Business Innovation in Galicia 20 Cases of Success

ESS CC OF SU S E AS

. 20 C BUSINESS INNOVATION IN GALICIA

IA 20 CASES OF SUCCESS C I L A BUSINESS INNOVATION IN G INNOVATION BUSINESS I.20

XUNTA DE GALICIA / MINISTERIO DE CIENCIA E INNOVACIÓN BUSINESS INNOVATION IN GALICIA 20 CASES OF SUCCESS

i20. BUSINESS i20. BUSINESS INNOVATION INNOVATION IN GALICIA. IN GALICIA. 20 CASES OF SUCCESS 20 CASES OF SUCCESS i.20 BUSINESS INNOVATION IN GALICIA. 20 CASES OF SUCCESS BUSINESS INNOVATION IN GALICIA. PUBLISHERS The Regional Government 20 CASES OF SUCCESS of Galicia (Xunta de Galicia) The Regional Ministry of Economy and Industry and the Ministry of Science and Innovation The Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology

LOCATION Santiago de Compostela

YEAR 2011

Legal Deposit

XUNTA DE GALICIA Consellería de Economía e Industria MINISTERIO DE CIENCIA E INNOVACIÓN Fundación Española para la Ciencia y la Tecnología i20. BUSINESS i20. BUSINESS INNOVATION INNOVATION Santiago de Compostela IN GALICIA. IN GALICIA. 20 CASES OF SUCCESS 20 CASES OF SUCCESS 2011 Project and Design: Growcom SL Coordinator: Sandra Rodríguez Texts: Silvia Pena Photography: Miguel Riopa Translation: Lorel Scott Williams, Ph. D. Graphics: Enyiris SL i20. BUSINESS i20. BUSINESS Printing:INNOVATION Gráﬁcas INNOVATION IN GALICIA. IN GALICIA. Anduriña20 CASES SCL OF SUCCESS 20 CASES OF SUCCESS WITH I FOR ILLUSION

iBUSINESS.20 INNOVATION IN GALICIA. 20 CASES OF SUCCESS When we pay attention to the hundreds of publicity messages that are sized companies in all of Galicia and in all sectors of activity. Therefo- intended to reach us everyday, we can see up to what point the term, re, within the frame of the Strategic Axis of Di!usion of the I2C, this innovation, has become a concept of strength for the advertisers. Why ‘i.20’ came into being. It is a story that threads together twenty cases is this happening? It is happening because this concept of innovation of innovation success in businesses built in Galicia, with an ‘i’ in front. sells! It is an active marketing strategy for any brand, not only from The ‘i’ is for innovation and internationalisation, ‘i’ for imagination and an abstract point of view but also because the market really functions initiative, but above all, ‘i’ for illusion. In this book, di!erent stories are that way in all of its aspects. Not long ago, innovation was thought of told: of family businesses with a long trajectory and potential business; as a high added value for any company, which is no small thing. Today, of innovation in terms of product, service, organisation, distribution, however, it is a survival factor, an element of natural selection in a busi- or maketing; of traditional sectors of activity in the Galician economy ness ecosystem that seems more and more to be like a jungle. or of those just emerging; of the interior or of the Coast;… Despite the The message that the Regional Government of Galicia (Xunta de Ga- variety, there is a common denominator: the impetus, the e!ort, the licia) continually sends to the agents of the Galician System of Inno- desire to compete and, in sum, a project of business life that is full of vation, and more specifically to businesses, is that the time to begin illusion and confidence in the future. to think about it has already passed. Our Galician Plan of Research, From the Regional Ministry of Economy and Industry, we have accom- Innovation, and Development (I2C) 2011-2015 contains lines of action panied many of these innovators along the path and now we are telling that were directly designed to provide support to companies in terms their stories in this book in order to let people know that it is possible to of their innovation e!orts. To a significant degree, we have created succeed through innovation. We have included businesses of all types of the I2C with the priority to give support to collaboration with centres profiles so that, at some moment, every reader involved with a small or of knowledge so that businesses can benefit from the market value of medium-sized company would be able to see himself or herself reflec- their research results, the participation in high impact projects with ted and thereby be encouraged to take the first step if they have not yet capacity to attract European Union financing, the taking on of open done so. For the rest of the readers, our message is that there remains innovation processes in order to improve the e"ciency and e!ective- a long way to go in Galicia but we have good vehicles (here we have ness of those projects and, above all, the incorporation of innovative twenty examples) and we will continue to work hard so that the roads of dynamics in each and every department and process of the company innovation become more and more easy to transit and safe. by means of organised and professional management. Happy reading. i20. BUSINESS As a part of this task, we are dedicated to the di!usion of experiences i20. BUSINESS Javier Guerra Fernández, INNOVATION INNOVATION IN GALICIA. that may serve as references or as motivation for small and medium- IN GALICIA. Regional Minister of Economy and Industry. 20 CASES OF SUCCESS 20 CASES OF SUCCESS i20. BUSINESS i20. BUSINESS INNOVATION INNOVATION IN GALICIA. IN GALICIA. 20 CASES OF SUCCESS 20 CASES OF SUCCESS A QUESTION OF ATTITUDE

Innovation involves some degree of social responsibility. There is, without Finally, there is the concept of innovation as results. Innovation is a pro- a doubt, legitimate interest on the part of businesses because they have cess that does not always hit the mark. Moreover, risk co-exists with to face a fundamental challenge of trying to translate their di!erentiation innovation. There are no significant results without significant risk. For into valid competitiveness for repeat clients. However, beyond this cor- that reason, when businesses such as those presented in this document porative necessity, innovation is a contribution to our society in terms of decided to take that risk, they did it in the search for results that would attitude, process, and results. make the entire process reasonable. There is a shared basic attitude in the examples we present here. It is Said results, in corporate terms, should lead to a di!erentiation that the will to search for new solutions, a strength in research, creativity, or translates into its market position. The capacity for risk and for dedica- laterality, a desire to anticipate necessities not expressed by clients, or tion is appreciated. A society that does not responsibly risk in order to simply the practical application of years of scientific exploration. Inno- innovate does not have serious options for a prosperous future. vation as an attitude is a manifestation of social and corporative vitality; Societies need references. The companies introduced in this book are it is a sign of identity of awakened societies that are forced to construct references for innovation and social responsibility in Galicia. In addition, the future by means of new solutions. they are an example as well as an invitation to others to take risks, to lea- Innovation is a process of practical application of new knowledge or of ve the comfort zone, to search for radical implementation of new ideas. new ways to combine knowledge already acquired. But what underlines It is a great satisfaction to have these references in Galicia and to be innovation is its radical practicality. If the proposal is of public value but able to give them the social protection that is more than justified, which it does not reach the markets nor the users, there is no innovation. In is what this publication is intended to do. I want to sincerely thank them this sense, the testimonies collected in this publication show the dedi- for their e!orts, their capacity to cross frontiers and to question ortho- cation to the practical transformation of a new type of ideas. This does doxy and, especially thank them for their innovative business projects. I not concern publications nor reflections, this deals with concrete cases am convinced that their example will animate other companies to follow of the practical implementation of scientific, technological, or market the path of innovation. research. But behind all of these experiences, there is a process that Ricardo Capilla Pueyo, makes them more tangible to users or concrete clients. General Director of R&D&I.

i20. BUSINESS i20. BUSINESS INNOVATION INNOVATION IN GALICIA. IN GALICIA. 20 CASES OF SUCCESS 20 CASES OF SUCCESS FALSIFICATION- PROOF DOCUMENTS

It is not now possible to obtain any be- neﬁts from the falsiﬁcation of documents in various Galician administrations such as the Provincial Governments of Ponte- vedra and Ourense or the City Councils of Vigo, Pontevedra, or Santiago. All of them have installed the solution created by the spin-out Bit Oceans (oceans of

i20. BUSINESS i20. BUSINESS bytes),INNOVATION that detects fraud related to falsi- INNOVATION IN GALICIA. IN GALICIA. The scanner for the veriﬁcation of 20 CASES OF SUCCESS 20 CASES OF SUCCESS ﬁcation of printed documents. documents developed by Bit Oceans. INNOVATION IS CRUCIAL FOR OUR COMPANY; IT IS THE ORIGIN of the creation of our business and the root of its growth. Without it, it is impos- sible to di!erentiate oneself without which one is condemned to disappear. We live in a globalised world and in a situation in which it is crucial to di!erentiate “ oneself, in order to be competitive.” ALBERTO MALVIDO

FOR VARIOUS YEARS, A GROUP OF ENGI- Telecommunications engineers. After BIT OCEANS neers of the University of Vigo worked having determined the market niche of WRÀQGDIRUPXODWKDWZRXOGSXWDQHQG public administration as their target, THE COMPANY WR WKH IDOVLÀFDWLRQ RI QDWLRQDO LGHQWLW\ the arrival of the economic crisis caused HAD A BILLING GRFXPHQWV FHUWLÀFDWHV RI RIÀFLDO UHVL- the company to open up to new markets TOTAL OF dence, a contract, a work history, or a RISRWHQWLDOEX\HUVRIDGRFXPHQWYHULÀ- University transcript. The solution na- cation system. The company hopes that, 250.000 med ‘Fividoc’ is a computer application with time, the procedure that they crea- EUROS IN 2010 that associates each document with a ted will convert into a standard for other WITH AN printed code on it which is unique and entities as well such as banks, universi- EXPECTATION unrepeatable. When the copy of a docu- ties, and professional colleges. FOR SIGNIFICANT PHQWLVYHULÀHGE\PHDQVRIDVFDQQHU INCREASE DURING the ‘Fividoc’ system is able detect any Toward the international market THE NEXT variations to the copy of the document The company is looking for new invest- BUSINESS CYCLES. with respect to the original. ment partners in order to be able to move The system is so precise that is able to to an international level and sell their ALBERTO MALVIDO the documents but they also effect the FDEOHLQWKHÀHOGRISULQWHGGRFXPHQWV indicate the place on the page where an product in markets such as Mexico and (AT THE BOTTOM electronic duly-compared authentic These projects have a global budget of error or a difference with relation to the Brazil where business opportunities have RIGHT), PARTNER copy using a procedure that, as Malvi- close to one million Euros. original exists, making the distortions EHHQ LGHQWLÀHG 7KH FRPSDQ\ ELOOLQJ UH- AND TECHNICAL do explained, permits a direct saving of The company’s Department of Innova- obvious that are detected by the scan- ached 250,000 Euros in 2010, a sum that DIRECTOR OF BIT time of up to 75% for this transaction in tion dedicates all of its efforts to working ner. “There are other public and private it hopes to surpass in the next business OCEANS WITH HIS accordance with the legal requirements RQ WKH DOJRULWKP LQ RUGHU WR ÀQG QHZ international entities that have tried to cycles thanks to new sales. Bit Oceans re- TEAM. concerning electronic administration. business routes and to improve ‘Fividoc’ VROYHWKHSUREOHPEXWZHZHUHWKHÀUVW FHQWO\ODXQFKHGWKHÀUVWSODWIRUPIRUXQL- The company is moving ahead with its in order to adapt it to new environments to achieve it,” the Technical Director and versities via Universia, the largest Spa- future projects in order to reach a greater into which it has not yet entered. “The one of the promoting partners, Alberto nish-American network of universities in percentage of the market in new niches. future for Bit Oceans is centred on gua- Malvido, explained. This discovery was which more than 1,200 academic entities To that end, they are developing a tech- ranteeing the security of the printed made possible by the earlier work of the in almost thirty countries are involved. nological innovation project that allows documents of the entire world,” Alberto Department of Signal and Communica- The project includes the participation of for the validation of documents via the Malvido said as he explained that, for tions Theory of the School of Telecom- the Conference of Presidents of Spanish mobile telephone. The system is especia- now, the billing of the company is inte- munications Engineering of Vigo. Universities (CRUE) which is especially lly designed for entities of inspectors and grally dedicated to innovation. “We are the only ones that have been interested in avoiding fraud regarding VHFXULW\ WKDW SHUIRUP YHULÀFDWLRQV RQ The Unirisco society of risk capital have able to create a technology that valida- WKH GHJUHHV DQG DFDGHPLF FHUWLÀFDWHV the street such as licenses, for example. participated in the company almost from tes printed documents automatically issued by their institutions. Malvido Moreover, they are working on a new de- its inception with 25% of the investment. and that does not depend on the format explains to the client how academic velopment applied to the printed digital Now Bit Oceans are immersed in a se- of the document, nor the printer, scan- UHFRUGV KDYH EHHQ IDOVLÀHG LQ RUGHU WR signature for which they have collabora- FRQGF\FOHRIÀQDQFLQJLQRUGHUWRPRYH ner, or paper,” Malvido highlighted. graphically demonstrate the manner in ted with the Galician Regional Govern- into the exterior market and to develop This factor was key in the decision of the which these documents have been alte- ment and with leaders of the European its commercial and marketing plans whi- Ministry of the Presidency to install this red without anyone being able to detect project ‘Signed’ and work jointly with the le it awaits the international validation system after having detected in an in- the alteration, except by using this tool. Technological Centre of Telecommunica- of its patent, now approved in Spain. crease in document fraud related to the This product created by Bit Oceans is tions of Galicia (Gradiant), businesses, According to these business persons who )RUHLJQ2IÀFH dedicated to permanent improvement and Italian and British Universities in began with the valuing of knowledge ge- Bit Oceans was established in 2008 as requested by clients and to continuo- order to design new hashing techniques nerated in the University, document fal- i20. BUSINESS i20. BUSINESS INNOVATION and is composed of six partners and a us research. In the Provincial Govern- INNOVATION (algorithms designed to detect the infor- VLÀFDWLRQZLOOEHFRPHDWKLQJRIWKHSDVW IN GALICIA. IN GALICIA. 16 20 CASES OF SUCCESS work team of ten persons, principally ment of Ourense, they not only “secure” 17 20 CASES OF SUCCESS mation in the fastest way possible) appli- with ‘Fividoc.’ INNOVATION TO CONQUER HALF OF THE WORLD

Blu:sens was created in 2001 and centred in the electronics consumer sector, making a wager for a market apparently captured by large name brands. Its two Galician partners have made the company known in Spain and begun to colonise half of the world. The Executive President, José Ramón García, recalled the beginnings of the company as the birth of a start-up with limited resources but with an ambitious idea in terms of its exponential growth: to achieve a billing volume of 100 million Euros in 2013 and presence in at least 30 countries.

