What is the profile of the businesses and entities which form Viratec?

Viratec is an inclusive cluster with 62 members including universities, technological centres, associations and businesses from diverse sectors such as the environment, water, energy, waste, land... and of a very diverse nature, such as operators, managers, organisations, engineering and consultancy, communication...That is to say we are a very diverse cluster indeed, because we are aware of the environmental challenges that we face must be addressed from all sides with multidisciplinary teams and an holistic outlook.

As such, Viratec perfectly represents the existing critical mass in Galicia in the field of environmental technologies and circular economy. This cluster covers the four sectors related to the environment, such as technologies related to the management of the environment and natural spaces; the water cycle; urban, agricultural and industrial waste; sustainable energy generation; atmospheric pollution; and the recovery of land and wasteland.

What are the strategic goals of Viratec Cluster?

The main goal of Viratec is to foster a favourable ecosystem to catalyse the implementation of environmental solutions and circular economy models that contribute in an appreciable way to the sustainable development of Galicia and to the GDP of our community. Specifically, our aim is to increase the technological, innovative and competitive capacity of Galician businesses which provide environmental solutions. This will foster an ecosystem of public-private cooperation and cooperation between businesses, creating synergies between different areas of knowledge, promoting R&D and innovation, improving training and creating opportunities for internationalisation. All of this contributes to the sustainable development in Galician society and to the preservation of its environment under the principles of the circular economy.

What future does the circular economy have as a catalyst for development?

The opportunities of a circular economy are usually cross sectional. Galicia is a community in which the primary sectors carry a lot of weight in its economy. The modernisation of these sectors and the innovative management of natural resources form part of the Strategy of Intelligent Specialisation in Galicia and the implementation of circular economy strategies should be the driving force behind this modernisation as stated in the Galician Circular Economy Strategy itself. At Viratec we are sure that the future is circular.

Do you think that the challenges presented by climate change and the need to develop innovative solutions places Galicia in a strategic position to attract businesses and investments related to the environmental sector?

Generally speaking, society is aware of the need to transform the current system of production and consumption into a more environmentally conscious model. The circular economy should be one of the drivers of change which contributes to this transformation and mitigates the effects of climate change.

From the perspective of adapting to climate change, there is also a great potential for innovation and digitalization to play a leading role. On this new global stage, the environmental technology sector is vital for the economic development of Galicia due to its potential for growth and is a huge vector for of territorial and business competitiveness.

Before the pandemic, Europe proposed the Green Deal, with a serious economic commitment to the ecological transition and subsequently launched the Next Generation fund. How can Galicia take advantage of these opportunities?

The fund should look to implement a new model of production, a model appropriate for a more circular society. In fact, the access criteria for the Next Generation fund highlights the importance of committing to sustainability, innovation and digitalisation. 30% of the budget of the Recovery plan for Europe is dedicated to the ecological transition, so the Next Generation fund will act as a lever to reactivate and accelerate the green transition and the digital transformation towards a circular economy.

There are several businesses associated with the Cluster that have presented their project proposals and declarations of interest both within Galicia and on a national level. Undoubtably this is a train that Galicia in general as well as our sector specifically should decidedly climb aboard. The Next Generation funds present an opportunity for transformation that we cannot afford to miss.

What does the fact that we have three universities in our community and various technological centres mean for the environment and the circular economy?

We believe the Galician ecosystem of innovation to be in great shape. It has renowned and relevant players throughout its value chain and we must take advantage of this. At Viratec, we think that the effort and investment in innovation associated with the environment and the circular economy should be increased. This is the only way we can tackle the present and future challenges we face in order to advance together to create a sustainable planet.

One of our specific strategies here at Viratec is to bring research and knowledge creation to management and production activities in our community in order to encourage collaboration between public, private, university and technological administrations. It’s a necessity.

Will we see a boost in entrepreneurship and green employment?

We are living in a time when the winds are favourable for the implementation of environmental solutions that lead to a circular economy. Both administrations and business organisations have assumed this concept as an essential part of their strategies. We should take advantage of this favourable environment to go with the flow and establish stable public-private collaborations that enable the elimination of social and regulatory barriers which are still in existence.

If, through this collaboration we can get past these barriers, we will undoubtably enter a new era of our economy which could be interpreted in a few years as an authentic ecological transformation.

The Galicia Business Office is focused on the entrepreneurship, growth, establishment of businesses in Galicia Do you think this resource can generate the confidence needed for investors and entrepreneurs?

A particular feature of Galicia is the Administration's firm commitment to promoting different measures and tools to foster public-private collaboration. At Viratec we consider the establishment of strong and stable partnerships between the administration and the private sector to be vital, as they lead to the creation of a positive dynamic of innovation and entrepreneurship, which will eventually generate economic development and prosperity for Galician society.

Investors and entrepreneurs need ease of implementation, access to finance, a stable policy and regulatory framework, adequate services and infrastructure, quality training, skilled labour... If we work to provide them with this, and promote it properly, then confidence comes naturally.

Some businesses in the sector represented by Viratec have already crossed borders, successfully carrying out their process of internationalisation. Is this a good opportunity for Galician knowledge and talent?

Previously we have talked about the Galician character of the Cluster, but it is important to qualify that our vision has no borders. Viratec is a cluster of Galician environmental solutions with the potential for implementation on Galicia or any other location, be it national or international, given that the environmental challenges that we face are global. The Cluster was created free from any type of limitation or complexity in this sense and is open to take advantage of any type of opportunity that places value on the potential of our sector.

In Galicia we have a lot of talent and specific knowledge in different fields and are a national and European point of reference in several of the sectors I have mentioned, and even in research and innovation projects. Of course this is an opportunity! And it is up to us to take full advantage of it.

What would you say to someone who is thinking about developing a business project so they consider Galicia to be an ideal place for their investment?

I think if this hypothetical investor were to read this interview, they would realise that in Galicia we have all of the ingredients necessary to develop ambitious projects, and if they were unconvinced of this, at Viratec we would be delighted to mobilise and unite our associates’ capacities to help them to resolve this.