies focused on innovation, technological development and attracting talent and investment, both operating under the umbrella of Impulsalicante, the Local Agency for Economic and Social Development of Alicante City Council.
A tour of Alicante’s innovation ecosystem
The day began with a visit to the Alicante Science Park, regarded as one of the region’s leading start-up incubators, where a significant number of emerging companies linked to innovation and technology are based. This space is also home to numerous talented young people from the University of Alicante, reflecting the close connection between the academic world and the municipality’s business development.
Following this first stop, the visit moved on to the University of Alicante, where they were able to see first-hand how the flow of talent and collaboration between the two institutions works to drive knowledge transfer to the business community.
The visit then continued to EGM Atalayas, one of the business parks with the greatest influence on the municipality’s economic activity. From there, the institutional representatives also took a tour of the Ocaña area to learn about other areas of business development in the town.
The itinerary also included a stop at the Príncipe Felipe Business Incubator, where Alicante City Council, through Impulsalicante, provides entrepreneurs and businesses with spaces and resources so that they can establish themselves, consolidate their position and grow in environments linked to local economic development.
Whilst visiting the business incubator, the delegation also learnt about the Mediterranean Algae project, a committed partner of Alicante Futura and ALIA which is developing an innovative industrial model based on the use of macroalgae for applications in cosmetics, nutrition and bioremediation, providing a clear example of the innovative and technological potential of Alicante’s business ecosystem.
The day concluded at the Alicante Local Development Agency (Impulsalicante), where an institutional meeting was held to discuss opportunities for collaboration between the two organisations.
In this context, Alicante continues to position itself nationally and internationally as an emerging hub for innovation and entrepreneurship, with a growing number of start-ups and technology companies, as well as a solid business fabric that drives innovative initiatives and measures for economic development.