Interior of the Blu:sens factory in i20. BUSINESS i20. BUSINESS INNOVATION INNOVATION Santiago de Compostela. IN GALICIA. IN GALICIA. 20 CASES OF SUCCESS 20 CASES OF SUCCESS TO INNOVATE IS TO SELL SOMETHING DIFFERENT. THE ONE who is going to sell is the one capable of producing di!erent or better things. A company that does not consider internationalising and innovating is not going to survive. Only businesspersons and young, educated people will rescue this country “ from the crisis. They will be able to do things in a di!erent way.” JOSÉ RAMÓN GARCÍA

AT THE BEGINNING, BLU:SENS FOCUSED ITS entered the exterior market.” the two partners who direct the com- Once that Blu:sens achieved success in BLU:SENS differential value in creative technolo- The company do not only attribute the- pany dedicated an entire year to an eva- the Spanish market, they moved into gy, “to achieve certain markets before se successful results to internationali- luation of the market in order to unders- the exterior for which they allowed the others do so,” as the way to sation but also to the capacity of Blu:sens tand what the competition was doing entry of capital from Manuel Jove who gain resources and to reinvest to search for new market niches and to and to determine how to be different. then held 47.5% of the company, per- LQZKDWDUHGHÀQHGDVLWVWZR move ahead of its competitors. Today, Today, there are some 200 highly qua- mitting the two founders to maintain greatest strengths: innovation WKH 6SDQLVK ÀJXUHV DUH VXSSRUWHG E\ OLÀHGGLUHFWZRUNHUVLQDGGLWLRQWRPDQ\ control of the company. Since then, the and brand. The success achie- corporate sales and the company have indirect positions that the company ge- company has achieved presence in more ved by the company since that UHDFKHGDQDJUHHPHQWZLWKWKHÀQDQFLDO nerate with different subcontracts and than 20 countries around the world time has created the situation entities BBVA and Banco Santander, to collaborations. ZLWKDIÀOLDWHVLQ0H[LFR'XEDL&KLQD that, today, the company in- which they provide the televisions that One year later, in 2002, they were the and South America. This objective was vests 15% of its annual income are given as presents to capture clients. ÀUVW WR ODXQFK DQG PDUNHW D VWDU SUR- successful because international sales in innovation and brand. This The company have also closed a techno- duct that no one had previously consi- today represent 30% and will represent amount is greater than 60 mi- logical agreement with the group Telefo- dered: a DVD that is compatible with 70% in 2013. “We have not gone outside llion Euros in Spain, close to nica, in order to convert itself to a valid divX. Success consists of “contributing of Spain in order to conquer the world. 20 million dollars in Mexico provider of Internet Protocol TV devices. more than the competition, being faster, We have gone out into the world in order and Central America, and su- The latest great achievement has been and constantly up-dating each product,” WRFRQTXHUWKHZRUOGµ*DUFtDFODULÀHG persedes 6 in South America ‘Web TV,’ a product integrally designed JOSÉ RAMÓN all of which are aspects associated with This company head-quartered in Gali- and 4 in the Middle East. in Galicia that brings Internet to tele- GARCÍA a good quality-price relationship that cia does not export, rather internatio- The company plan included vision and in which the company have EXECUTIVE has situated Blu:sens in the best po- nal branches are opened which receive two consecutive objectives to be achie- LQYHVWHGÀYHPLOOLRQ(XURVIRULWVGHYH- PRESIDENT OF sition in the market. “We need to gain the innovation and the know how from YHG 7KH ÀUVW ZDV WR FUHDWH D SURGXFW lopment. “It is a very radical wager with BLU:SENS. an elevated margin that will permit us Santiago de Compostela. “We think and sell it on the national market and which we are trying to become 100% in- to reinvent ourselves, to create our own globally but we act very much locally,” they focused on this target until 2008. novators and leaders. We are achieving R&D&I, and to create our own brand a formula that is the key to being inno- Since then, they have made a more our goal,” claimed García. The device and structure. Our prices were in the vators in all of world because “we have important wager for innovation as the SHUPLWVZDWFKLQJVWUHDPLQJÀOPVDQG medium range but we offered more than sent our way of understanding the busi- step previous to entering the exterior series, access to social networks, reading even the most expensive brand,” Garcia ness of electronics outside but we adapt market, which was the second objective. the press, or enjoying the possibilities of remarked. to the different countries in order to be “We knew that we could be creative in Internet via multiple applications, all of The product for which Blu:sens was true innovators,” Garcia added. Spain but, in the world as well, it is im- that from the television. “Any person of most known was the MP3. The incor- Throughout its trajectory, the company portant to be innovators,” José Ramón any age will understand it without the poration of wireless connectivity to have also collaborated with the Uni- García emphasised. need to understand how to manage a those devices via WIFI and Bluetooth versity of A Coruña or Vigo by means The liquidity crisis affecting the coun- PC. It is similar to the time when black- allowed the company to remain on top. of the Technological Centre of Telecom- try has obliged the company to grow and-white was substituted by colour,” The second niche selected was that of munications of Galicia (Gradiant). The at a slower pace than that demanded he pointed out. In addition to ‘Web TV,’ televisions which the company began backing of the Regional Government by the market. Nevertheless, the in- the company plan is to incorporate into to offer in small and medium-sized di- ZDV DOVR VLJQLÀFDQW GXULQJ UHFHQW ternational expansion plan continues the market at Christmas a product with mensions. The process of fabrication years and now represents approxima- to move forward and Blu:sens hope to no international competition: Blu:sens and assembly is performed completely tely 12.7% of the invested capital in increase its presence in the exterior HOHFWURQLF WDEOHWV ZLWK D YHU\ ÀQH DHV- LQ *DOLFLD WKHUHE\ REWDLQLQJ DQ ´LQÀ- R&D&I dedicated above all to product ZLWK WKH RSHQLQJ RI QHZ DIÀOLDWHV LQ thetic appearance and very complete nitely superior” level of quality. The innovation. “We rely on innovation countries such as Brazil and Colom- functions and applications. company produce 2,000 units per day and, every six months or less, we put bia in 2012. The Executive President in Galicia. In 2011 alone, they sold products on the market that no one i20. BUSINESS i20. BUSINESS INNOVATION of the company explained that growth One step ahead of the competition INNOVATION 350,000 units of LCD and LED TVs in else has,” emphasized the Executive IN GALICIA. IN GALICIA. 2020 CASES OF SUCCESS continues to be 40%, “thanks to having When Blu:sens was initiated in 2001, 21 20 CASES OF SUCCESS the national market. President of the company. THE BUS OF THE FUTURE TAKES OFF IN SANTIAGO

Specialists of the automotive body company Castrosúa are dedicated to the fabrication of a collective vehicle intended to be used in cities, especially designed with the objective that people will use public means for their transportation around town. With this philosophy, the company created the ‘Tempus,’ the ﬁrst vehicle manufactured in Spain that produces zero carbon emissions during determined mo-

i20. BUSINESS i20. BUSINESS mentsINNOVATION as a function of the urban zones in INNOVATION IN GALICIA. IN GALICIA. Interior of the hybrid bus created by 20 CASES OF SUCCESS 20 CASES OF SUCCESS which it is located. Castrosúa. INNOVATION IS SYNONYMOUS WITH SURVIVAL. One who is not able to contribute added value to products will be condemned to su!er brutal competition from coun- “ tries with a cheaper cost of labour.” ANTONIO BARREIRO

THE COMPANY THAT HAS CONTRIBUTED THE He also cited another: user information, in new research projects largely based in CASTROSÚA most to the evolution of these buses at “necessary so that the user knows when solutions to improve today’s vehicles. “In the State level is Gali- the bus will arrive and the disposition of 30 years, few products have changed as cian: Castrosúa. It was WUDIÀFLQWKHWHUULWRU\2QO\DQHIÀFLHQW much as buses,” Barreiro stressed, re- founded in Santiago de bus will achieve the goal that public PHPEHULQJWKHÀUVWH[DPSOHVZLWKWKH Compostela (A Coruña) transportation will absorb part of the pri- motor in front, while observing the ‘Tem- more than 60 years ago vate,” he pointed out. pus.’ “This sector has evolved very rapi- by José Castro, who is dly.” Automotive body plans now present today the President of the Administrati- With knowledge providers new projects related to the security of ve Council. The company pioneered the Collaboration with universities and tech- vehicles in relation to people being run IDEULFDWLRQRIEXVHVZLWKDORZÁRRUDQG nological centres is a constant in the work over or to the protection of the driver in with a ramp for the boarding of persons of Castrosúa, a clear example of a com- head-on collisions. with reduced mobility as well as the in- pany with a long trajectory that conti- They know that an increase in busi- corporation of vehicles that use compres- nually succeed in revalidating its leader- ness volume will be the result of the sed or liquid gas. Now, 250 such vehicles ship in the market thanks to innovation development and sales of the hybrid are sold each year. ZKLFKLQWKLVFDVHLPSOLHVDVLJQLÀFDQW- bus to which they dedicate a large part The company have 500 employees and, ly high component of transfer of research of their innovation efforts. In spite of since its inception, have specialised in the results generated by external partners. the fact that this vehicle may cost up marketing of bodies for buses. Castrosúa This is the situation of the ‘Tempus’ that to 30% more than the conventional, participate in public competitions with was developed with contributions from the Castrosúa perspective is that said its own vehicles or buses that are the me- the Technological Automotive Centre of expense “will be amortised with the chanical base of brands such as Mercedes, Galicia (CTAG) and the Universities of savings on diesel fuel.” In the case of Scania, or Volvo. For the past two years, Vigo and Santiago de Compostela. ANTONIO BARREIRO ket in 2012. the 100% electric vehicle, an important the company has also directly marketed This is also the case of the project that R&D DIRECTOR OF This innovation effort that may become unknown regards the evolution of bat- hybrid buses with electrical traction that WKH&RXQFLORI(FRQRP\DQG,QGXVWU\À- CASTROSÚA. an interesting line of business will be teries which is a very new market in are sold in cities such as Barcelona, Ma- nancially support with 500,000 Euros for reinforced with the development of new Europe. The company now work with drid, or Tenerife. Total production is more development, again in collaboration with hybrid and electric vehicles, “possibly DQDIÀOLDWHLQ)LQODQGDQGDQRWKHULQ than 500 buses per year, with 50% of the CTAG, regarding a system of perimeter the buses of the future,” as they say in the U.S. that are testing different ty- market at the State level. vision which permits the detection of any the company. The advances carried out pes of batteries. The fear is that, on the The Director of the R&D Department, obstacle within the context of the bus. This by Castrosúa support the idea that the other hand, Asia may win this contest. Antonio Barreiro, explained the poten- V\VWHPZDVFUHDWHGVSHFLÀFDOO\LQRUGHUWR design, the vision of the driver, the er- The commitment of the business con- tials of the ‘Tempus’ hybrid bus which increase school transportation safety. gometrics of the driver´s posture, and glomerate Castrosúa is based on the the driver can operate only in an elec- The project that is now in the indus- the comfort of their buses “will be the assertion that innovation and the futu- tric mode in historic districts, hospital trialisation phase permits the driver most advanced of the European mar- re will permit the company to maintain contexts, or school centres with zero to have a 360 degree perspective of the ket,” Barreiro emphasized. Along with a leadership position. Company billing emissions. Once out of these spaces, exterior of the bus by means of an over- the Autonomous University of Madrid, volume surpassed 30 million Euros in the driver can again run the mechani- head image from the top of the vehicle the company are working on the de- 2010 and the expectations are based on cal motor. in order to detect if there are nearby velopment of a bus with 100% electric taking on niches in the international Barreiro believes that the future of the passengers or obstacles of any nature. SURSXOVLRQDSURMHFWFRÀQDQFHGE\WKH market, a sector that is highly protec- FRPSDQ\LQWKHÀHOGRILQQRYDWLRQVKRXOG In addition to tracking this information program, INNPACTO, a State initiative ted by local companies and into which dedicate itself to the challenge of deve- on a screen installed in the vehicle, the of 800,000 Euros of support for coopera- it will not be easy to enter, as well as loping electric vehicles that do not con- system itself emits signals each time tive projects between research entities the establishment of small maintenan- i20. BUSINESS i20. BUSINESS INNOVATION taminate with the objective of achieving that movement is detected. Applicable INNOVATION and companies. ce centres for these vehicles. This re- IN GALICIA. IN GALICIA. 24 20 CASES OF SUCCESS that cities have the cleanest air possible. to any type of bus, it will be on the mar- 25 20 CASES OF SUCCESS The R&D management is fully immersed mains to be seen. TURN OFF THE CÁNCER GENES IN ORDER TO TURN ON LIVES

It is not news that DNA contains all of the human information but the system proposed by the Galician company Cenbimo (The Centre of Molecular Biology) to detect, to stop, and to prevent cancer is new. i20. BUSINESS i20. BUSINESS INNOVATION INNOVATION IN GALICIA. IN GALICIA. One of the Cenbimo professionals 20 CASES OF SUCCESS 20 CASES OF SUCCESS analysing samples with a microscope. LIVING BEINGS FUNCTION WITH THE an American multinational biotechno- INNOVATION IS OF TRIPLE IMPORTANCE. FIRST, IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE same system that operate computers logical entity for marketing and distri- CENBIMO “individual because it stimulates a person’s knowledge and his or her continuous development. as both are organised in binary series buting the product to its international Second, it is important for science given that science produces knowledge. And third, it is impor- of 0 (turned off) and 1 (turned on). In clients. The prediction is that in less THE COMPANY tant for the economy due to the possibility that it will create industry and generate employment by TODAY HAVE this sense, the person responsible for than two years, ‘Histosonda’ will be in means of patents.” the Lugo entity, Doctor Jesús Alba the world market with the advantage of JESÚS ALBA 9 (Pathologist), explains that cancer su- not having competition in the sector, at ON-GOING pposes that “genes are turned on that least for the moment. XQWLO WR ÀQLVK WKH SURMHFW WKH INNOVATION should be turned off.” In order to turn Internationalisation is a challenge for opinion is that it will be in a position to PROJECTS, off those genes and, in that way, turn this Lugo group because “success is not present results one year earlier than ALONG WITH on lives, Doctor Alba and his team have GHÀQHGE\VHOOLQJRQO\LQ6SDLQ«DQG previously expected. Moreover, it was COLLABORATIONS been working since 1998 with 150 sam- we hope to reach all of the world,” Alba QHFHVVDU\WRUHO\RQWZRSULYDWHÀQDQ- WITH THE ples of cancer of the breast. One of the confessed. Not in vain, the products cing schemes, each one with a value of UNIVERSITY. results of their research has been the have sparked such interest that a va- 300,000 Euros in order to move their patenting of ‘Histosonda,’ an innovati- riety of multinational businesses have projects forward. YHV\VWHPWKDWIXOÀOVDWULSOHREMHFWLYH contacted them regarding the possibi- Regardless of having only nine workers detect nucleic acids in order to verify lity to act as marketing intermediaries. (a medical pathologist, two biochemists, the source of a malignant tumour, iden- Until now, Cenbimo conducted resear- four biologists, one warehouse worker, tify the genes that produce the cancer FKLQWKHPHGLFDOÀHOGEXWGRHVQRWGLV- and one administrator), this company (called “oncogenes”), and establish a card widening its intervention to all of ambitiously looks toward the future. relation between a cancer and a virus, the biological sciences, including the Doctor Alba determined the main cha- the causal agents of cancer in 25% of veterinary or botanical sciences, for llenges to be integrally understanding patients today which “will continue to example. In fact, the company collabo- the process of cancer and achieving the increase,” according to the pathologist. rates as needed with research groups of establishment of a correlation between The patent conceived in this City of the University of Santiago de Compos- the computer model and the genetic se- Walls offers several advantages such tela as well as with world authorities in quences. Being realistic, he explained as avoiding the secondary effects of the clinical branch of medicine. that “we are not going to eliminate can- the most aggressive treatments, a re- cer in one day” but initiatives such as duction in the price of the process, and Ample investment e!ort his contribute to the possibility to see greater speed in the detection of the pa- In order to develop their work, this li- the end of an illness that increasingly thology. The root of ‘Histosonda’ means mited society in Lugo had initial social spreads more and more than initially ´H[SORUDWLRQRIWKHKLVWRORJ\µ DÀHOGRI capital of 1.5 million Euros. To that foreseen. anatomy concerning the study of orga- sum must be added the contributions JESÚS ALBA The company have achieved the ISO- nic tissues) with 28 variants now cata- made by the Regional Ministry of Eco- DIRECTOR OF 9001 and ISO-13845 international cer- logued in order to detect each gene. But nomy and Industry such as a subsidy CENBIMO. WLÀFDWLRQVRITXDOLW\DQGDWWKLVWLPH the company are working with more of 162,000 Euros from the Galician it has nine active projects along with than one hundred probes for which Institute of Economic Promotion (IGA- collaborations with the University and they predict that the range of possibili- 3( WKDWZDVXVHGWRÀQDQFHRID “many other pending.” For those rea- ties is growing. sequencer (a reader of the genetic se- VRQVWKHDIÀUPDWLRQRIWKHSDWKRORJLVW Cenbimo was founded in August of quence extracted from a human) or is no surprise when, with research of 2004, six years after the initiation of the other assistance amounting to 120,000 this calibre being carried out in this research and with the objective of “ma- Euros for an R&D project to study the small city, he emphasised that “there i20. BUSINESS i20. BUSINESS INNOVATION king molecular biology visible.” Today, genes implicated in metastasis. In spi- INNOVATION is DNA in Lugo just as in all parts of IN GALICIA. IN GALICIA. 28 20 CASES OF SUCCESS the company maintain contacts with te of the fact that the company have 29 20 CASES OF SUCCESS the world.” IMPROVE BUSINESS COMUNICATION WITH ONLY ONE CLICK

Conexiona Telecom was created ﬁve years ago in the Technological Park of Galicia (Tecnópole) in Ourense. Since then, the company wagered for voice communication based on the Internet Protocol telephone, a technology that permits the transfer of voice and data integrated on the same network. After two years of work, the portfolio of clients had been developed but the voracity of competitors obliged the three Galician partners to look

i20. BUSINESS i20. BUSINESS forINNOVATION solutions that would guarantee the INNOVATION IN GALICIA. IN GALICIA. Conexiona servers fully function in a 20 CASES OF SUCCESS 20 CASES OF SUCCESS future of the company. continuous manner. INNOVATION IS AS ESSENTIAL AS AN E-MAIL. IT FORMS A PART OF THE essence of the company, of its DNA. If it is possible to innovate in the world of tissue paper that has existed for decades, then it is also possible to improve the system of sales or the presentation of any product. In the case that we would not have done so, it is possible that “ we would have closed.” JOSÉ ANTONIO LOSAS

