Author: administrador

• The forum was attended by Víctor Rubio Gómez, director of strategy and innovation at Masergrup and former member of the Finnova team
• The presentation was focused on his professional career and the opportunities that his time at Finnova brought him

26/10/2023, Brussels. Last Tuesday, October 24, the Finnova Foundation headquarters in Brussels hosted the VI Next Talent Generation Forum. This sixth edition counted with the participation of Víctor Rubio Gómez, Director of Strategy and Innovation at Masergrup and former member of the Finnova team in Brussels.

During the talk, Rubio explained to the Brussels team details of his successful career, which began as an intern at Finnova between 2011 and 2012. About those beginnings, Rubio highlighted the opportunity that Finnova provided for his career at a time when “the outlook was very bad” due to the Spanish property bubble crisis.

Thanks to his training at Finnova, Rubio began to become a professional in the field of European funds, “an area in those years in which there was a general lack of knowledge about,” he said. His specialization in European funds and his passion for innovation led him to continue his career focused on R&D, maintaining his link with European funding through the promotion of Horizon 2020 funds. On this aspect, Rubio stressed the importance of “not being mere fund-raisers, but having a business vision, conscientiously reviewing the calls, knowing how to add value and how to ensure that the grant ends up having an impact on the real economy”.

Since 2021, Rubio has held the position of Director of Strategy and Innovation at Masergrup, a business group from Reus that integrates reference companies such as Global Fruselva (baby food), Vermuts Miró (spirits), and TQ Tecnol (professional products for industry). It is a business group with more than 25 years of history that has production plants in Spain, Colombia and Chile; representative offices in the same countries as well as in the USA, Mexico and China and presence in more than 53 countries with presence in the professional, health, food and service industries.

The Finnova team in Brussels then inquired about his professional career and the lessons he learned from his time at Finnova. Rubio highlighted the good fortune of working alongside the Foundation’s CEO, Juan Manuel Revuelta, from whom he stressed the importance of hard work, love for the profession “whatever it may be” and team management. “From Juanma I learned how important it is to love the profession and the capacity for sacrifice that you have to have in order for projects to become a reality, since there are many people in the world and if you don’t execute the projects, they will be the ones to do it,” concluded Rubio.

Other aspects discussed at the roundtable included issues such as success, a subject on which Rubio was cautious. “Success is very relative. I understand that many of you are at the beginning of your careers and that, sometimes, you want to achieve everything very quickly, but from my experience, I can tell you that if you work, you will get where you want to go, but step by step,” Rubio said.

Finally, another of the topics that took center stage in the debate between Rubio and the Finnova team was the role of the consumer and the keys to reach him. Rubio stressed the importance of managing to apply innovation to the real economy, but in a way that does not affect the consumer “too much”. “Many times, the consumer is blamed for the failure of the products, when in reality, the failure lies in not having listened to their needs; it is a simple task of listening to the consumer; to the whole environment and giving the person who is going to pay for your products what they don’t know they want but need at a price they are willing to pay,” concluded Rubio.

Res4City Project

From Finnova Foundation, we thank Rubio for his intervention in the VI Next Talent Generation Forum, which serves as an example for our workers who are starting and orienting their professional careers. During this talk, Rubio explained how he started in the field of innovation thanks to Finnova, a European foundation that supports the financing of innovation in companies, regions and municipalities. Finnova is currently a partner in the European project RES4CITY, an innovative 2.5 million euro educational project 100% funded by the European Commission through the Horizon Europe program. The RES4CITY education program, whose main objective is to bridge the skills gap that is slowing our transition to sustainable energy, will be designed by a multidisciplinary group of partners from academia, industry and European NGOs with expertise in energy management, renewable energy systems, renewable fuel technologies and the development and implementation of sustainability strategy design.

About the Finnova Foundation

Finnova is a foundation working for the promotion and development of innovation and entrepreneurship at the EU level. Based in Brussels, it operates through collaborations and partnerships in all countries of the European Union. Finnova’s experience in leading European project communication and dissemination activities is combined with a strong proven expertise in start-ups and business support programs, such as accelerators, incubators and ceremonial event selection and awarding.

• This day aims to alert the worldwide community about the harmful and devastating effects of climate change on the planet
• Finnova joins the commemoration of this day as a partner in three LIFE projects, the European Union’s funding instrument for the environment and climate action

Today, Tuesday October 24th, is the International Day against Climate Change, to alert the world community about the harmful and devastating effects of climate change on the planet. This ephemeris is supported by the United Nations (UN), an initiative that advocates the generation of actions to counteract climate change and is aligned with Sustainable Development Goal number 13: Climate Action.

Climate change is the global variation of the planet’s climate and temperature, generated over the long term by natural causes. During the last century, pollution generated by human activity has accelerated this process at an alarming rate due to the emission of greenhouse gases generated by factors such as the burning of fossil fuels, land use, energy use and industrial activities.

