Cámaras Andalucía and the regional Ministry of Economic Transformation awarded the prizes for this pioneering initiative to promote technological solutions to the challenges of the industrial sector
The Andalusian Council of Chambers of Commerce and the Regional Ministry of Economic Transformation, Industry, Knowledge and Universities presented the winners of the ‘Technological Challenge for the promotion of innovation and the Andalusian transition to Industry 5.0’, an initiative to promote innovative and technological responses to the main problems of the Andalusian industrial sector in order to contribute to its productivity and competitiveness and its progress towards an industry 5.0.
The Sevillian companiers Ningenia and Cultural Fit Solutions were the winners, for the innovations they propose in terms of improving the industrial supply chain and in attracting talent for these companies, the two award modalities.
Ningenia, an engineering company specializing in industrial automation, won the category aimed at improving the supply chain for the industry. It is an innovative system for managing pallets, both for their entry and exit from the factory, which will save industries considerable time by combining new techniques that had not been applied until now.
The event was attended by the president of the Andalusian Council of Chambers of Commerce, Javier Sánchez Rojas, and the Head for Economic Transformation, Rogelio Velasco, who highlighted the need to promote initiatives, such as this one, that value Andalusian innovation and Andalusian technological sector through the transfer of its talent and advances at the service of the industrial sector.
The president of the Chambers of Andalusia highlighted “the pioneering nature of this initiative for bringing technology companies and their capacity for innovation closer to a leading and fundamental sector for the Andalusian economy, such as industry, encouraging the creation of alliances and synergies for the benefit of community development”. Javier Sánchez Rojas also stressed that this project is an example of public and private collaboration and thanked the involvement of technology companies and industries in this challenge.
For his part, the Head of Economic Transformation assured that the commitment to innovation and talent constitutes “an urgent challenge” to consolidate in Andalusia a “robust, sustainable and responsible industrial fabric with its environment capable of increasing its contribution to GDP and to employment”. In addition, he recognized the importance of initiatives such as ´Technological Challenge´ since it aims to find innovative solutions to the great needs and present and future challenges that this sector must face to favor its transition towards industry 5.0.
Promotion of the winners
The two winning companies will receive the additional mentoring of their solutions for a period of 6 months, with the aim of promoting their development. In addition, they will have advice to obtain the necessary financing for the technological development that it will entail and will facilitate the organization of an agenda of contacts and meetings with Andalusian industrial companies to promote the interest of the industrial sector in the innovative solution provided. The winning companies will also be rewarded with instruments and activities for their visibility and international projection through their participation in networking and connections with public-private institutions, as well as with potential international clients.
The ´Technological Challenge´ project, which is part of the TICCámaras de Cámara España program and is financed by the EU through the European Regional Development Fund and the Regional Ministry of Economic Transformation, started last March with a diagnosis to identify the real problems that the Andalusian industrial sector is facing. For this, it had the participation of its main companies and subsequently mobilized startups and ICT companies to promote innovative responses with the holding of several information sessions to detail the challenges posed and present the report on the needs of the industrial sector.