SUPPORT BY THE REGIONAL MIMISTRY OF vention of a specialised technician. The Economy and Industry via the Net- SURMHFW ZDV FRÀQDQFHG ZLWK CONEXIONA work of Innovation Managers of Ga- Euros contributed by the Regional Go- TELECOM licia (XIGA) was fundamental in the vernment of Galicia, with a total cost of THE FORESEEN path to success as recognised by the 134,000 Euros. INVESTMENT IN Manager of Conexiona Telecom, José ‘Exiacore’ also permits integrating voice R&D&I FOR 2012 IS Antonio Losas. The incorporation of a communication into any other conven- Manager of Innovation into the team of WLRQDOWHOHSKRQHV\VWHPÀ[HGRUPREL- 25% ten workers facilitated the elaboration le, as it is the software itself installed ABOVE THE TOTAL of an R&D&I plan and a commitment in the product that decides the channel BILLING VOLUME. to the necessity to “improve the proces- to be used in order to take advantage of ses and to create new products.” WKHEHVWIHHVÀ[HGWHOHSKRQHPRELOH The company just put a product on the or voice connection computer programs market that is called “a complete revo- as a function of the type of communica- lution” applied to IP telephone environ- tion that one wants to establish, such ANTONIO LOSAS sectors completely apart from theirs. answer more quickly and we work ments. It is the ‘Exiacore´ program, a as national or international calls. MANAGER OF That was the case in a project led by the on very different projects.” Until two solution that permits ‘Asterisk’ telepho- The innovation introduced by ‘Exiacore’ CONEXIONA Meat Technology Centre (CTC) in whi- years ago, the company focused on ne centres management –based on free does not only concern the product itself TELECOM (SECOND ch they were able to function as techno- product marketing but now the plan software and without a license fee– in but also the complete marketing pro- FROM THE RIGHT) logy providers and in which the Tech- of R&D&I management has opened a manner that is integrated with all of gram. Losas explained that they have WITH PART OF HIS nological Centre of the Sea (CETMAR) up new possibilities in a way that the the data bases and management sys- decided that the client pays for the servi- TEAM. and the Marine and Food Technological market offer will substantially increa- tems of the company and without the ce as a function of the use of it, “without Centre (AZTI-Tecnalia) also participa- se during the next year. need for technological knowledge. the necessity to make a large initial in- ted. Along the way, the company have “The idea is to grow and to act as a large This product designed by Conexiona YHVWPHQWµ &RQH[LRQD 7HOHFRP DIÀUP been able to achieve the ISO 9001 certi- business although we are small,” the Ma- Telecom that improves the communi- that they have wanted to be especially ÀFDWLRQRITXDOLW\DQGWKHIRULQ- nager stated. In March 2012, they will be cations systems of any business offers VHQVLWLYH LQ WKLV GLIÀFXOW PRPHQW WKDW formation security, other ways to fortify in a position to present a new product numerous advantages. Among them the sector is experiencing with respect the value of its innovation. co-created with a State-level Galician is the freedom provided to the user as to what they manage, fundamentally company that will contribute the tech- it permits that person to decide which external installers and programmers. Budding projects nological aspect as well as its fabrication tools to incorporate to the interface of Its creators claim that the numerous The new vision of the market centred in exchange for know how. An expansion the communications centre and whe- advantages of ‘Exiacore’ include the in innovation permitted Conexiona Te- plan will require the incorporation of re to put them. In order to achieve the attractive feature that it is the user lecom to initiate a round of collabora- more personnel and they expect the staff level of development that the project who manages the program from any tions with businesses larger than tho- to increase during 2012. The part of the requires, the company took advanta- point and platform by the simple se planned such as new technological budget dedicated to R&D&I will also ex- ge of collaboration with the Computer means of access to a Web page. Com- solution projects for hospitals, among SHULHQFHDVLJQLÀFDQWHYROXWLRQPRYLQJ Department of the University of Vigo pany technicians continue product de- others. “Incorporating the Innovation from 7% of the billing in 2010 to 500,000 (Ourense Campus) that is responsible velopment. To that end, they are now Manager was the key to the company Euros or 25% in 2012. for product intelligence. ZRUNLQJRQDVSHFLÀFDSSOLFDWLRQWREH moving forward,” explained Losas in Future plans also contemplate a com- In addition, the programming of the used with Apple and Android techno- reference to the decisive role that this mercial mission to Brazil in the next telephone central that until now had logies as a way to continue to achieve Manager is playing in the establish- months as an opportunity to align with to be managed by an expert, is substi- universality. ment of these alliances. local partners that will distribute the tuted by an interface network which The need for differentiation led the Co- The company have assumed that cha- product. This supposes a new step: the i20. BUSINESS i20. BUSINESS INNOVATION any individual can control in a very in- nexiona team to establish alliances with INNOVATION llenge involves “changing the idea entry of the company into the interna- IN GALICIA. IN GALICIA. 32 20 CASES OF SUCCESS tuitive manner and without the inter- other entities that, in some cases, are 33 20 CASES OF SUCCESS that we have of working: now we tional market. BIOMEDICAL TECHNOLOGY TO SAVE HEARTS

“Protect the patient from the doctor,” is the philosophy that reigns over many of the projects designed by Manuel Parente, President and one of the founding partners of Conic Vascular, a biomedical technology business initiative that develops and produces radiology and cardiology products from

i20. BUSINESS i20. BUSINESS its INNOVATIONBertamiráns head-quarters (A Coruña). INNOVATION IN GALICIA. IN GALICIA. The conic balloon developed by Conic 20 CASES OF SUCCESS 20 CASES OF SUCCESS Vascular and exported to 57 countries. IF THERE IS NO INNOVATION, THERE IS NO FUTURE. SUCCESS is defined as being able to di!erentiate oneself, in being special in the field in which we develop our products. The problem of companies is that when they earn a profit, they do not reinvest that money and for that reason, they are left “ behind.” MANUEL PARENTE

THE COMPANY FOUND FINANCIAL SUPPORT ducts to the manufacture of a paediatric company’s resources. He has achieved in Switzerland where it markets its pro- sten –a small metal tube that expands the situation that his conic balloon has a CONIC ducts. Its star in the market is the conic within the artery in order to prevent clo- rejection percentage of 1% in Spain, 5% VASCULAR balloon, a minuscule catheter of barely sure– for newborn babies with arterial in Switzerland, and 11% in Germany; TODAY, THE CONIC three millimetres in diameter for the deformations. Until now, this pathology numbers that are unthinkable for many BALLOON IS vascular system which permits coronary required open heart surgery and the in- of his competitors. DISTRIBUTED dilation without the need for open heart sertion of an implant that would have to The personnel of the Bertamirans head- FROM by-pass surgery. The catheter is introdu- be replaced as the person grew. This so- quarters have learned all of the assembly SWITZERLAND TO ced into the coronary system through the lution that Conic Vascular is developing process for the conic balloon. In this way, patient’s wrist or groin. will grow as does the patient; in this “everyone is capable of doing it.” Once the 57 This conic balloon designed by Conic way, the child will only have to undergo pieces reach their destinations all around COUNTRIES SUCH Vascular adjusts to the physiognomy of one intervention. “We have the guaran- the world, the mounting, assembly, and AS ITALY, GREECE, the artery which is a logical adaptation tee that this product will not break for design carry the Galician stamp. The BRAZIL, EGYPT, that few had considered. In two years 10 years but we want to reach 20 years. assembly of each one of the balloons can AND IRAN. RI ZRUN WKH\ KDYH LPSURYHG WKH ÀUVW At that time, the product will then be be accomplished in 17 minutes. In spite prototype developed in Zurich in 1994 marketed,” Parente explained. of the fact that more than 70 companies with the introduction of materials such The Conic Vascular team are also thin- DUHGHGLFDWHGWRÀQGLQJVROXWLRQVIRUDU- as nylon and with the capacity to adapt NLQJ DERXW D VSHFLÀF VROXWLRQ ZLWK UH- MANUEL PARENTE, multinational, Schneider World Wide teries, Conic Vascular is part of a group exactly to the artery. Today, the product lation to the hearts of diabetics. “Their PRESIDENT AND (with its headquarters in Switzerland/ of eight small and medium-sized compa- is distributed from Sweden to 57 coun- arterial systems have a higher tempe- ONE OF THE USA), in Bolton Medical, Inc. of New nies that have captured 20% of the world WULHVEHFRPLQJÀUVWLQ6SDLQIRULWVTXD- rature and they cannot be treated in the FOUNDING Jersey and Miami, and in Boston Scien- market. Parente’s company is among the lity and price with respect to its compe- same way as other patients,” Parente PARTNERS OF WLÀF,UHODQG86$WKUHHZRUOGUHIHUHQFH ÀUVWÀYHRIWKHVPDOOFRPSDQLHVLQWKH titors. The rest of the market includes added. The company objective is to deve- CONIC VASCULAR. centres in the production of cardiovascu- ranking of international sales. countries such as Italy, Greece, Brazil, lop a balloon full of a cold contrast liquid lar technology and cardiac surgery, has “Without innovation, we could survive Egypt, or Iran. A few months ago, they in order to eliminate the muscular cells opened the doors to numerous interna- for two years,” Parente recognised. Cons- began conversations with Uruguay con- that have increased in weight as the cho- tional projects. Moreover, thanks to EU cious that survival implies research, he cerning conic balloon distribution in La- lesterol has accumulated in them. support, they collaborate with the Uni- has paid special attention to the handle tin America. versities of Barcelona and Valladolid on of the conic balloon, thinking about the The two products of Conic Vascular have Application during a stroke a project with an Italian company. number of female cardiologists as well been patented at the international level $GYDQFHVLQWKHÀHOGRIPHGLFDOLQVWUX- The Galician Institute for Economic as the Chinese market. “Women can although the company’s innovation does mentation have led the company to ally Promotion (IGAPE) and the Ministry of only be treated by female cardiologists not end there. “We would not be able to itself with a Miami company to which ,QGXVWU\KDYHJUDQWHGÀQDQFLQJRI and they have smaller hands; we adapt survive eternally with two patents,” the they loan the conic balloon in order to million Euros for a laboratory in Cedeira to the physician,” he commented. President recognised while he enumera- look for solutions in cases of cerebral (A Coruña) where the company will con- This Industrial Engineer with a ted pending projects. Some 80% are still strokes. In the interior, the balloon will tinue to perfect its products and develop Master’s degree in plastics has known part of the challenges established by the KDYHDQRSWLFDOÀEUHWKDWHPLWVDOLJKW the raw materials that are now being how to incorporate the knowledge that company at its initiation in 2008. which dispenses nitrous oxide at the acquired outside of Spain. Fourteen job he has acquired throughout his life and In collaboration with the capital risk same time; this is able to eliminate the positions, all of them for women, will be to transform it into unique products entity XesGalicia, this company based thrombosis. Manuel Parente goes fur- incorporated into the new company, an with a very important sales potential in Galicia now has eight new patents ther and thinks about “taking advanta- extension of Conic Vascular. at the international level. In 2010, the DQG ´ÀYH RI WKHP DUH UHYROXWLRQDU\µ ge of the experience in order to see if it is “We all produce, develop, and innova- company’s billing surpassed 2 million according to Manuel Parente. The pro- possible to apply in the heart as well.” te at the same time.” Parente is clear Euros, the quantity that the company i20. BUSINESS i20. BUSINESS INNOVATION jects range from the design of a cathe- Parente is a good example of an inno- INNOVATION about the importance of research to intends to dedicate to innovation in the IN GALICIA. IN GALICIA. 36 20 CASES OF SUCCESS ter that will avoid the drying of the tear vative businessperson. His work in the 37 20 CASES OF SUCCESS which he hopes to dedicate 80% of the next two business cycles. FURNITURE THAT THINK FOR US

Cosman Muebles knows perfectly well what it means to reinvent oneself in order to move forward. Although this family business was a!ected by the sector crisis, it survived after betting on innovation and new technologies, and the incorporation of its projects made possible by an alliance with two Ga- lician technological centres that provide the necessary knowledge by means of the transfer of technology made in Galicia. In this way, they were able to i20. BUSINESS i20. BUSINESS INNOVATION INNOVATION endow their products with high added value. An INoperator GALICIA. of Cosman Muebles IN GALICIA. 20 CASES OF SUCCESS 20 CASES OF SUCCESS ﬁnishing a piece TODAY, I DO NOT SEE ANY OTHER WAY OUT THAN betting on innovation. The competition is global in any sector and we will have to ﬁght against all of it. Either “ one bets on the innovation and personalisation of what one does, or fails.” FRANCISCO PÉREZ THE HOUSE OF THE FUTURE THAT WILL OFFER product in order to provide better ser- more comfort, more savings of energy, vice at the time of delivery. These three COSMAN costs, and time, and new forms of en- centres occupy a space of 14,000m2 and MUEBLES tertainment, pleasure, and services is are staffed by 22 workers. closer to becoming a reality, thanks to Cosman Muebles. Obliged to change course The company, located in Coles Until 2008, the company had been able (Ourense), designs a digital to position itself in the sector of classic home that is a space which furniture in which it is the leader at the offers its inhabitants functio- national level thanks, fundamentally, ns and services that facilitate to the sale of bedroom and salon furni- management and maintenan- ture. The poor sales results of that year ce by means of the technologi- caused the two brothers who manage cal integration of equipment the company to think about new ways of and services. doing business that would permit them FRANCISCO PÉREZ gent storage furniture, the multimedia national market as an outlet for the new The technological furniture developed to compensate the losses which Cosman SALES DIRECTOR OF EHGURRPDQGWKHWHFKQRORJLFDORIÀFH products that are designed for a public by the company is supported by know Muebles had incurred. COSMAN MUEBLES. The storage furniture using shelves in- with high-to-average purchasing power how contributed by the Technological A course in Project Management pre- corporates a digital system that permits which values the capacities of intelli- Centre of Telecommunications of Gali- sented new business prospects for Fran- the deposit and registration of each one gent furniture such as institutions and cia (Gradiant) and the Timber Innova- cisco Pérez and permitted the company of the pieces of any nature whether bo- administrations dedicated to design and tion and Services Centre (CIS Madeira). with a deep family tradition to incorpo- oks, CDs, magazines, or catalogues. The the new capacities of furniture. The technology is incorporated into the rate innovation in order to survive the bedroom incorporates an unfolding te- In order to attract new clients, they have pieces, integrating wide band networks crisis and conquer new markets. The levision system especially designed for created an alliance with the company in order to converge the communica- strong competition in the low-cost furni- people with reduced mobility that is a Alumega (Lalín, Pontevedra) with which tions, the computer systems, and en- ture sector obligated them to add a new wager for pleasure and the commodities they work on the production of shelving tertainment. Theirs is an offer that is business line based in “offering differen- of control and direction from the bed it- for industrial use and bathroom mirrors “more complete than any other in exis- tiated and personalised products at the self. The last product consists of a sys- of aluminium and glass from which elec- tence and, as a result, there are no com- levels of design and technology.” WHP RI RIÀFH GHVNV WKDW LQWHJUDWH HOHF- tronic mail, videos, or meteorological in- petitors,” explained the Sales Director Contacts with CIS Madeira were key trical potential, network and telephone formation can be accessed. of the company, Francisco Pérez. and they met with Gradiant and began access with the elimination of the major They hope that in 2012, 50% of the pro- Cosman Fábrica de Muebles S.L. has to dream. “We were clear about the fact part of the cabling, and greater connec- duction will come from the sales of con- been in operation since July 1975, a that the challenge was centred in diffe- tivity among the components. The new ventional furniture from public bids or WLPHZKHQDÁRXULVKLQJDUWLVDQDFWLYL- rentiating ourselves from the rest and wooden products line being developed private work. The other 50% will corres- ty related to furniture was developing we began to see possibilities,” explai- will permit them, according to the Sa- pond to intelligent furniture. With that, in Galicia. Since then, the company has ned Francisco Pérez. les Director, to achieve a billing volume they foresee an expansion plan that in- known how to develop knowledge that After various conversations with the equal to that of 2008, “when things be- volves the creation of a new plant and is capable of understanding and giving new partners, the company decided to gan to decline.” Until March 2012, they the incorporation of 20 positions for spe- form to the wood. There are three diffe- bet on the creation of intelligent furnitu- did not begin to sell intelligent furniture cialised work. Thinking about the future, rentiated work centres: one for drying, re and presented a project to the Centre but they knew that it would be a revolu- the company contemplates the presen- cutting, and mechanising the wood as for Industrial Technological Develop- tion in the market because no one was tation of a second part of the project ca- well as the boards; another that is dedi- ment (CDTI) with a total cost of 1.2 mi- manufacturing innovative products like lled ‘Digital Home’ along with four other FDWHGWRWKHPDQLSXODWLRQDQGÀQLVKLQJ llion Euros. The State entity assumed those of Cosman Muebles. partners with a contribution of 5 million i20. BUSINESS i20. BUSINESS INNOVATION of the piece of furniture; and a third that RIWKHÀQDQFLQJWRGHYHORSWKUHHGL- INNOVATION The two brothers that manage the com- Euros that they will initiate at the begin- IN GALICIA. IN GALICIA. 4020 CASES OF SUCCESS LV GHGLFDWHG WR VWRUDJH RI WKH ÀQLVKHG fferentiated innovative products: intelli- 41 20 CASES OF SUCCESS pany have their vision set on the inter- ning of 2012. A DIFFERENT WAY OF SHOPPING

