The European Commission has recently launched an initiative to promote the development of ecosystems that enhance business competitiveness through the application of digital technologies.
If we look back, approximately 30 years ago, Spain began to see the emergence of new projects, called Technology Parks and later, Science and Technology Parks (STPs), which were intended to improve the competitiveness of Spanish industry, which at that time was in a difficult situation. This improvement in the industry was due to its approach to the new technologies of the moment, including an incipient Internet and to a timid contact with the scarce R&D. During those early years, many companies had their first contact with these new technologies when they moved into a park.
Step by step and because when a park was created in an area it had a strong impact on the local industry, parks were appearing all over Spain. In addition, the university is also beginning to get involved in the development and promotion of parks, so that they are progressively developing a unique ecosystem, since companies, researchers, public administration, investors and entrepreneurs have worked in the same place.
Currently, companies and entities located in STPs tend to have higher indicators of innovation and competitiveness than those outside them. In addition, during the hardest years of the economic crisis, companies that were in STPs had lower mortality rates than those elsewhere.
Regarding digital technologies, there are currently some 1,700 companies in STPs working in the ICT sector that are working on disruptive technologies that will change the way we live soon.
In addition, as we reflected in the last issue, STPs are vigilant of new technologies, so that, as soon as a new one emerges, they quickly permeate and develop it in their ecosystem.
This same ecosystem is what now defines the Digital Innovation Hubs (DIHs) promoted by DG Connect of the European Commission and in which Spanish STPs will collaborate because every time a new initiative to support business competitiveness appears, far from competing, what they do is cooperate.
However, it is worth looking back, being prophets in our land and remembering that we were pioneers and the first DIHs created in Spain were the science and technology parks.
Felipe Romera Lubias
President of the Association of Science and Technology Parks of Spain (APTE)
