More than 50 professionals from the European innovation ecosystem—including entrepreneurs, investors, institutional representatives, and technology experts—gathered at the MAS Foundation in Seville to participate in ‘Invest2Impact—Accelerating European projects with strategic investment,’ an event organised by CTA (Andalusia Technology Corporation) as part of the European projects In Transit and SCAIRA.
The event brought together the final act of the In Transit project, which has promoted the transition of the textile sector towards more sustainable and technological models, and a key activity of the SCAIRA programme, aimed at supporting start-ups with innovative solutions through incubation, connection with investors and specialised training.
A meeting point for European innovation
The opening ceremony was attended by Johan Stierna, Team Leader of the Smart Specialisation Platform at the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre; Nieves Valenzuela, Director General of Innovation Promotion at the Regional Government of Andalusia; and Silvia de los Santos, Head of the Aerospace and Production Sector at CTA. The speakers agreed on the importance of strengthening regional cooperation and knowledge transfer as pillars of European leadership in innovation.
During the session, the main results of In Transit were presented, including the most notable projects supported during its implementation, such as EOM2D.2, BIORE-DYE, D-DOGSE, CIRCULARTECH, INOSCOPE, AVTEX and DREAM. These success stories reflect the potential of European SMEs to lead the transition towards more digital, sustainable and competitive industrial models.
The section dedicated to the SCAIRA project, which has just launched its third and final call for proposals, highlighted the role of acceleration and early investment in the growth of technology start-ups. Participants in the first acceleration programme — Kevin Mandrick (Made In Tracker), Javier Carrillo (Setenova) and entrepreneur Raúl Segura — presented their solutions to a panel of experts and investors, showcasing the diversity of talent and creativity present in the Sudoe ecosystem.
Impact investing and new opportunities for collaboration
One of the highlights was the round table discussion entitled ‘Impact Investing: Business Angels in Europe’, moderated by Silvia de los Santos (CTA). The debate featured Marta Escobar (AXON Partners Group), Jerónimo Béjar (EONIQ), Marta Guix (Plug and Play Spain) and Pedro García Guillamón (Murcia-Ban), who shared their views on current trends in impact investing and the role of business angels in promoting sustainable and scalable projects in Europe.
The day concluded with a networking session between the beneficiaries of both projects and investors, generating new alliances and opportunities for collaboration beyond the framework of European projects.
CTA, catalyst for innovation and European connection
The meeting was closed by Alicia Domínguez Núñez, head of the Economic Promotion Section of Seville City Council, who highlighted the importance of initiatives such as this one in strengthening the competitiveness and international profile of innovative SMEs in the city.
In closing, Silvia de los Santos (CTA) stressed that ‘Invest2Impact demonstrates that collaboration between European projects, SMEs and investors is essential to accelerate the transition to a more sustainable and competitive economy’, reaffirming CTA’s role as a connector between science, business and investment.
The In Transit project has received funding from the Horizon Europe programme, while SCAIRA is supported by the Interreg Sudoe programme.