Aside from chestnuts, in the past three years the Grupo Cuevas have become known for having designed supermarkets in which the objective is to make shopping an enjoyable experience. This Ourense company moved from product innovation to distribution innovation as a di!erent way to reach their clients. In this manner, the new generation supermarket was born in 2008 called the ‘Aquié’ with establishments in Ourense and O Porriño (Pontevedra).

i20. BUSINESS i20. BUSINESS TheINNOVATION interior of one of the Aquié INNOVATION IN GALICIA. IN GALICIA. supermarkets.20 CASES OF SUCCESS 20 CASES OF SUCCESS INNOVATION IS A HIGHWAY TO BE TAKEN IN ORDER TO achieve the objective of reaching the client. For that reason, it is fundamental that this highway is as fast as possible in order to arrive at the destination earlier. For us, innovation is a formula of work that searches for targets in the market and gives “ maximum value to the products.” ARTUR YUSTE

GRUPO CUEVAS BECAME KNOWN FOR SELLING tion ‘Aquié’ supermarket with establish- menu is different every day and is elabo- ‘Plenus’ stores located in all four Gali- chestnuts, providing them (fresh or fro- ments in Ourense and O Porriño (Ponte- rated by a team of nutritional experts that cian provinces with some 20 supermar- CUEVAS zen) to Galician immigrants in Belgium, vedra). Initiated in 2008, this line is trying collaborate with the University of Vigo kets distributed throughout urban and Germany, France, Mexico, and Argen- to “reduce the boredom of the consumer concerning the ‘Cátedra Cuevas’ brand. rural areas. This franchise is “complete- tina who feel nostalgia for one when shopping” with a strategy that tur- In order to enjoy these foods, clients have ly Galician and is capable of competing of the star products of the land ns on four axes: economic prices, good use three options: print the menu which in- in terms of quality and price with the where they were born. The Ge- RIWLPHKHDOWKDQGÁDYRXU´7KDWLVZH cludes all of the nutritional information large distribution groups” whose mar- neral Director of the company, stop making the shopping and we begin and prepare it with what they have at keting strategy is centred on the reduc- Artur Yuste, described that to go shopping,” the General Director of home; take home the raw ingredients al- tion of costs so that each franchiser can “one of our greatest successes Grupo Cuevas summarised. ready measured in portions to be cooked openly compete. Yuste explained that was a result of applying in- The design of ‘Aquié’ supermarkets later; or buy the dishes already prepared “the manager only has to sell because novation,” from which emer- was specially contemplated to facilitate and ready to be consumed. This initiative the rest (marketing, promotions, supply, ged the creation of a Spanish shopping by making it faster and more is framed within the policy of Business PHUFKDQGLVLQJ« LV WDNHQ FDUH RI E\ brown glaze in 1980 that has comfortable, based on the distribution Social Responsibility (RSE) of the group Grupo Cuevas.” an appearance and similarity to that of of their products. In this way, products in favour of the diffusion of the Galician the French which was the only country WKDWWKHFOLHQWÀQGVMXVWXSRQHQWHULQJ Atlantic diet on which the recipes that 84 million Euros of business in 2010 that, up to that time, knew this formu- are those for daily consumption, as is are selected daily are based. In 2010, Grupo Cuevas obtained 84 mi- la for conserving chestnuts. This pro- the case with fresh foods (fruit, vegeta- 7KHVXFFHVVRIWKH¶$TXLp·ZDVUDWLÀHGLQ llion Euros from its business, an increase duct of Ourense contains more sugar EOHVPHDWVÀVK DQGDVWKH\FRQWLQXH 2009 as it was the only Spanish project to of 6% over that of 2009. Looking toward which makes it sweeter and “is more WKURXJKWKHVWRUHFOLHQWVÀQGSURGXFWV receive a prize at the World Retail Awards 2011, their objective is focused on reaching satisfying,” according to the General that go beyond daily shopping and tend in the category of Innovation and, that 94 million Euros. Of this total, close to 2% Director, at the same time that it gives to be items that are bought once a week year, the company became one of the six is destined for innovation, an investment ´PRUHÁDYRXUWRWKHFKHVWQXWµ,WFDQEH or once a month, such as cleaning and most innovative companies of the world that accompanies the numerous types of eaten in desserts but also on toast with hygiene products. This concept is impro- LQ WKH ÀHOG RI GLVWULEXWLRQ ,Q DGGLWLRQ assistance received from organisms that foie or had with turkey or with wild fowl, ved with the initiatives of a single line the optimal functioning of this brand was depend on the Regional Government of among other combinations. with multiple registers in order to save also recognised by the annual growth of Galicia such as the Energy Institute of Today, 80% of the brown glaze consu- time as well as to provide an anti-stress ARTUR YUSTE the volume of business of 22.6% in the Galicia (Inega) and the Galician Institute med in Spain carries the seal of Grupo environment, avoiding aggressive offers GENERAL MANAGER last business cycle, “very much above the for Economic Promotion (IGAPE), or the Cuevas whether in its traditional pre- or strident music. To all of that, we must OF GRUPO CUEVAS. average for the sector,” they revealed. Galician Plan for Research, Innovation, sentation (each unit individually wrap- add that average prices are the same In light of the good results of the ‘Aquié’ and Growth (I2C) of the Regional Minis- ped and vacuum packed) or in alterna- or less than those of the competition, supermarkets, the Cuevas Group has try of Economy and Industry. tive formulas such as soaked in brandy, especially in the fresh foods sector. Mo- taken another step with the ‘Plenus’ su- The General Director of this company confectioned with ginger, the wine of reover, there is a clear dedication to the permarkets and the signs of identity are with more than 400 employees with very Jerez, or covered with dark chocolate. environment such as offering a discount the promotion of fresh products (fruit, GLYHUVH SURIHVVLRQDO SURÀOHV EHOLHYHV After the brown glaze, the Chef Cuevas of 3 cents of one Euro to the shopper for PHDWV DQG ÀVK WKH LQFUHDVHG SURIHV- that “the objective is not always to make products arrived with which this com- every plastic bag that he or she does not sionalism of their employees (to whom money but to adapt to the market and si- pany of Ourense began a new line of pro- use, among other proposals. they offer initial as well as continual tuate oneself well within it.” Yuste stated cessed chestnuts that permit its marke- The QFH (Qué Facemos Hoxe which training), a more competitive sales poli- that “we are radically obligated to inno- ting in sugar syrup, purées, creams, and means What do we eat today?) section cy, and a “fun and young” presentation vate because the economic situation is garnishes with the objective of increasing is one of the characteristic elements of of the installations and products that, in YHU\EDGEXWLWLVQRWGHÀQLWLYH:HKDYH consumption options. ‘Aquié’ supermarkets. It offers a menu the words of Yuste, result in a store that to get out of it and in order to do that, we Nowadays, aside from chestnuts, the WKDW LV ´QXWULWLRQDOO\ EDODQFHG ÁDYRXU- is “less supermarket and less inhibited.” cannot remain still.” For Grupo Cuevas, i20. BUSINESS i20. BUSINESS INNOVATION brand stands out for having innovated IXODQGQDWXUDOµFRPSRVHGRIDÀUVWGLVK INNOVATION The objective is to end 2011 with eight innovation permits the company to “take IN GALICIA. IN GALICIA. 4420 CASES OF SUCCESS their distribution with the new genera- a second dish, dessert, and a drink. The 45 20 CASES OF SUCCESS centres open and, before 2013, to have WKHFKHVWQXWVRXWRIWKHÀUHµ A proﬁle of the plates of slate stacked in the Grupo Cupa warehouses. SLATE THAT FEEDS ON THE SUN

In 2009, Cupa sold one of every four pieces of slate in the international market. At the time when the company was head- quartered in Sobradelo de Valdeorras (Ourense) and was the leader in the slate market both in volume of production as well as in sales, its managers decided to move ahead of the explosion of the crisis by diversifying its areas of business with i20. BUSINESS i20. BUSINESS INNOVATION INNOVATION the objective of di!erentiating itself from IN GALICIA. IN GALICIA. 20 CASES OF SUCCESS 20 CASES OF SUCCESS the competition. WE CANNOT MAKE SLIPPERS OUT OF GRANITE if no one is going to buy them. Innovation has allowed us to clearly di!erentiate ourselves from the competition and it has put us in a position to increase our business competiti- “ veness. Now we are on all continents.” CARLOS LOUREIRO

THE CHALLENGE THAT THEY PROPOSED WAS ureiro, ‘Thermoslate’ needs no mainte- the other hand, it is conducting higher to promote sustainable construction solu- nance nor additional accessories in order quality promotions in São Paulo based CUPA tions as well as quality in insulation and to dissipate excess heat, thanks to the on buildings made of natural stone. The R&D&I the generation of energy. To achieve the- properties of natural slate. company have 20 persons working in INVESTMENT IS se goals, they established various lines of Another of the innovative construction Brazil in order to cover the part of the innovative activity. solutions that has allowed the company business that they are developing. 8% 2QH OLQH RI LQQRYDWLRQ OHG WR WKH ÀUVW to be positioned as a leader in its market Lastly, there is the division of renewa- ABOVE THE TOTAL thermal solar panel made of natural sector is the ‘Thermochip,’ a sandwiched ble energies on which the Grupo Cupa BILLING VOLUME slate that has received various awards panel of insulation for roofs that incorpo- have decided to bet. In Galicia, they have AND THE and recognition such as the award for rates a nucleus of extracted polystyrene achieved 120 megawatts from a wind EXPECTATION IS the best construction material in the IV ZLWK D GHFRUDWLYH LQWHULRU ÀQLVK $FFRU- energy competition offered by the Re- THAT THE RATIO edition of the NAN Prizes and for the ding to Loureiro, among its advantages gional Government of Galicia, to which WILL INCREASE IN best product in the International Fair of is the elevated level of thermal insulation must be added the plan for the expan- THE NEXT CYCLES. Sustainable Construction SAIE2010 in ZKLFKLQFUHDVHVWKHHQHUJ\HIÀFLHQF\RI sion of renewable energies in Brazil whe- Bologna (Italy). They were also selected the building in which it is installed. re they have invested not only in wind in the Gallery of Innovation of the In- Grupo Cupa was formed in 1968 as a power but also in hydraulic energy. “We ternational Fair of Energy Genera2011 family business that collaborated with want to position ourselves as a reference (Madrid) and obtained the Diploma of ÀYH*DOLFLDQVODWHPLQHVIURPZKLFKWKH group in natural materials and energy Selection for the best product at the In- community slate was extracted. The Di- HIÀFLHQF\µ/RXUHLURH[SODLQHG ternational Fair of Construction Cons- rector of the Cupa Solutions division ex- About 80% of today’s business volume of trumat2011 (Barcelona). Recently, it plained that Galician slate “is the best Grupo Cupa comes from exports, especia- was nominated for the best product at on the market” with an advantage that lly the sale of slate. The company billed the International Fair of Construction is attributed to its defoliation properties CARLOS LOUREIRO strategy of the group is set on interna- 290 million Euros in 2010, an amount Batimat2011 (Paris). and to its capacity to be transformed DIRECTOR OF CUPA tionalisation. Apart from the slate di- that they hope to maintain in this busi- ‘Thermoslate’ is the name of this type into different formats. SOLUCIONES. vision with presence in more than 20 ness cycle. Since Cupa Innovación was of panel developed by Cupa Soluciones, Along its trajectory, the company has FRXQWULHVRQÀYHFRQWLQHQWV&XSDKDYH founded with ten engineers, they have the business division that is focused on GLYHUVLÀHG SURGXFWLRQ ZLWK LWV LQFRUSR- various additional lines of business tried to apply innovation to all of the pro- the design of high performance products ration into other sectors such as natural with important international presence. ducts that they sell, independent of the based on the material that they know stone or granite, although the slate roofs That of natural slate has three of its area of business to which they pertain. best: slate. According to its creators, are what have allowed them to be known own granite factories and an agreement This activity has led them to establish ‘Thermoslate’ is “the only panel that in- in the markets of France, Germany, Bel- with other businesses associated with collaborations with technological cen- tegrates perfectly into the roof while res- gium, and the United Kingdom, coun- extraction in countries such as Brazil, tres and universities such as that of Vigo pecting the aesthetic of the house at the tries to which they have exported their India, China, and France. Another line ZKLFKFRQGXFWWHVWVZLWKÀUHRUDFRXVWLFV same time that it takes direct advanta- product since the 1970s. Loureiro empha- has to do with housing construction, an applied to the products that they sell. ge of the energy of the Sun in order to sised the “innovative character and the activity centred in Brazil where they Cupa Innovación head-quartered in Vigo heat water for domestic use.” international vocation” of the company have the support of a very well-known (Pontevedra) develop between 8 and 10 The Director of Cupa Soluciones, Carlos since its beginnings, a compromise that local partner: the ex-soccer player of projects per year concerning both pro- Loureiro, explained that this panel con- has been consolidated with the opening the Deportivo team of A Coruña Mauro ducts as well as process improvement. tributes more than two-thirds of the ener- of Cupa Innovación in 2004, the division Silva. In that South American country, Today the company have more than gy needed to produce sanitary hot water that integrates the R&D&I projects that the company is developing two lines of 2,000 workers around the world. The in addition to functioning as support for the company develops. differentiated activity. On one hand, it percentage of the budget dedicated to in- home heating. It can also be used to heat is building houses for people with limi- novation is greater than 8% of total sales i20. BUSINESS i20. BUSINESS INNOVATION the water in swimming pools and it has The other focus: internationalisation INNOVATION ted resources by virtue of an agreement and the company hope that this ratio will IN GALICIA. IN GALICIA. 48 20 CASES OF SUCCESS been installed in spas. According to Lo- In addition to innovation, the growth 49 20 CASES OF SUCCESS with the Brazilian Government. On continue to increase. INTELLIGENT TRASH COLLECTION

Formato Verde located in Ourense has been designing, developing, manufacturing, and installing urban solid waste residue containers for ten years of both the surface and underground types. Always with the premise of combining design and quality, the company try to solve the aesthetic impact problem that these receptacles cause on public streets. In that context they presented a side-loading surface container at the end of 2011 that incorporates a solution that is in the process of being patented, and which is compatible with the trucks and Virtual representation of the i20. BUSINESS i20. BUSINESS INNOVATIONside-loading container developed INNOVATION collection systems that exist today. IN GALICIA. IN GALICIA. 20by CAS FormatoES OF SUCCESS Verde. 20 CASES OF SUCCESS INNOVATION IS BECOMING EVEN MORE IMPORTANT AND THE challenge is even greater in times of crisis. Before, in the epoch of economic bonanza, everything was worth it, but now costs must be cut and this can only be accomplished with innovation. Before, we looked for the beautiful and the “ functional. Now, with innovation, we are going after savings.” MARCOS RODRÍGUEZ

