The push of innovation and digital transformation started long ago, and the Canary Islands do not want to be left behind. Several challenges stand in the way if the region is to establish itself as a reference point in the sector at national level. Experts who participated in the event Futuribles: Technological Innovation, Sustainability and ESG Management, organized by ESG and sponsored by Telefónica, Philip Morris Spain, and the European University of the Canary Islands, shared their insights.
A day when government, the private sector, and universities aligned to highlight development. The focus was on education and finding ways to translate knowledge into stronger local business impact.
«Our commitment is for R&D expenditures to reach 1.25% of society’s GDP»
Fernando González, director of the Futuribles 2023 project, moderated a panel featuring Juan José Flores Mederos, regional director of Telefónica in the Canary Islands; Sebastián López, Director of Innovation and Transfer at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria; Cristiana Oliveira, rector of the European University of the Canary Islands; and Javier Franco Hormiga, director of the Canary Agency for Research, Innovation and Information Society (Aciisi) for the Government of the Canary Islands.
Speakers agreed that the Archipelago already has all the ingredients for a strong digital economy; what it needs is a clear recipe and a capable cook. Flores framed the discussion with a culinary metaphor, and the others ran with it. Telefónica’s regional manager emphasized that digitalization should not be pursued for its own sake; rather, it should be guided by a precise plan. The path to digitalization in the Canary Islands is gradual, and there remains resistance to change.
To address this, Oliveira described a manager training plan launched by the European University. “We prepared to train 1,300 managers across the Islands, giving them the qualifications needed for technology to positively impact their businesses,” the rector stated, adding that the goal is to tailor a unique recipe for each company to boost competitiveness. She proposed a new teaching model featuring short courses and micro-certificates with flexible learning paths, enabling managers to upskill in the shortest possible time.
«We must seek the consensus of all actors and remain committed to public-private cooperation»
Transfer of knowledge from universities and innovation centers to the private sector was a central theme for the experts. López reminded the audience that ULPGC offers a technological catalog for companies, especially those without a dedicated innovation department due to small size. ULPGC’s Director of Innovation and Transfer underscored the need for broad consensus and public-private cooperation among administrations, companies, and universities, because this is where knowledge transfer often stalls.
ULPGC has a technology catalog for SMEs that do not have a digital department.
Aciisi’s executive highlighted the Canary Islands’ strong commitment to R&D and announced a goal to see sector spending reach 1.25% of regional GDP. To achieve this, the agency outlined action axes including a robust governance system to monitor and evaluate R&D policies, plus reforms and laws aligned with European and national strategies. The plan also calls for increasing the budget to meet the regional average of other Spanish regions.
European University proposes microcredentials for entrepreneurs to study
Franco Hormiga used the occasion to discuss ongoing projects under the national initiative Retech (Regional Networks of Technological Specialisation). This European-funded program aims to coordinate and complement various regional efforts for digital transformation and specialization.
«The islands are increasingly moving towards innovation, but there is still resistance to change»
There are four projects identified and approved in the Canary Islands. One is the Living Laboratory, an initiative spearheaded by the archipelago to develop Artificial Intelligence in Tourism. It could position the Islands as a reference region for artificial intelligence, according to Aciisi’s manager. The project is expected to drive the transformation of the main economic sector toward a model based on intelligence and sustainability, with the aim of fostering economic diversification and building a hub of talent and expertise.