Over 28 million allocated to technology center network for the next 3 years
The Regional Department of Economy and Finance of Castilla y León, through the ICE, will allocate 28.3 million euros over the next three years to finance the network of technology centers, as announced by the Regional Councilor for Economy and Finance, Carlos Fernández Carriedo. The meeting at which this announcement was made, was attended by the Association of Technology Centers of Castilla y León and the representatives of all the centers that make up this entity, among them the AIR Institute. The purpose of the meeting was to learn about the Strategic Plan, which is in line with the R&D&I priorities of the Junta de Castilla y León.
The Regional Department is committed to establishing stable funding for technology centers, backed by regulations that support and guarantee the sustainability of this new model. Specifically, will allocate 9 million to strengthen the centers' scientific/technical excellence through in-house research projects in areas of regional interest; 6 million to intensify collaboration and transfer, through public calls that support joint R&D projects between companies and technology centers; 6 million in basal funding, which will allow for the consolidation of the centers, improve the transfer of research results, knowledge and technological capabilities to the community market according to the results achieved by the center and on the basis of two criteria. The first criterium is to highlight the value of R&D and its alignment with the RIS 3 guidelines, and the second criterium is the center's capacity to attract international R&D projects and transfer knowledge to companies in Castilla y León; 4 million of aid for technology centers to provide advanced technological services to companies and support their digitalization, in addition to contributing to the growth of the manufacturing sector’s competitiveness (Centratec program); and, finally, 3.3 million euros allocated to infrastructure by the Directorate General of Economy and Competitiveness from European Funds through the ERDF 21-27 Operational Program.
The Councilor for Economy and Finance of Castilla y León has informed the representatives of the technology centers, which are part of the NODDO association, about the work being carried out in the administrative and legal procedures for the creation of a ledger, which will provide a more efficient formula for technology transfer to the productive system of Castilla y León, through a stable funding system that consolidates the research structures and specializes them for the priority areas defined in the RIS3.
The objectives of NODDO are framed within the Research and Innovation Strategy for the Smart Specialization of Castilla y León RIS3 2021-2027. One of the priorities of NODDO is to improve and strengthen the research and innovation ecosystem for progress in specialization and to implement measures that promote knowledge, business innovation, innovation-based entrepreneurship, and knowledge transfer. NODDO was set up as a knowledge transfer network, grouping the nine technology centers of Castilla y Leon in June 2021. It aims to stimulate an innovation environment that is distinctive of Castilla y León and strives to boost R&D&I and the transfer of knowledge and technology to the productive sectors.
The nine technology centers in Castilla y León account for a total of 700 researchers, 600 R&D projects per year, more than 1,800 client companies and a service turnover of 45.6 million euros.