THIS PROJECT TO WHICH THE REGIONAL receptacle by means of a network with Ministry of Economy and Industry con- objectives as diverse as knowing the level FORMATO tributed 150,000 Euros presents two of accumulated residue, the attachment VERDE fundamental differences with respect of alarms, or even tele-maintenance whi- to other competitors. FKVLPSOLÀHVWKHZRUNDWWKHVDPHWLPH First, its design inclu- that it permits an immediate reaction in des a smaller front lid the case of an emergency. and a longer useful life The company was contracted by Abu thanks to its greater Dhabi to provide these containers to the ÁH[LELOLW\ ZKLFK DOVR city of the United Arab Emirates, an guarantees a lower per- activity for which it received an income centage of breakage. of more than 25 million Euros via its in- Second, the container WHUQDWLRQDODIÀOLDWH7KHDSSURSULDWLRQ is better in terms of aes- included the installation of 262 contai- thetics, hygiene, and ners in a population generating a large a greater resistance to amount of waste (2.2 kilos of waste daily changes in temperature per inhabitant which is double that of MARCOS RODRÍGUEZ Without a doubt, the rapid take-off of ding to the Sales Director of Formato which result in greater the European average). With the system Y SANTIAGO WKHÀUPKDGDORWWRGRZLWKLWVVSHFLÀF Verde, investment in this area was de- durability of the pro- created by these Ourense businessmen, VALLEJO, MARCOS department of innovation, made up of ÀQLWLYHEHFDXVHWKHFRPSDQ\ZHQWIURP duct. To achieve these the waste is compacted to permit the re- RODRÍGUEZ AND an industrial designer and with collabo- 2 to 12 employees with a high degree of advantages, the Sales duction in frequency of recollection (de- SANTIAGO VALLEJO. rations with an auxiliary company. The specialisation and they have professio- Director, Marcos Rodrí- creasing from three collections daily to Sales Director recognised that the per- QDOSURÀOHVWKDWUDQJHIURPHQJLQHHUV guez, emphasised that an average of one collection every 6 days sonnel dedicated to R&D&I perform a or salespersons to graphic designers or the subsidy provided by in Winter). At the same time, there is an key task not only in the lines of business industrial designers. The positive ex- the Galician adminis- increase in capacity, integration into the on which they are wagering but also in SHULHQFHRIWKHFRPSDQ\LQWKHÀHOGRI tration was “fundamen- city, and hygiene. the indices of growth that the company innovation is leading it to incorporate tal” as it paid for approximately 40% of has reached. Marcos Rodríguez empha- innovation into the entire production the proposal. To pay for the waste that we deposit sised that it is a “crucial Department” process. Innovation, professionalism, Until the crisis occurred, this Ourense One of the principal advantages of the now that he understands that innova- ecology, and social responsibility cons- team focused on the sector of urban de- model designed by this Galician com- tion is “the only differentiating element” titute the image of the brand Formato velopments regarding “premium” contai- SDQ\ LV WKH LGHQWLÀFDWLRQ RI WKH XVHU that allows the organisations that incor- Verde. These businesspeople care about ners. After the economic de-escalation in- who deposits waste; this prepares the porate it to sell with a reasonable mar- these four parameters “down to the last terrupted things, they took their focus off foundation so that, in the future, each gin in order to off-set costs. detail,” explained Rodríguez. of the most expensive products in order neighbour pays for the waste that she Investment in the area of innovation is Aside from these two projects, they are to concentrate on other more basic and or he produces. They have also installed close to 10% of the billing volume that, working with an eye to the future to de- more economic products. this type of container in Málaga, close to only in the national territory, is some 5 velop a container for domestic oils which The proposal that gained them the a market in the centre of the city. With million Euros. In order to maintain this will be ready in some two months and most attention internationally was the the incorporation of the Formato Verde level, Rodríguez revealed that public as- for which they received a subsidy from ‘Big Tainer’ that combines the essential system, the people of Málaga were able sistance is “absolutely key” given that it the Regional Government of Galicia of function of waste recollection with the to completely recuperate one street and also converts into a condition of carrying 17,000 Euros. They are also focused on integration of new technologies. The IT even install terraces where before there out projects both in economic terms as the launching of other modalities of con- permits that the containers incorporate was only waste. On the basis of this pro- well as factors of time. Now the pressu- tainers for solid residue for which they i20. BUSINESS i20. BUSINESS INNOVATION FRPPXQLFDWLRQIXQFWLRQVWKHLGHQWLÀFD- ject, the company is also working on ini- INNOVATION UHRIWKHJRYHUQPHQWDOÀQDQFLDOFRQWURO also receive economic assistance from IN GALICIA. IN GALICIA. 52 20 CASES OF SUCCESS tion of the user, and the tracking of the tiatives for South America. 53 20 CASES OF SUCCESS entity “helps” to develop ideas. Accor- the Administration. CHEMICAL SERVICES WITH HIGH ADDED VALUE

GalChimia was initiated in 2001 as a spin- out of the University of Santiago de Com- postela (USC). Since then, it is the only Galician business dedicated to research and development in synthetic organic chemistry, pharmacy, and biotechnology. Their agreements with foreign companies permitted them to enter the international market and they dedicate the majority of i20. BUSINESS i20. BUSINESS theirINNOVATION e!orts to this area. INNOVATION IN GALICIA. IN GALICIA. Laboratory testing in the GalChimia 20 CASES OF SUCCESS 20 CASES OF SUCCESS installations. INNOVATION IS THE KEY BECAUSE THIS CRISIS CAN only be overcome by two factors: moving into the exterior market and doing that by means of innovation. Things must be done di!erently which includes improving your processes, your products, your services, “ and your attention to the client. Sleeping is not an option.” CARME PAMPÍN

THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CARME PAMPÍN, GalChimia was that reached with the chemical products established as a con- explained that GalChimia “is a business Portuguese company, Alfama, to consequence of the September 11 disaster. GALCHIMIA of services, not products. We differentia- duct research and development of new In addition to this setback, we must add te ourselves from other spin-outs in that pharmaceutical products dedicated to the devaluation of the U.S. Dollar relati- the company was not created medical and health care uses; this pro- ve to the Euro as well as the mergers bet- on the basis of a technology MHFW ZDV VXSSRUWHG E\ (8 ÀQDQFLQJ ween multinationals in the pharmaceu- but rather on the knowledge Both companies work in conjunction in tical sector that have undermined one of and know how that we have.” RUGHUWRÀQGDSUHFOLQLFDOFDQGLGDWHIRU the agreements that they had achieved, This competitive difference D SURGXFW FDSDEOH RI ÀJKWLQJ DJDLQVW as company personnel recognised. In spi- created the situation in which postoperative ileum (IPO), a pathology te of that, GalChimia are continuing to they loan research services to that provokes a delay in the recupera- move forward with projects that include other companies wherein they tion of intestinal functioning of a patient a research study with the Universities transfer knowledge and development after undergoing determined operations. of Vigo and A Coruña in order to search once the commercial relationship has 7KLVÀQGLQJZRXOGUHGXFHWKHDYHUDJH for organic chemistry applications for been established. “We were completing hospitalisation time of patients affected enzymes obtained from heat-loving orga- our doctoral dissertations and we belie- by this problem and, as a consequence, nisms, that is, micro-organisms that live ved that there was a market niche for a it would reduce health costs. The agree- in extreme temperature conditions in hot company that would offer chemical re- ment was established, as company per- springs in Galicia. search services with high added value.” sonnel remarked, “because GalChimia Innovation is present in the very foun- When the company began, it was tied to was able to convert itself into a social CARME PAMPÍN working with biotechnology companies dation of GalChimia itself and not only USC with which they continue to closely idea in terms of research, thanks to spe- EXECUTIVE as a provider to becoming a collaborator affects the work and the targeted sectors collaborate and from which they obtain cialisation in chemical synthesis.” DIRECTOR OF in order to jointly develop a product that but also each one of the organisational WKHWDOHQWRITXDOLÀHGSHUVRQQHOWRGHYH- They have recently established another GALCHIMIA. could become a pharmaceutical. We have phases that the company are working to lop their projects. They also form part alliance, in this case with the Israeli com- to be able to detect the opportunities that improve “on a continual basis.” “We are of the Life Sciences Campus (Campus pany HQL Pharmaceuticals, in order to exist within the current economic crisis trying to introduce innovation into all of Vida) of USC where they actively work carry out oncological research. Both com- environment and refocus our efforts on the company processes,” the Executive on research. “We decided to apply what panies collaborate on the research and sharing intellectual property and ca- Director emphasised. This is so much we had learned during the period of our the development of inhibitor molecules rrying out research projects that we hope so that they are even attempting to re- dissertations in the Department of Or- that work against protein-protein inte- ZLOO UHWXUQ EHQHÀWVµ 7KLV LV RQH FOHDU volutionise their sector with marketing ganic Chemistry at USC to a private ractions directed toward routes of apop- example of how open innovation can lead campaigns that are both “attractive and company via GalChimia in order to re- tosis, a programmed cellular death that a company to attain strategic alliances ground-breaking.” ach pharmaceutical, chemical, and bio- occurs in multicellular organisms and in order to position itself in a highly spe- In relation to its competitors that are technological companies. From Galicia, plays a crucial role in the treatment of cialised, expanding market. All of these principally international companies, we have become the virtual research cancer. The compounds selected for the agreements have made it possible that, GalChimia stand out for the ability to department of international companies research will be synthesised at the Gal- today, three international companies are offer a specialised service in chemistry and it has worked,” Pampín added. Chimia installations on a scale of milli- advancing products in Phase I using the which, due to an excellent quality-price The company’s headquarters are loca- grams and biologically tested in Israel in chemistry that GalChimia developed. relationship, has made it highly compe- ted in O Pino (A Coruña) and the phar- order to obtain precise activity data. Phase I in humans implies that in vitro titive. The billing for the year approxi- maceuticals Almirall, Palau Pharma, molecular tests have been passed as well mated 1.6 million Euros, an amount and Esteve are some of their clients. In A commitment to open innovation as tests on animal models. Their view of that the company hope to triple in 2016 addition, they work for different techno- As the Executive Director recognised, the future is centred on internationali- thanks to the plan for growth. Today, logical enterprises such as Noscira, Mi- this new agreement with the Israeli sation, an objective that for countries the base staff is composed of 25 workers i20. BUSINESS i20. BUSINESS INNOVATION datech, and Genmedica. company is associated with a change in INNOVATION such as the United States has been pa- and this number is also expected to tri- IN GALICIA. IN GALICIA. 56 20 CASES OF SUCCESS One of the most relevant agreements of the business model. “We moved from 57 20 CASES OF SUCCESS ralysed by the new norms for entry of ple by 2016. FREE SOFTWARE FROM GALICIA FOR THE REST THE WORLD

In 2001, a group of ten recently titled Computer Engineers founded Igalia, a company specialised in the development of free software that, from the beginning, have had an international perspective and strong social implication. Ten years have passed since then during which the company head-quartered in A Coruña were able to specialise in the technological sector and internationalise a good part of the fruits of their work.

The Igalia o"ce is a colourful modern i20. BUSINESS i20. BUSINESS space,INNOVATION very much in tune with the INNOVATION IN GALICIA. IN GALICIA. youth20 CAS ofES OFtheir SUCCESS workers. 20 CASES OF SUCCESS TO INNOVATE IS AS IMPORTANT AS SEEING THE WORLD AS A market and wagering on internationalisation. Not to do so implies making a mistake because the money here is limited. Igalia decided to attract wealth to Galicia by means of human capital with which we also collaborate in order to “ avoid a brain drain.” XAVIER CASTAÑO

IGALIA INCREASED ITS BILLING FROM 200,000 Foundation for the Promotion of Indus- IGALIA (XURVLQLWVÀUVW\HDUWRPLOOLRQDW trial Quality and Technological Develo- the end of the 2010 period. The more pment of Galicia. The experience that than 70 agreements established with was initially centred in the naval sector the Finnish multinational Nokia had demonstrated to them that this Web a lot to do with the take-off of the com- application for project planning could be pany in this period. useful for other sectors and companies The Web Co-ordinator who is one of the interested in free software applications. founding Partners of the company, Xa- Therefore, they bet on continuing inves- vier Castaño, explained the evolution of ting in the project that, from this point, Igalia since its activity began. Today, will be called ‘Libre Plan.’ there are two lines of busi- Since 2010, Igalia dedicate an average THREE MEMBERS that they have managed to maintain completed with twenty persons working ness: the mobile desktop area, of ten employees to collaboration on the OF THE IGALIA TEAM over time. This is so much so that the in A Coruña and eight in Pontevedra. with great penetration in the development of the ‘WebKite’ that is a AT WORK IN THE A number of partners has doubled to 20 Assembly management, cooperative spi- exterior market, and the Web Web motor used today as a base for the CORUÑA OFFICE. thanks to a business policy that allows rit, and internationalisation have been area. In addition, Igalia have an innova- Google Chrome and Safari navigators. any worker to achieve this status in key for the incorporation of English, tion area with long-range objectives ba- Castaño highlighted that the principal four years, a moment when they will be the language in which the Igalia wor- sed on investment and specialisation in advantage offered by the company is completely equal to any other partner kers communicate among themselves, key technologies that will permit opening having wagered for high specialisation. in rights and obligations by means of a independent of the place of work or the more avenues of business in the future. “We offer very advanced technologies symbolic contribution. Before this and speaker. They know that the combination The knowledge and development of within the free software for a market ni- from the beginning of the second year of innovation, specialisation, and interna- Igalia using GNU/Linux and Gnome che in which the offer is low.” with the company, each employee must tionalisation is their greatest strength. platforms allows the development of After conducting various projects with form part of the General Assembly, the R&D&I absorbs 25% of the billing. software for the Maemo and Moblin the University of Santiago (USC) and strategic decision organ of Igalia. Igalia also dedicate part of their budget platforms driven by Nokia and Intel, the Technological Centre of Telecom- The Assembly is celebrated every two to development activities in order to respectively. The company have collabo- munications of Galicia (Gradiant), the months and, during those meetings, improve the quality of life and the ba- rated on the improvement of the latest people of Igalia believe that the challenge the challenges and the markets toward lance between family life and work, or version of Meego, the platform used in of the future concerns European projects which the company’s activities should FRQWLQXDOWUDLQLQJ6FKHGXOHÁH[LELOLW\ N-900, one of the latest generation No- ZKHUHWKH\PDLQWDLQWKH\ÀQG´WKHWUXH EH GLUHFWHG DUH FRQWLQXDOO\ UHGHÀQHG working at home, and the promotion of kia cell phones. The mobile desktop was opportunities.” The philosophy with whi- Xavier Castaño explained that in 2005 the study of languages are only small responsible for 75% of the company’s bi- ch the company has managed to imbue they saw the necessity to specialise in examples of this philosophy for which lling thanks to agreements signed with itself is that computer programs can be technology and to internationalise. “We the company reinvest an important part small businesses as well as multinatio- used, copied, distributed, and improved made the relationship with working at of its billing to the improvement of work nals in countries such as Finland, the in a way that is completely without cost, KRPHPRUHÁH[LEOHDQGZHFRPSOHWHO\ conditions and the professional capaci- U.S.A., and the United Kingdom. licenses, nor requirements. changed the philosophy. We moved from ties of its workers. The international contacts and the being a company whose motto was ‘from The innovation process is so tied to the world level experience changed Iga- Co-operative talent Galicia for the world’ to promoting a glo- work model that many of the employees lia into a company of reference in the Beyond the agreements with internatio- bal company where working at home reject important offers from internatio- emerging IT sector in Galicia thanks to nal companies, having almost no com- became a natural type of relationship nal companies in exchange for develo- its high capacity to lead projects at the petitors in the global market, and with a with the company,” he indicated. Since ping projects for which they were hired international level. On the other hand, continued growth in billing volume, Iga- then, there are workers who perform by Igalia. The company has become a at the local level, the Web area develo- lia assumed a business philosophy since their duties in San Francisco, Finland, social and personal wager. A good exam- i20. BUSINESS i20. BUSINESS INNOVATION ped the ‘Naval Plan’ project that was its inception that is based on coopera- INNOVATION Belgium, Madrid, and Barcelona. We ple is that 0.7% of the billing is dedicated IN GALICIA. IN GALICIA. 6020 CASES OF SUCCESS ÀQDQFHG ZLWK (XURV IURP WKH tion, an innovative formula in its sector 61 20 CASES OF SUCCESS have a multidisciplinary team that is HDFK\HDUWR21*ÀQDQFLQJ CHEESE TO SPREAD THAT IS MADE TO ORDER

