Galicia Avanza, the acceleration programme for the internationalisation of Galician SMEs, promoted by the First Vice-presidency and Regional Ministry of Economy, Industry and Innovation - through the Galician Innovation Agency (Gain) and the Galician Institute for Economic Promotion (Igape) - is intended to be the springboard needed by Galician SMEs that want to reach the international market based on R&D&I and sustainability.

The new accelerator, which was launched in Tecnopole, in the municipality of San Cibrao das Viñas, Ourense, within its Strategic Plan 2022-2024, seeks to take advantage of the current social and industrial demand, in order for the innovative solutions of Galician SMEs in any field or sector - and which are available or very close to the market - to establish a presence or become successful abroad in the shortest possible time.

What distinguishes this accelerator is that it is designed for technology-based SMEs in Galicia that have innovative solutions for exporting to other markets. Galicia Avanza will assist the consolidation of 30 companies in the international market through an eight-month work plan during which participants will have access to specialised advice and training services. Galicia Avanza is part of both Galicia's Smart Specialisation Strategy (RIS3) and the Programa de impulso a la innovación en las pymes (Programme to Boost Innovation in SMEs) and comes in addition to the specialised accelerators and incubators that the Xunta de Galicia has in place.

The 30 selected SMEs belong to very diverse sectors and offer very different products and services, such as a menstrual cup made from platinum silicone, furniture and other design products made from recycled plastic, an aerospace company dedicated to the development and manufacture of small satellites that seeks to position itself as a reference supplier in the supply of full missions, a firm that markets a housing unit made from shipping containers aimed mainly at campsites, and a company dedicated to the development and marketing of biological products for the control of pests and diseases in the agroforestry sector.

In the field of tourism, there is an agency specialising in selling tourist cruises, a company dedicated to the online marketing of spa stays, as well as a firm making advances in the management of automatic check-in at hotels.

From the food sector, a company was selected that manufactures and markets 100% plant-based sausage free of cereals and without the need for cold storage, a biotechnology company that seeks to introduce chymosin for milk curdling, a company focused on the production of pork products that needs support for the production of a line of organic products without additives for sale on the European market, a winery that wants to strengthen the internationalisation of its organic Albariño wine, and a system capable of analysing the keys to guaranteeing the sensory success of agri-food products.

In the field of biotechnology, support will be given to a platform for the automatic processing of neuroimages assisted by Artificial Intelligence; a company that obtains and markets marine biotoxins of interest to the agri-food, textile and cosmetics industries; a firm that aims to take advantage of the international boom in natural and ecological cosmetics by means of an ozonised oil with antiseptic, antioxidant, healing and regenerating properties produced by the company itself.

In the field of healthcare, a tool was selected for the digitalisation of the food service in hospitals and nursing homes, a platform that improves the process of allocating and scheduling patients and resources in oncological radiotherapy units, as well as data analysis software for application in the early stages of drug discovery.

A number of the entries focus on the energy sector, such as a system for monitoring medium and low voltage electricity distribution networks; a company that develops, manufactures and markets innovative portable energy storage, management and transformation devices for the aeronautical and industrial sectors; and a company providing services related to wind farms and wind turbines.

The ICT sector is represented through a virtual office for providing services to citizens, or a tool that helps decision-making and is useful for the analysis and evaluation of local and regional policies.