The Board of Trustees of CTA, Technological Corporation of Andalusia, met today at Endesa’s Andalusian headquarters in Seville and endorsed plans to expand the foundation’s membership base by opening it up to all types of organisations committed to innovation.
One of the objectives of CTA’s new Strategic Plan 2026–2029 is to attract new members to the foundation, broadening membership beyond companies developing technological innovation, as has been the case until now.
“CTA invites organisations to become part of a community united by a shared purpose: harnessing innovation as a driver of development, competitiveness and public-private collaboration. It offers those that join the opportunity to significantly boost their growth and impact through innovation,” said CTA President Beltrán Pérez.
“By joining CTA as members, companies and other organisations gain access to funding and internationalisation opportunities that help them turn R&D into a competitive advantage. They also benefit from opportunities to connect with the innovation ecosystem, gain visibility and position themselves as innovative organisations, and take part in events and networking activities. The contribution made to the foundation is deductible for Corporate Income Tax purposes.”
At the meeting, CTA’s Board of Trustees also approved the accounts for the 2025 financial year and presented the 2025 Annual Report, a publication that sets out the foundation’s main milestones and activities over the past year.
Leonardo Bueno appointed new Chief Executive
CTA’s Board of Trustees has accepted the resignation of Elías Atienza as Chief Executive and appointed Leonardo Bueno as his successor. Bueno had until now served as Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Finance and Human Resources.
The new Chief Executive assumes the role as the foundation enters a new phase, marked by the launch of its Strategic Plan 2026–2029. The plan focuses on strengthening CTA’s role as a public-private partnership that accelerates innovation processes, enhances its advanced innovation services, expands its membership base and reinforces its international activity, with a particular focus on projects funded by the European Commission and multilateral organisations.
Leonardo Bueno Navarro joined CTA in July 2009 as Director of Finance and has taken on increasing responsibilities over the years. He holds a degree in Economics and Business Studies from the University of Seville, a Master’s in Financial Management from ESIC, a Master’s in Senior Management of Social Institutions from the San Telmo International Institute, and a Senior Management Programme, AD-1, from the same institution. He has more than 25 years of experience in foundations and private companies across a range of sectors.
Elías Atienza: a career dedicated to innovation
Elías Atienza has served as CTA’s Chief Executive for more than 15 years, a role he took up after previously serving as the foundation’s Technical Director since its creation in 2005. Over the past 20 years, Atienza has led the foundation’s strategy and played a key role in shaping its vision.
Atienza holds a degree in Engineering from the Polytechnic University of Madrid and an MSc from the University of California, Davis. He has also completed a senior management programme at San Telmo.
With extensive international experience in research, development and innovation, R&D&I, he has collaborated with prestigious centres such as INRA, CIAT, CIMMYT and INIA. He has also worked in the private sector and in multinational companies, where he coordinated international projects and developed commercially successful patented products. Before joining CTA, he held senior management positions in Andalusian public companies and worked as an independent consultant in the environmental sector.
About CTA
CTA is a public-private partnership organisation dedicated to accelerating innovation processes. It supports companies of all sizes, public administrations, universities, research bodies and any organisation with a commitment to innovation.
CTA is a private foundation with more than 185 member companies and 20 years of experience. Originally promoted by the Regional Government of Andalusia, it is privately managed and dedicated to fostering regional research, development and innovation, R&D&I, and technology transfer. CTA advises companies on how to plan their innovation strategies, from identifying their R&D&I needs to formulating projects to address them, finding partners and securing the funding required to implement them. It has also developed a range of services to help companies, universities, technology centres, public administrations and other organisations turn the results achieved into economic value and business opportunities.
CTA also has a growing international presence as a key partner in collaborative innovation projects. It has already participated in more than 70 international projects funded by the EU and multilateral organisations, and has collaborated with more than 770 organisations in 57 countries.