Innolact is a Lugo company that was launched in 2006 as a University spin-out with various researchers from the Workspace of Lactose Products of the University of San- tiago de Compostela (USC). The company have developed more than 30 di!erent varieties of cheese, from the natural type

i20. BUSINESS i20. BUSINESS to a light type using mixtures with various INNOVATION INNOVATION TheIN interior GALICIA. of the Innolact factory in IN GALICIA. 20 CASES OF SUCCESS 20 CASES OF SUCCESS types of aromatic herbs. Lugo. THE FOURTEEN PERMANENT WORKERS IN use in sauces. INNOVATION IS THE ONLY mental” in order to become known. Sin- the factory are able to elaborate many The General Director of Innolact, Je- ce its beginnings, Innolact had valua- INNOLACT SOLUTION: either we make new and sús Zapico (an Agronomy Engineer), “ cheeses for consumption in the home di!erentiated things or the future for ble public assistance from the Galician as well as made-to-order explained that they applied technology those who make a product that already Government via the Regional Ministry formulations for industrial in order to take advantage of churned of Rural Environment as well as natio- exists will be very short. Many things production. These foods are milk, a co-product of the lactose indus- nal entities, principally the Centre for have already been invented for which RULJLQDO ERWK LQ WKHLU ÁDYR- try that is in the milk obtained after the Industrial Technological Development urs (requests are received to separation of the butter and that has reason we cannot live based on produ- (CDTI), with which they signed a con- combine cheese with olives, very interesting nutritional properties. cing more of what is already produced.” tract for the research and development with algae, or with tomato The cream cheese is obtained thanks JESÚS ZAPICO of diverse products. It should also be sauce) as well as in their pre- WR WKH WHFKQLTXH RI VHOHFWLYH ÀOWUDWLRQ pointed out that the company is par- sentation, from small jars to used on this churned milk that permits ticipated in by the capital risk entities large cubes. In this manner, taking maximum advantage of its com- Xesgalicia and Unirisco Galicia, and ,QQRODFWDUHDEOHWRGHVLJQVSHFLÀFFRP- SRQHQWVLQWKHÀQDOSURGXFWDORQJZLWK have received diverse assistance from SRQHQWVVXFKDVÁDYRXUWH[WXUHRUWKH the added feature that the cream used JESÚS ZAPICO Proof of the success of Innolact is that the Galician Institute of Economic Pro- manner in which the cheese behaves is bought from Galician companies. GENERAL DIRECTOR they foresee their billing volume increa- motion (IGAPE) in order to improve according to the requests of the clients. OF INNOLACT. sing from 2.5 million Euros in 2010 to marketing, internationalisation, or the This is the case of ‘Quescrem Plus that A product for professionals close to 4 million Euros in 2011. design of its products. is an example of a cheese that is resis- =DSLFRH[SODLQHGWKDW´IDFLQJWKHGLIÀ- Although 85% of the sales are in the Spa- The company have 20 partners and 80% tant to processes of extreme heating FXOW\RIGLUHFWLQJRQHVHOIVSHFLÀFDOO\WR nish market, in the last year and a half of its 14 permanent workers hold univer- and freezing without losing its creami- WKH ÀQDO FRQVXPHUµ ,QQRODFW RSWHG WR the product is being distributed around VLW\GHJUHHV,WZDVWKHÀUVW*DOLFLDQODF- ness, or of cheeses exclusively used for search for a different channel in order to the world, in countries such as Portugal WRVHFRPSDQ\WREHTXDOLÀHGDVDWHFKQR- sandwiches that are softer but that do market its products: manufacturers of and France to the farthest away: Leba- logically-based enterprise. Another of its not break the bread base when the pro- elaborated foods. In this way, they sell non, the United Arab Emirates, India, peculiarities is that it has been accredi- duct is spread over that surface. their cream cheese to other companies China, Japan, Korea, and Chile. Expor- ted with the norm of quality established 7KLV GHÀQLWHO\ GHDOV ZLWK D FOHDU FDVH WKDWXVHLWIRUVDQGZLFKÀOOLQJVLQem- tation is one of the greatest wagers of In- for large distribution, the International of open innovation based on clients’ de- panadillas, pizzas, or cheese cakes. The nolact, “now we have to lose the fear of Food Standard (IFS) which, in the words mands: the types of cheeses and the cha- General Director explained that, of the looking for exterior markets,” explained of the General Director, “is much more llenges that their formulation and pro- million kilos of cheese produced annua- =DSLFR+HUHFRJQLVHGWKDWLWLVGLIÀFXOW strict than the ISO and opens more doors duction suppose come from the outside. lly, they dedicate 45% to industrial uses, at times to penetrate into other countries to the international market.” It is within the company that they search 40% to the restaurant sector, and the “due to elements that have nothing to Jesús Zapico is proud of their link to the for viable solutions adjusted to the neces- remaining 15% to direct sales in stores. do with the product as may be the case University. According to him, Innolact sities of the receivers of the new product. “Working with the professional sector with the culture or the totally different is one of the businesses with a greater In addition, this business located in the permits greater loyalty because, for this customs of the destination markets.” number of research projects shared with industrial centre of Castro Ribeiras de type of client, the brand is not as impor- Without a doubt, those particularities the Workspace of Lactose Products of Lea (Lugo) is the only one in Spain that tant as the quality of the products and provoke the situation that foods exist Lugo at the time when it dedicates an produces a cream cheese that is a pro- the service offered,” Zapico stated. that are as strange to our eyes as are the economic quantity that corresponds to duct of ecological agriculture. Another According to the General Director, cheeses with algae to the people of Chile. 8% of its annual billing to R&D&I. In- of their singularities is the marketing of Innolact’s competitive advantage invol- The brand projection also attests to the nolact has its own R&D Department the traditional Italian cheese mascarpo- ves “better raw materials, the creami- fact that they are developing projects VSHFLÀFDOO\GHGLFDWHGWRLQQRYDWLRQWDVNV ne, elaborated by only two Spanish com- ness of the products, and a very compe- in collaboration with other companies given that its General Director believes panies. This is a cheese that is sweeter titive price,” as compared to competitor such as a special preparation to produ- that “90% of the company’s success con- i20. BUSINESS i20. BUSINESS INNOVATION and has a less acid taste which makes it companies, in addition to our own stra- INNOVATION ce cheese cakes. Their presence in the sists of having worked in a way that is IN GALICIA. IN GALICIA. 6420 CASES OF SUCCESS ideal for desserts such as tiramisu or for tegy to custom design for our clients. 65 20 CASES OF SUCCESS Cluster of the Food of Galicia is “funda- different from the competition.” TUNA FROM THE FIVE OCEANS, UNDER GALICIAN CONTROL

The tuna of all of the oceans is being trac- ked and controlled of the company Mari- ne Instruments, head-quartered in Nigrán (Pontevedra). By means of the integration of localisation and satellite communications equipment in marine buoys, Galician ship owners know in which zones the i20. BUSINESS i20. BUSINESS banksINNOVATION of tuna are located. INNOVATION IN GALICIA. IN GALICIA. Base plates of the intelligent buoys 20 CASES OF SUCCESS 20 CASES OF SUCCESS developed by Marine Instruments. INNOVATION IS WHAT PERMITS US TO STAY ALIVE IN OUR product market and it also guarantees the future of the company. Today, it is unthinkable to not incorporate innovation as it allows us to replace the price war as the only way to survive. We are wagering on di!erentiating ourselves in “ order to be competitive.” FRANCISCO PINO

THIS CONTROL IS POSSIBLE THANKS TO THE the presence of this material and to pro- FRANCISCO PINO nological Automotive Centre of Galicia MARINE permanent reception of information duce a more ecological product that will GENERAL DIRECTOR (CTAG), the Institute of Catalysis and INSTRUMENTS about the state of the grids –the cages incorporate wood. Each one of these sys- OF MARINE Petrochemistry of the Higher Council of XVHGWRFDSWXUHWKHÀVKWKDWDUHLQVWDOOHG tems weighs some 7.5 kilos and does not INSTRUMENTS. 6FLHQWLÀF5HVHDUFK &6,& IRUWKHSDWHQW SOME by the ships– on the side of which they involve a maintenance cost because the of a hydrogen catalyser, and the Tech- place the buoys that emit signals with panels that are integrated permit them nical School of Telecommunications of 30% WKHREMHFWLYHRIIDFLOLWDWLQJÀVKLQJ7KH to function with solar energy. the University of Vigo with which they OF THE devices indicate the presence of the type These devices are now found on ships develop antennae. Moreover, Marine EMPLOYEES ARE of tuna in the area which facilitates their of various nations (Spain, France, the Instruments form a part of the Spanish INVOLVED IN capture. According to the General Direc- U.S.A., Korea, etc.) distributed across Technological Platform for Fishing and WORK RELATED tor of the company, Francisco Pino, this all of the oceans in the Equatorial zone Aquaculture (PTEPA) and of the Techno- TO INNOVATION technology is respectful of the environ- from which information is sent concer- logical IT Platform of Galicia (Vindeira). ment by reducing CO2 emissions from ning the quantity of tuna detected with One of the pillars of the business cultu- the ship as well as permitting a double a frequency established by the owner re of Marine Instruments is that close to VDYLQJVWRWKHÀVKHUPHQ2QRQHKDQG of each ship and which varies between 30% of its employees are directly involved they use less fuel because now it is not 15 minutes and 12 hours. The data at in R&D&I work, with ten engineers and necessary to move to each point at which the central factory in Nigrán is where two technicians dedicated to tasks asso- the grids are installed in order to check if the communication is interpreted and ciated with innovation and the manage- there are tuna or not. On the other hand, they resend the status detected on the to note that the buoys pass at least 18 ment of the quantity budgeted for this ob- time is saved and they can improve the high seas in an encrypted fashion to the quality controls such as stress tests in jective which is approximately 10% of the ÀVKFDSWXULQJVWUDWHJ\$FFRUGLQJWRWKH visualisation software of the ship that extreme conditions, so that “even the billing volume. Daily meetings are held company, these advantages compensate owns the buoy. smallest faults” can be observed in the to address the coordination and applica- for the investment that each buoy requi- The factory is dedicated to the produc- factory which results in an improved tion of ideas with innovative components. res which is not more than 1,000 Euros. tion and tracking of the equipment for functioning of the systems. Moreover, by means of personal contact Keeping in mind that for only one hour of ÀVKLQJIXQGDPHQWDOO\WXQD,WVKRXOG The buoy design with the probe was su- between technicians and engineers, they navigation a ship uses 200 litres of gaso- be pointed out this Galician company is, pported by public funding for the promo- are able to review the activity of the com- OLQHWKHEXR\HQGVXSEHLQJYHU\SURÀWD- along with a Madrid company, the only tion of innovation and consequently the pany at any moment and exchange opi- ble economically. one in the world that produce buoys company was able to dedicate more eco- nions with the objective of improving the Moreover, the system has the advantage that contain this system. According to nomic resources and reduce the time of service that they offer while, at the same of being able to send information at any the General Director, having the sea project execution. In the last three years, time, stimulating motivation and the in- distance, surpassing the limitations of alongside of the company installations Marine Instruments received almost volvement of all employees regarding the conventional radiophonic transmission is “essential” at the strategic level in 600,000 Euros in subsidies from the Re- contribution of new ideas. Another of the itself which is very much conditioned order to be able to conduct tests and to gional Government of Galicia which, ac- visible results of innovation is the paten- by the necessary closeness between the improve their products under real con- cording to the Manager, was “fundamen- ting of batteries that reduce hydrogen emitter and the receptor. In the same ditions. Marine Instruments are also tal” for the development of its initiatives. contamination provoked at the moment way, the advanced system has greater ZRUNLQJRQWKHFRQWURORIÁHHWVDQGRQ This company directed by Francisco Pino of charging (up to the point of exploding) autonomy due to the incorporation of so- radio buoys for trawl lines. billed some 11 million Euros in 2010, which is an evident problem for the lar satellite technology and it functions more than double that of the previous buoys. In collaboration with petrochemi- continually for eight months, the time Review of the equipment before sale year and the predictions for 2011 are cal technicians, they were able to design when it should be replaced. Francisco Pino attributes the success positive to such a degree that they may their own solution. Marine Instruments In Francisco Pino’s judgement, the of the product to its capacities that are surpass the totals of the last business are announcing that this will not be the buoys are “highly resistant” to being bat- “the fruit of innovation and develop- cycle. In order to achieve these excellent last innovation of this Galician company i20. BUSINESS i20. BUSINESS INNOVATION tered as they are made of polypropylene ment but also of almost military pro- INNOVATION economic results, the company have with 12,000 buoys distributed in the seas IN GALICIA. IN GALICIA. 68 20 CASES OF SUCCESS plastics. The objective now is to reduce duction.” In this sense, it is important 69 20 CASES OF SUCCESS counted on the collaboration of the Tech- all around the world. FAR-REACHING INNOVATION ON A NANOMETRIC SCALE

Nanogap is the only company in the world that is capable of producing particles of less than a nanometre at an industrial level, that is, ten raised to minus nine metres or one millimillionth part of a metre. The business idea surfaced in 2005 after the research group at the University of Santiago de Compostela called ‘NanoMag’ registered a revolutionary patent for atomic quantum i20. BUSINESS i20. BUSINESS clustersINNOVATION that involve a scale of less than a INNOVATION IN GALICIA. IN GALICIA. Amalgam of nanoparticles developed 20 CASES OF SUCCESS 20 CASES OF SUCCESS nanometre. by Nanogap. INVESTMENT IN INNOVATION SIGNIFIES GENERATING A sustainable company and economy. Today I have a product that is unique in the world but I know that if I do not continue innovating, the U.S.A. or Japan will have the same product in four years and it may be better than mine. Innovation “ is the way to compete and di!erentiate oneself in the market.” TATIANA LÓPEZ

THE MANAGING DIRECTOR AND PRESIDENT these panels for the surgery equipment, rence to that A Coruña locality which is of the Council of Administration of Na- plastics to use to make temperature pro- contiguous to Santiago and is where they NANOGAP nogap, Tatiana López, emphasised that bes or catheters, etc.”, López explained. have their installations. this deals with particles that “allow us The applications of the clusters is not the Prior numerous public assistance agree- to work on very small scales. only line of business which Nanogap is ments allowed them to begin various These are materials that pre- considering. The Managing Director re- negotiation processes regarding the pro- investment in R&D&I sent new properties due to the called that the research group “has more YLVLRQRIPDWHULDOVVXFKDVQDQRÀEUHVWR published patents fact that they are of very re- than 25 years of experience working in use instead of ITO and the conductive duced sizes.” The two tenured nanotechnology and the know how is inks for electronic circuits. To that end, patents in the phase of request professors responsible for the enormous,” which suggests a great po- they have initiated a project to capture for approval ÀQGLQJ $UWXUR /ySH] 4XLQ- tential for the knowledge being genera- funding that will permit them to increa- tela and José Rivas Rey (the ted in the laboratory to be valued in the TATIANA LÓPEZ DOVRXVHWKHVHQDQRÀEUHVDVWKLVVHFWRU se today’s production capacity, for exam- second person is the current market. WITH THE REST is trying to substitute metals with plastic ple, thereby permitting them to have Director of the International In more conventional areas, they have OF THE NANOGAP polymers with anti-static properties. two reactors of 50 litres each housed in Iberian Laboratory of Nanote- accomplished developments with TEAM. Continuous development and the capaci- the O Milladoiro plant. chnology), thought from a business pers- applications in the world of electronics, ty to generate products that are unique Billing has doubled since 2008, reaching pective and presented the opportunity the most attractive market and one in in the market have situated Nanogap 200,000 Euros in 2010. The incorpo- to the members of the research group: which the company has focused for the in the international market since its in- UDWLRQ RI D 0DQDJHU RI ,QQRYDWLRQ À- adjunct professors, assistants, and docto- short term. The challenge consists of FHSWLRQ(XURSHZDVWKHÀUVWREMHFWLYHRI nanced by the Regional Government of ral students that participate in the com- giving conductor properties to different the company although the frontier soon Galicia within the frame of the Network pany. Since its initiation, Nanogap has materials, such as ink. The new genera- became small and they began contacting of Managers of Innovation of Galicia KDG SDUWQHUV DOWKRXJK ÀYH RI WKHP tion of electronic circuits will be based R&D&I departments of very large mul- (XIGA), has permitted them to “main- are strategic promoters that are in char- on business technology which allow for tinationals and small businesses which tain a most proactive attitude, to consi- JHRIGHÀQLQJWKHSDWKWKDWWKHFRPSDQ\ a circuit to be designed from a computer they help to create new products based der in which projects we want to parti- should take. From the beginning, capital and printed later. To that end, Nanogap on their technology. The company’s ex- cipate, and with which companies,” the has been increased three times and they are developing a conductor ink. “It is a SDQVLRQOHGWKHSDUWQHUVWRRSHQDQDIÀ- Managing Director remarked. SHUPLWWHG HQWU\ WR ÀQDQFLQJ IURP 8QL- dispersion of liquid that, among other liate in San Francisco from where they Conscious that in Nanogap “innovation risco and Uninvest. things, contains nanoparticles of silver carry out the commercial development to is everything,” they have opted for the Among the multiple applications of the that melt when printed and generate the United States as well as contacting situation in which the Manager forms a atomic quantum clusters, the company those electronic contacts,” López added clients in Japan and Korea. part of the area of business development, have developed a raw material marketed in order to clarify the process. “from where that person is able to carry to companies in the chemical industry in Other current products which they are Rooted in Galicia out technological vigilance and participa- order to obtain antimicrobial products GHYHORSLQJDUHQDQRÀEUHVVXFKDVDVXEV- López highlighted the merit of a com- te in all of our new products.” adequate for achieving extremely hygie- titute for ITO, a scarce natural resource pany closely related with the University López is clear about the future of the nic surfaces. They have collaborated in that is very fragile, the market of which of Santiago which has nourished it in or- company: “We are positioning ourselves the fabrication of biosanitary materials is dominated by China. Nanogap offer an der to occupy a void in the market where as leaders at the global level in sub-na- for hospitals where an inadequate ma- alternative that is “more ecological and it can be competitive. In fact, Nanogap nometric particles as well as a reference terial may suppose an infectious focal whose performance is similar but has continue to externalise the initial phases in terms of nanoparticles and that re- point, the instrumentation of the surgery WKH DGYDQWDJH RI EHLQJ D ÁH[LEOH PDWH- of its developments with nanoparticles to quires innovation and continuous deve- rooms, or the touch panels of the equi- rial with less risk of breakage which per- USC. “We are trying to develop products lopment of products that are unique in pment for which reason they are sear- mits its utilisation in applications where with our clients but that which has to do the market.” The growth plan implica- ching for materials of low toxicity. “We do the ITO is not appropriate as is the case with production and R&D is maintained tes a doubling of the actual staff which i20. BUSINESS i20. BUSINESS INNOVATION QRWVHOOWRWKHÀQDOFRQVXPHUUDWKHUZH ZLWKWKHÁH[LEOHVXEVWUDWHVRIDFORWK,Q INNOVATION in O Milladoiro and it will continue to today consist of twelve persons, all of IN GALICIA. IN GALICIA. 72 20 CASES OF SUCCESS sell to companies that are going to make addition, the aeronautical industry can 73 20 CASES OF SUCCESS be that way,” she emphasised with refe- them with University degrees. HIGH-PERFORMANCE MOTORS AND ANTI-BULLET PROTECTION

