Digitalisation and the use of Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) have recorded unprecedented growth in the last two years, to become one of the key sectors for overcoming the economic consequences of the pandemic.

Against this backdrop, a new scenario of opportunities has opened up, accelerating investment in innovation and placing the ICT sector at the top of the list of priorities for businesses. So much so that, in its commitment to digitalising companies, Galicia now considers technological development and sustainability to be overarching facets of the many programmes that will transform its production model.

One example is the encouragement to the creation of the Cidade das TIC (ICT City) in A Coruña, which will be, according to Antonio Rodríguez de Corral, the chairman of the ICT Cluster Galicia, “a constant showcase of digital solutions for the different economic sectors, as well as innovation by universities and technology centres”.

A sustainable, innovative project

The Cidade das TIC is an initiative sponsored by the University of A Coruña and the ICT Cluster Galicia, with support from the Xunta de Galicia.

Its facilities, of over 128,000 square metres, are located in the former arms factory in A Coruña and the remodelling project follows the leading sustainability standards. The architectural plan highlights efficiency and respect for the environment. 

The plan includes more than 10,000 square metres of parking spaces and direct transport to the city. It also offers a variety of different spaces, from small offices to entire buildings. In addition, a specialised university education centre, an ICT R&D centre and a high-tech accelerator and incubator will be installed.

For its sponsors, it is an example of a public-private partnership supported by the Xunta de Galicia, which is contributing €4.8 million to the implementation of an Advanced ICT Services Centre through the Igape (the Galician Institute for Economic Development). The centre will be home to a number of artificial intelligence labs and other technologies that will allow companies to create and test prototypes for their projects.

There will also be the Galaxy-Lab for experimentation with drones belonging to the ITG (Galicia Technology Institute), which, according to Galicia’s first vice president and Regional Minister of Economy, Industry and Innovation, Francisco Conde, “will contribute to expanding the industrial footprint of Galicia and attract investment from companies interested in technological development”. This €1.1 million initiative also has the cooperation of the Xunta de Galicia, with 85% of its budget having been committed to date.

The ICT sector in Galicia: among the top five in Spain

The Galician business park will contain one of the benchmark technological innovation hubs both in Spain and internationally. For this reason, contacts have already been made with strategic countries like Colombia to set up a workgroup to explore new ways of collaborating in this field. 

Galicia is one of the regions with the highest number of technology companies in Spain, with more than 3,800 companies, placing it in fifth place nationwide. In addition, the Galician ICT sector accounts for 2.8% of the region’s GDP and 3.3% of its exports, demonstrating the good health of ICTs in Galicia. According to the chairman of the ICT Cluster Galicia, the trend continues to be upwards as, despite being “at the historical peak for employment in the sector, the demand seems to be unending”.