After more than ten years of research at the Institute of Ceramics of Galicia, Carmen Cere- cedo and Víctor Valcárcel created Neoker S.L., a spin-out born in the heart of the University of Santiago de Compostela (USC) and dedicated to the industrial production of new materials for the aerospace industry, aeronautics, and high performance automobiles, among other applications. Concretely, their innovation is based in the development of a ceramic material in the form of ﬁbre, the characteristics of which permit the fabrication of composites with a metallic, ceramic, i20. BUSINESS i20. BUSINESS or INNOVATIONpolymer base that are ultralight reinforcement INNOVATION IN GALICIA. IN GALICIA. High performance ceramic material 20 CASES OF SUCCESS 20 CASES OF SUCCESS materials with a multitude of applications. developed by Neoker. UNTIL NOW, NUMEROUS STUDIES OF MONO- perties. In that way, they work in colla- WHEN YOU INNOVATE, YOU HAVE THE PROBLEM lutions than with sales. They know that FU\VWDOOLQHÀEUHVRIDOXPLQLXPKDGEHHQ boration with the defence sector on the the fabrication of a product on a large NEOKER “that entrance into the market is more complicated. Busines- conducted on the laboratory scale but fabrication of bullet-proof and knife-pro- scale will surpass all of the expectations ses are conservative and when the product is new, it is di"- 1HRNHUZDVWKHÀUVWDQGRQO\FRPSDQ\ of vests. The company have agreements created in the business plan of the com- cult to convince them and to achieve that they trust not only that achieved producing the pro- with other companies, technological pany. That is why they dedicate their duct on a pilot scale; the industrial centres, and universities at the national in the product but in the company as well. Then the news still low billing and public resources scale will depend on the demand. and international levels. travels from mouth to mouth: if someone makes a wager for that they obtain to make their product The obtained material is very re- In 2004, the project for the production it, the competition is going to want it.” CARMEN CERECEDO known for its capacity to revolutionise sistant both for its toughness and RI PRQRFU\VWDOOLQH ÀEUHV PDGH RI DO- numerous sectors, principally aeronau- resistance as well as for its thermal pha-aluminium was selected by three tics and defence. International contacts and chemical stability which makes Galician universities and the High have already generated agreements it advisable in high value-added &RXQFLO RI 6FLHQWLÀF 5HVHDUFK &6,& with countries such as France, the applications, principally in motors along with the General Management U.S.A., and Japan. for the aeronautical and aerospace of Business Promotion of the Regional One of the lines of business for which industries, in leading sectors of the Government of Galicia in order to create they stand out is the fabrication of trays R&D&I projects automotive industry, or defence. a technologically-based business. Later, with a ceramic support for the transfor- Thanks to the characteristics of Neoker became a project subsidised un- mation of fuel as a combustible in the this product designed and produced by der the program, Neotec Initiatives, of nuclear sector. Neoker have managed Neoker, it has properties that are exce- the Centre for Industrial Technological to produce a lower cost and more ecolo- llent for application in ballistics as well Development (CDTI). The Galician Ins- gical product than that currently used as the protection of vehicles, air planes, titute for Economic Promotion (IGAPE) in this type of combustion. The project and boats. That it is ideal has also been and the Galician Service for Industrial ÀQDQFHGE\WKH&'7,ZLOOHQGLQ demonstrated to be relevant to the fabri- Property (SEGAPI) complemented this but the company located in O Milladoiro cation of melted metals and materials assistance. (A Coruña) have already achieved that for insulation from high temperatures in a Russian company have become inter- chemically aggressive environments that Priority interest in development ested in buying its product. other alternative materials do not offer. The two managers of the company are Víctor and Carmen are a clear example Today, Neoker are promoting develop- proud of its origins and point out the of the tenacity and patience required in ment contracts with research centres LPSRUWDQFHRIWKHSXEOLFÀQDQFLQJWKDW WKH ÀHOG RI LQQRYDWLYH EXVLQHVV $IWHU and R&D departments of companies has backed them since the beginning. many years of research and work, they with the idea to elaborate demonstrati- Unirisco and Uninvest were brought have been able to give commercial va- ve pieces with properties that will con- into the group of initial promoters in lue to the knowledge developed in the vince clients of the advantage of incorpo- 2006 because these two capital risk en- CARMEN CERECEDO university laboratory, shaping it into a rating the material in their applications tities believed in Neoker’s possibilities. Y VÍCTOR VALCÁRCEL business plan and establishing the ba- as a way to improve performance. Car- In 2007, one of the most important re- PARTNERS IN sis for exporting Galician technology to men Cerecedo indicated that, although cognitions occurred: the National Prize NEOKER. all of the world. At the moment, they we are still a small company, “we have for Innovation in the area of industrial design prototypes so that companies great potential. We are presenting a technology and materials awarded by can become aware of the advantages of completely innovative product, we do the National Company of Innovation DSSO\LQJ WKHLU ÀEUHV 2QFH WKDW WKHVH not renew or reform which, at times, (ENISA) at their 25th anniversary, an initial agreements bear fruit, they fo- PDNHVLWGLIÀFXOWWRHQWHUWKHPDUNHWµ award that they shared with another UHVHHLQFUHDVLQJWKHDFWXDOVWDIIRIÀYH she recognised. The combination of the Galician company, Nanogap. persons and creating an oven capable of i20. BUSINESS i20. BUSINESS INNOVATION DOXPLQLXP ÀEUHV WKDW 1HRNHU PL[HV Neoker continues to be more concerned INNOVATION making the product in industrial quan- IN GALICIA. IN GALICIA. 76 20 CASES OF SUCCESS with fabrics permitted them to add pro- with development and searching for so- 77 20 CASES OF SUCCESS tities. They are unique in the world. The wine, Denomination of A TYPICALLY Origin Rías Baixas named ‘Paco&Lola’ was conceived as a SPANISH wine destined for the international market and for a cos- mopolitan clientèle that would ALBARIÑO know how to value it not only for the quality of the Albariño but also for its image. From the wine cellar Rosalía de Castro of Meaño (Pontevedra), they were able to bottle a wine with a strong personality and a standard-breaking image that, united with its freshness, crossed the borders in a few months.

i20. BUSINESS i20. BUSINESS The spots are the signs of identity INNOVATION INNOVATION IN GALICIA. IN GALICIA. of the packaging of ‘Paco&Lola’ that 20 CASES OF SUCCESS 20 CASES OF SUCCESS received an international award. INNOVATION HELPS TO PUT PRODUCTS IN THE MARKET and can be key when one has concrete needs to grow. One has to do a lot of work in order to achieve a di!erent wine in a market like ours. The wager for innovation from the recollection of the grapes to the bottling was deﬁnitive for “ our wine cellar.” BELÉN VARELA

WHEN THIS WINE CELLAR OF PONTE- ge and unusualness. The company ins- gest in terms of number of partners and vedra began its activity in 2005, the tallations were decorated in the same the third in terms of volume of produc- PACO&LOLA partners knew that they had a tough way as the bottle and, in this way, the tion of 100% Albariño wines,” explained challenge in front of them: to capture wine cellar expresses a jovial character the General Director. clients in a strong market and on all sides. The General Director re- Another of the more recognised products with a very extensive trajec- cognised that there is also a wink to its of the wine cellar is the ‘Paco&Lola’ tory. This cooperatively-ba- origins that they could advertise with raspberry liqueur awarded for its pac- sed company knew that they the two lines (white and blue) that wind kaging at the Los Angeles Internatio- had to differentiate and inno- around the bottle. “It is in memory of nal Wine and Spirits Awards. It is not vate in terms of the business WKH*DOLFLDQÁDJµVKHLQGLFDWHG their only spirited product; there is also model and the sales techni- The selection of a universal brand was a more classic line called ‘Rosalía de ques in order to be launched a complete success as the results of the Castro’ of different liqueurs of herbs, co- successfully. The General campaign attested. The wine cellar of IIHHRUDWRDVWHGÁDYRXUVROGSULPDULO\ Director, Belén Varela, explained that Meaño annually distributes 600,000 in the national market. Another risky they were aiming “for a market niche ERWWOHVRIZKLWHZLQHRIWKHÀYHEUDQGV offer of the company is the ‘iWine’, a at the international level that was not that it markets and they have a billing wine elaborated with carbonated snow covered” by means of the creation of an volume of up to 3.5 million Euros. Pro- of which 4,000 bottles are sold annually Albariño with a label that made one duct innovation is constant and, in for the most selective palates. think of Spain. 2010, they launched a new wine called The number of young and happy con- The wine cellar has 200 hectares of ‘Lolo’ with which they hope to conquer a sumers to whom they direct their pro- its own vineyard. The grape vines of public with less purchasing power than ducts will continue to grow via social the Rías Baixas were planted with the that of ‘Paco&Lola.’ The spots are once BELÉN VARELA WKH $OEDULxR WKH WUXH DUWLÀFHV RI WKH networks that are support tools to the traditional system of arbour, the most again the protagonists on the bottle al- GENERAL DIRECTOR success of the product. For that reason, market in which the company have adequate if we keep in mind the cha- though, in this case, they are within a OF ‘PACO&LOLA.’ the installations are endowed with the wanted to attract since its beginnings. racteristics of the terrain and the cli- small dog that is intended to invite the last and most innovative technologies “We presume to have reached a com- mate. The Atlantic waves caress the consumption of ‘Lolo.’ applied to the world of wine. munity of ‘Paco&Lola’ lovers,” said Be- more than 2.6 tons that are transfor- ,Q WKH ZLQH FHOODU ZH ÀQG RQH RI WKH lén Varela with satisfaction. Through med into a high quality Albariño. International presence most modern and advanced infrastruc- Facebook or Twitter, many internauts Belén Varela recognised that the name ‘Paco&Lola’ has been introduced into tures. The tanks are of stainless steel, relate their experiences associated was on target. “Why can’t a wine be ca- the markets of more than twenty coun- the presses are pneumatic, and the bo- with drinking ‘Paco&Lola’ from all lled ‘Paco&Lola?’ The management of tries such as the U.S.A., Canada, En- WWOLQJ WUDLQ WKH ÀOWUDWLRQ V\VWHP DQG parts of the world. the wine cellar thought that it should be gland, Germany, and Brazil. Among temperature control are clear examples After this year’s harvest, the company a name that is easy to pronounce as well the countries with the highest market of latest generation equipment. When began to test new products to surprise DVEHLQJHDVLO\LGHQWLÀDEOHZLWK6SDLQ share are China and Japan, countries in the cooperative began to take off, it had the market. Given that national sales They defend the idea that wine does not which the immersion was more discrete a subsidy of 1.5 million Euros from the met and surpassed the objectives, the have to be boring, rather it is important until now. “Africa is another of our pen- European Fund for Orientation and exterior market discover the introduc- to offer an attractive, seductive, fun, and ding markets,” explained Belén Varela. of Agricultural Guarantee (Feoga) to tion that ‘Paco&Lola’ propose to accom- fresh product able to convert itself into a Due to the image and design of the pro- ÀQDQFH WKH LQYHVWPHQW RI PLOOLRQ plish with its Albariño wine. They can- product of acclaim, the maxim of a tra- ducts, the company have reported great Euros dedicated to the installations. not disclose their business strategies ditional market as is the that of wines. recognition and a strong positioning in The wine cellar that elaborates as to not give any such information to The bottle of ‘Paco&Lola’ with a label of the exterior. ‘Paco&Lola’ do not want ‘Paco&Lola’ is backed by 430 partners their competitors but future plans in- black and white spots, became the Spa- to leave aside the care that they give to and 14 employees that make up the FOXGH WKH ODXQFKLQJ RI WKHLU ÀUVW UHG i20. BUSINESS i20. BUSINESS INNOVATION nish white wine with more style and wine-growing such as the establishment INNOVATION principal cooperative that produce this wine as well as research into the pro- IN GALICIA. IN GALICIA. 8020 CASES OF SUCCESS fun thanks to its ground-breaking ima- of the latest elaboration techniques of 81 20 CASES OF SUCCESS wine of the Rías Baixas. “We are the lar- duction of wines with no alcohol. A SEA OF FLAVOURS

The sea gives us ﬁsh and seafood to eat and since 13 years ago, it is o!ering us a new food: algae. The company Porto- Muiños sell more than 30 varieties of these marine vegetables and transform them into more than one hundred food products. From cake to ﬂour, pesto, rice, canned small clams, noodles, tea, or chimichurri (a Spanish spicy sauce) algae are important to everything produced by the company presided over by Antonio Muiños.

i20. BUSINESS i20. BUSINESS Two of the species of algae processed for INNOVATION INNOVATION IN GALICIA. IN GALICIA. 20 CASES OF SUCCESS 20 CASES OF SUCCESS use as food by Porto-Muiños. INNOVATION IS SUMMARILY NECESSARY IN ORDER TO GROW and maintain oneself in the market because the company that does not employ it quickly loses a very large percentage of the market. Although it may be complicated for small businesses, it is worth it because there is always someone capable “ of doing the same thing as you but more cheaply, or they may imitate what you do. Innovation helps you to combat these threats.” ANTONIO MUIÑOS THE PRODUCTS INCORPORATE A GALICIAN In order to consult the on-board menu, PORTO algae-based ingredient for a price with a visit http://www.cocinaparanavegan- MUIÑOS UDQJHIURPRQHWRÀIWHHQ(XURV7KHSUR- tes.com/tienda/es/. duct variety has been growing progressi- According to Antonio Muiños, the objec- vely from initial presentations tive is to introduce algae as one more in- of dried algae either bagged gredient to be used in homes in order to or pickled (these are the most move this Galician vegetable of the sea simple products but they are into daily gastronomy. “A pasta of corn also the most consumed) and with algae can become as usual as corn it has evolved to the incorpo- pasta,” he pointed out. Success has led ration of algae with mussels or them to present other foods that do not into an infusion of rooibos. At contain algae. This is the case with rices; the end of 2011, the line inclu- one of the varieties contains mushrooms ded cous-cous and instant soups. that may serve as an attraction to guide 7KHPDUNHWQLFKHWKDWWKH\KDYHGHÀ- consumers toward the two other rice va- ned as fundamental is that of hostelry. rieties that do include algae. In fact, Muiños indicated that the algae ANTONIO MUIÑOS ZHOODVWKHUHFRYHU\RIÀVKDWWKH3RUWRI innovation as “the differentiating ele- VROGXQGHUKLVEUDQGFRXOGÀOOWKHPHQX A completely Galician product PRESIDENT OF Vigo for industrial use. ment” that translates into continuous of any restaurant or wine bar. The pro- The Galician marine currents and PORTO-MUIÑOS. Previously, the company received ano- SURGXFWLRQDQGUHVHDUFKRIWKHÀQLVKHG ducts can also be found in large stores or the jagged coast guarantee a very rich ther six subsidies from the Regional Go- product as well as in all of its phases. in delicatessens in the case of the most VXEPDULQH ÁRUD LQ WHUPV RI TXDQWLW\ vernment of Galicia and one more from He explained that the company has VHOHFW IRRGV 7KH\ DOVR KDYH VSHFLÀF OL- quality, and species diversity. Another the State Government that permitted now developed 15 new foods in the last nes for people allergic to gluten and for highlight is their cleanliness especially Porto-Muiños to become the “business- year that have not yet been marketed. bio stores of ecological products. in terms of the Coast of Death where tractor” of the algae sector, as company According to Muiños’s calculations, only The company has won awards on vario- the majority of the selected plants are members call it. 10 of their products can be considered to us occasions at international fairs and extracted. Muiños explained that of the The task of innovation management be “similar” to something already on the they sell close to 30% of their production 600 varieties that exist in Galicia, they is key to receiving these subsidies that market and the rest of them are “totally on the world market. People in France, collect more than 30 species for produc- also assisted with increasing the volume innovative.” In this sense, he confessed Germany, England, Greece, Switzer- tion. The algae are treated, packaged, of billing to 2 million Euros. The colla- WKDWLVPXFKPRUHGLIÀFXOWWRSHQHWUD- land, and Japan enjoy these Galician and distributed from the factory itself in boration of the innovation professional WHWKHPDUNHWWKHÀUVWWLPHWKDQLWLVWR foods that, in brief, will be exported to Cerceda (A Coruña) for which it can be helped Porto-Muiños to become incorpo- incorporate more products into a sector Australia, the United States, and South VDLGWKDWWKHÀQDOSURGXFWLVFRPSOHWHO\ rated into European projects and natio- into which they have already introdu- America, among other destinations. Galician. nal initiatives as well as their entry into ced algae. One of their last wagers involves promo- The company also stands out for its ca- the Technological Platforms for Galician Some data that give a good idea of the ting the concept of the canned tapa in SDFLW\ WR FDSWXUH SXEOLF ÀQDQFLQJ IRU Agrofoods (PTGAL) and of Aquacul- strength of this Galician company is Spain, designed for wine bars without its projects. At this moment, they are ture (PTXGA) and the Institute of Re- that, today, they employ 23 persons with a kitchen. This Galician businessman working on three for which they recei- frigeration of Madrid. The work of the YHU\GLIIHUHQWSURIHVVLRQDOSURÀOHV IURP is so enthusiastic about this line that he ve subsidies from the Regional Ministry Innovation Manager was also decisive chemists to biologists as well as techni- also achieved that the tapas appeared of Economy and Industry which defray for collaboration with other companies cians), their collaborations with chefs of LQRQHRIWKHÀOPVSUHVHQWHGDWWKH)LOP 70% of the costs. This is an initiative ba- from which originated cookies for sailors the level of Ferrán Adriá, as well as the Festival of San Sebastian. And as the VHGRQWKHHODERUDWLRQRIDQHGLEOHÀOP or products sold by the franchises of a desire of various stores that want to use products come from the sea there are, of made of algae extracts that is related to known chain of pizzerias, among other the image of Porto-Muiños in their loca- i20. BUSINESS i20. BUSINESS INNOVATION FRXUVHVSHFLÀFSUHSDUDWLRQVIRUQDYLJD- a proposal to formulate a biodegradable INNOVATION successes. les, in addition to the 5,000 friends that IN GALICIA. IN GALICIA. 84 20 CASES OF SUCCESS tors who spend their days on the water. plastic which includes algae extracts as 85 20 CASES OF SUCCESS 7KH3UHVLGHQWRIWKHFRPSDQ\TXDOLÀHG they have on Facebook. THE UNMANNED HELICOPTER THAT SEES EVERYTHING

The company Tekplus Aerospace, with its headquarters in Vigo (Pontevedra) and with 100% Galician capital has created, designed, and fabricated an unmanned helicopter that is three metres long and has a maximum take- o! weight of approximately 80 kilograms. This device is principally designed for monito- i20. BUSINESS i20. BUSINESS ringINNOVATION and vigilance both in the defence sector INNOVATION IN GALICIA. IN GALICIA. The ‘Centauro’ of Tekplus Aerospace has 20 CASES OF SUCCESS 20 CASES OF SUCCESS as well as the civil sector. its own personality. INNOVATION IS ABSOLUTELY FUNDAMENTAL and it is clear what we are betting on it because the the company that innova- tes in times of crisis will surely recuperate the investment in times of economic “ splendour.” MARCOS CARRERA

THE PRESIDENT OF TEKPLUS AEROSPACE, VLJQLÀFDQWDHURQDXWLFDOVWUDWHJ\ TEKPLUS Marcos Carrera, stated that this ae- The case of Tekplus Aerospace is a AEROSPACE rial system with rotating wings named good example of how targeted tech- ‘Centauro’ serves the various missions nology can acquire added value by ta- RIGHWHFWLQJIRUHVWÀUHVFRQ- king advantage of the experience and trolling contraband activi- the knowledge in the environment ty, and various uses in the around them. agricultural sector such as the dispersion of chemical Synergy among Galician companies products. They collaborate with companies in the This air vehicle is equipped mechanics sector of Vigo for the fabri- with gyrostabilised came- cation of these unmanned aeronautic ras that transmit normal vehicles which permits them to take and infra-red images simul- advantage of the valued know how of taneously and real time. their titanium welders. Carrera indica- The system can operate autonomously ted that “we contribute the engineering for between four and six hours (as a and the knowledge but we apply that to MARCOS CARRERA of aero-structures for the aeronautical they also pertain to the cluster of the function of the fuel load or the sensors the great experience within the metal- AND MARTA SINEIRO sector. In fact, they are level 2 provi- Spanish Technology of Defence, Aero- that are incorporated) and can reach a mechanical sector within our environ- THE PRESIDENT AND ders for builders of airplanes such as nautics, and Space (TEDAE). Tekplus height of 3,500 metres. ment.” In this sense, the President of THE INTERNATIONAL Airbus and they also work for one of Aerospace has three national head- Among the principle advantages of the the company pointed out that approxi- DIRECTOR OF their principal rivals, Boeing. The line quarters (O Porriño, Madrid and Se- system that was presented in Brazil mately 90% of the product is made in TEKPLUS of air structures of Tekplus Aerospa- YLOOH DQGDQDIÀOLDWHLQ,QGLDFUHDWHG in Spring of 2011 is the ease of mana- Galicia with only a small portion rela- AEROSPACE. ce increased annual billing some 40% with the objective of minimising costs. gement of the aircraft and the simple ted to the air vehicle navigation system at the same time that they generated A demonstration of the importance maintenance requirements. But one being produced outside of the commu- 45 job positions. Carrera believes that of innovation is that they have a spe- RILWVVWURQJHVWSRLQWVLVWKDWWKHÁLJKW nity. Their satisfaction with the expe- what explains that the Galician fac- FLÀF 5 ' , GHSDUWPHQW PDGH XS RI hours of ‘Centauro’ are very effective in rience leads them to collaborate today tory was able to achieve collaboration SHUVRQV ZLWK YHU\ YDULHG SURÀOHV terms of cost and, as a consequence, it with Galician companies of the naval with the Airbus A320, A350, A380, The 2 million Euros of annual invest- is highly competitive on the internatio- and automotive sectors in order to sell A330MRTT, and A400M is a very good ment in innovation also makes their nal market. complete systems of integral vigilance. selection of “human resources and en- compromise to put new ideas on the The lines of assistance from public en- During 2012, they will begin marke- JLQHHUVDVZHOODVVLJQLÀFDQWVDYLQJV market very clear. In fact, Tekplus in- tities were key for the development of ting the helicopter on which they have regarding project development that vested almost double of what they bi- this helicopter. They included funding been working since they opened their turn out to be very competitive and clo- lled during 2010 into R&D&I. Marcos sources such as the Regional Govern- R&D area in 2008 for the development se to the client.” Carrera highlighted that innovation ment of Galicia (via a participative cre- of projects for unmanned systems. In The company began in 2005 and was is “intrinsic to our company” at the dit of 850,000 Euros from XesGalicia) 2011, the adaptation was completed oriented to the aerospace and the au- same time that it is incorporated into as well as the Government of the State and the last touches made while they tomotive sectors. In the automotive all of the processes, from quality to that subsidised the initiative through now take note of the intentions to buy line, they developed motor casings that those of personnel selection. They are the Centre for Industrial Technological from diverse organisations, completing are patented, in collaboration with the now working on other versions of the Development (CDTI) with 1.33 million a calendar that guarantees a work load University of Vigo and entities such as ‘Centauro’ with different diameters of Euros from the European Technologi- until the end of 2012. the Technological Centre AIMEN. In rotors and maximum weights at take- cal Fund. It is important to point out In addition to the ‘Centauro’, the Ga- addition, they collaborated on diverse off of up to 200 kilos which suppose a i20. BUSINESS i20. BUSINESS INNOVATION that ‘Centauro’ is considered by the Mi- lician company also offers services of INNOVATION projects with the National Institute of new step in the continual innovation IN GALICIA. IN GALICIA. 88 20 CASES OF SUCCESS nistry of Science and Innovation to be a engineering, design, and the calculus 89 20 CASES OF SUCCESS Aerospace Technology (INTA). Today, of Tekplus. THE HUMAN BODY SEEN AS A MACHINE

It was 2005 when the brothers Alexandre and Xavier Cornes founded Umana, the only health centre of applied biomechanical research that is authorised by the Ad- ministration in all of Spain. This company in Vigo responds to a model based more in knowledge than in technology. “We generate knowledge with which we obtain our own technologies which we exclusively exploit,” Alexandre Alfonso Cornes, who is one of the partners of Umana, explained. Now, they work with mutual insurance companies of labour accidents, hospitals, i20. BUSINESS i20. BUSINESS The two partners of Umana Engineering andINNOVATION medical and rehabilitation centres. INNOVATION IN GALICIA. IN GALICIA. form a very solid work team. 20 CASES OF SUCCESS 20 CASES OF SUCCESS UMANA IS WAGERING ON THE GENERATION OF A NEW technology every year that will convert into an exclusive service. This is our way of understanding innovation: unique technology created on the basis of our knowledge in order to o!er pioneering services. The key is not knowledge but the capacity “ to generate it.” ALEXANDRE ALFONSO CORNES

THE COMPANY HEAD-QUARTERED IN VIGO que Country) and the Spanish Federations UMANA works of the study of the human body as of Rowing and Canoeing with which they if it was a machine, for that reason they can obtain data concerning the strength, combine biomechanical science, the fatigue, or the integrated power of engineering, and health. “It is a each one of the athletes, measures that no mixture of medicine and mecha- one heretofore had been able to register. nical engineering,” they descri- From Umana’s work, the team of athletes bed. Their analysis of patients was able to develop better techniques for does not always have to do with competition such as analysing the condi- the rehabilitation of a medical tion of the team members. Thanks to the problem; they also study the hu- data obtained, the group’s competitive re- man body at the preventative le- VXOWVLPSURYHGVLJQLÀFDQWO\ STRENGTH problems originated on the job suppose an mechanical engineers with research spe- vel, a technique that is especially MONITORING annual loss of 2% of the European PIB. cialities in biomechanics, one industrial useful for application in work en- Improvements on the job IN THE UMANA Moreover, the company develop ergo- engineer specialised in design, and one vironments that involve risk. The third line of the company’s activities ENGINEERING design projects that consist of the im- telecommunications engineer. With the assistance of entities such as are centred in the protection of health on INSTALLATIONS. provements of products based on their Thanks to assistance from the Regional Uniemprende, the Business-Concept the job. For that, the Umana team go to biomechanical analysis. Until now, they Government of Galicia, the company Program (promoted by the three Galician the centres of work that require their ser- have worked with mattresses, seats or have developed a research project in colla- Universities), the Ministry of Industry, vices with the objective of studying how chairs, footwear for the health sector, boration with the Department of Educa- the Galician Institute for Economic Pro- each worker performs during his or her and wheelchairs, trying to make them tion and Sport Sciences of the University motion (IGAPE), and the Regional Minis- work period. The company use sensors to more comfortable and more healthy. The of Vigo (the Pontevedra Campus) dedica- try of Work, Umana was consolidated as a analyse the activities and calculates the agreement with the company Asientos ted to the development of a technology to technologically-based business initiative. percentage of injuries that can be asso- Esteban in Navarre permitted them to determine the technical comfort of work The strategic values of the company in- ciated with the work performed, both in perfect a seat for buses which is an opti- clothes and footwear. The total cost of the clude their human team which are highly the short term as well as in the long term, mised product that Umana received as a project was more than 153,000 Euros, of TXDOLÀHGDVZHOODVWKHLUDSSOLHGIRFXVRI with special attention given to the risk prefabricated product and then improved which the Regional Government of Gali- their research in biomechanics which, ac- of muscular-skeletal lesions that are the until they achieved a more comfortable cia contributed one third. The number of FRUGLQJWKHLUSURPRWHUVVLJQLÀHVWKDWDOO most frequent in the work environment. and healthy model for the user. R&D&I projects carried out since 2006 is of their products pursue the improvement Umana also elaborate sector studies The wager for innovation leads Umana 19, with a total cost of 675,000 Euros. For of the quality of life in any of the lines of concerning health problems. Until now, to embark on a project of this type every IRXURIWKHPWKHFRPSDQ\KDGWKHÀQDQ- activity that they develop. they have offered their knowledge to the year. “We generate one new technology cial support of the Regional Government 7KHÀUVWRIWKHLUOLQHVRIEXVLQHVVLVED- automotive, naval, metal, food conserva- each year that is converted into a new of Galicia via the Regional Ministry of sed on the medical diagnosis of locomotor tion, and the agricultural and livestock and exclusive service. It is our innova- Economy and Industry. or muscular-skeletal problems. Umana sectors. Thanks to the sensors attached tion: unique technology that offers a The company recognises that innovation is developing a technology that consists to the workers, they can determine the service that no one else has developed,” was a determining factor in its growth. of sensors that provide information correlation between work performed and explained Alexandre Alfonso Cornes. Due to that factor, they dedicate 45% about the body and the impact of injuries the injuries suffered by patients; they de- Since the company initiated its activity, of the business volume to this concept. that affect patients. In the second place, tect the exact point of the task when the the company have grown 500%, an ad- Until the present moment, they have they deal with the design and fabrication risk occurs and, from there, they make a vance that they attribute to the fact of achieved two patents: one for a chair of technologies applied to elite athletes proposal regarding the redesign of the job having selected a business model based with wheels and another for a hospital with the objective of carrying out studies post that will improve the work health of on implicating themselves in the tech- cart that is an improvement over the di- of advanced sport optimisation. the labourer. The positive impact of these nology that they create and not selling mensions and weight of the conventional i20. BUSINESS i20. BUSINESS INNOVATION In this sense, they have developed a new corrective measures is shown by the data INNOVATION it to a third party for exploitation. The products with the objective that these ar- IN GALICIA. IN GALICIA. 92 20 CASES OF SUCCESS technology for the Orio Rowing Club (Bas- that reveal that the muscular-skeletal 93 20 CASES OF SUCCESS team are composed of seven persons: two ticles are more manageable. BUSINESS INNOVATION IN GALICIA. 20 CASES OF SUCCESS

8. Prologue of the Regional Minister of Economy and Industry: With i for illusion. 12. Prologue of the General Director of R&D&I: A question of attitude. 14. Falsification-proof documents. 18. Innovation to conquer half of the world. 22. The bus of the future takes o! in Santiago. 26. Turn o! the cancer genes in order to turn on lives. 30. Improve business communications with only one click. 34. Biomedical technology to save hearts. 38. Furniture that think for us. 42. A di!erent way of shopping. 46. Slate that feeds on the Sun. 50. Intelligent trash collection. 54. Chemical services with high added value. 58. Free software from Galicia for the rest of the world. 62. Cheese to spread that is made to order. 66. Tuna from the five oceans, under Galician control. 70. Far-reaching innovation on a nanometric scale. 74. High-performance motors and anti-bullet protection. 78. A typically Spanish Albariño. 82. A sea of flavours. 86. The unmanned helicopter that sees everything. 90. The human body seen as a machine. i20. BUSINESS i20. BUSINESS INNOVATION INNOVATION IN GALICIA. IN GALICIA. 20 CASES OF SUCCESS 20 CASES OF SUCCESS ESS CC OF SU S E AS

. 20 C BUSINESS INNOVATION IN GALICIA

IA 20 CASES OF SUCCESS C I L A BUSINESS INNOVATION IN G INNOVATION BUSINESS I.20

XUNTA DE GALICIA / MINISTERIO DE CIENCIA E INNOVACIÓN