These gases cause an increase in temperatures, generating the phenomenon of global warming, which is the cause of climate change. Some of the global effects are the increase in average temperatures and sea levels, melting ice in the Arctic or the increase in extreme weather events (droughts, fires, water shortages and floods, among others).

Finnova Foundation, as an entity committed to sustainable development, circular economy and water and waste management, joins the commemoration of this day in which it is intended to remember the importance of fighting against climate change. As part of this commitment, Finnova is currently a partner in three LIFE projects, the European Union’s funding instrument for the environment and climate action.

With a budget of €970,000, the LIFE ECOdigestion 2.0 project aims to make use of biogas as a reliable and green energy source to meet industrial energy demand. The initiative, which will run until February 2024, is led by a consortium led by Global Omnium (Spain), in partnership with Águas do Centro Litoral (Portugal) and the Finnova Foundation (Belgium).

The European LIFE NextFUMIGREEN project is actively promoting food safety by developing natural fumigants from plant extracts to control pests in intensive greenhouse horticultural crops. The project, which will have positive effects on biodiversity and climate change, has a budget of €2,758,921.01, and is led by the Spanish company FumiHogar, with five other partners: the Foundation for Agricultural Auxiliary Technologies (TECNOVA); the Finnova Foundation; B&B Asesores Auditores Ambientales; Comercial Quimica Masso, and BrioAgro Tech.

LIFE COSTAdapta has the main objective of addressing the adaptation of the coast of Gran Canaria to sea level rise through an innovative methodology. To this end, the objective is to design and test an innovative and progressive Tidal pool-reef system, which uses, partially, the traditional technique of tidal pool construction, common elements in the Canary Islands and the rest of Macaronesia, for the coastal adaptation of Gran Canaria to climate change. The project, which has a duration of 7 years and a total budget of 3,409,864 €, is coordinated by the Consejo Insular de Energía de Gran Canaria (CIEGC) of the Cabildo de Gran Canaria with the support of 7 partners: Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC); Universidad de Cantabria (UC); INGECID S.L.; Raley Estudios Costeros S.C.P.; ECOncrete AQUA; Fundación Canar.

About Finnova Foundation

Finnova is a foundation working for the promotion and development of innovation and entrepreneurship at EU level. Based in Brussels, it operates through collaborations and partnerships in all countries of the European Union. Finnova’s experience in leading European project communication and dissemination activities is combined with a strong proven expertise in start-ups and business support programs, such as accelerators, incubators and ceremonial event selection and awarding.

• The forum was attended by Dr. Rafael Escamilla, Director of External Relations of the Instituto Valenciano de Competitividad Empresarial (Valencian Institute of Business Competitiveness).

• The event covered topics such as the work of development agencies, the promotion of innovation and the challenges faced by SMEs.

13/10/2023, Brussels. Yesterday, Thursday October 12th, Finnova’s offices in Brussels hosted the V. Next Talent Generation Forum, with the participation of Dr. Rafael Escamilla Domínguez, Director of External Relations of the Instituto Valenciano de Competitividad Empresarial (IVACE). This space was used to explain the work of development agencies and to put his experience at the service of our team in Brussels.

The first part of the forum focused on the role of the regions within the European Union and the internationalization and innovation as a factor of European development. Rafael Escamilla highlighted the importance of regional development agencies, regional programs to support business competitiveness and business incubators, the implementation of technology center networks, the digitization of SMEs, and business sustainability policies, among others.

On development agencies, the speaker drew on his extensive experience as a member of the executive committee of EURADA (European Association of Development Agencies) and secretary general of the ADR forum (Spanish Association of Regional Development Agencies) to explain the work of these large networks of development agencies and their importance for the competitiveness and growth of SMEs. “We are in charge of coordinating the participation of companies, we guide regional policies that support business support programs in R&D&I, sustainability or entrepreneurship. We provide interlocutors to entities and companies when embarking on projects, we look for research centers to create consortiums,… in short, we are dynamizers”.

In the second part of the forum, our team put on the table several issues that were discussed in this space. The first of the issues to be addressed was the textile sector and its adaptation to the 2030 Agenda and the European Union’s sustainability objectives. Rafael Escamilla stressed the importance of this sector, as well as mature industrial sectors, being able to adapt to these new guidelines, remarking that beyond the speed at which they meet the objectives, “the importance is to be on the way”. He also added the need to show SMEs in the sector the tools they have to be more competitive, such as technology centers or the use of European funds.

Precisely, European funds were the next topic on the table. Escamilla took the opportunity to highlight some of the problems that are occurring in order for this aid to reach the real economy, given the sometimes overly complex regulatory situation.

The last topic of the forum focused on the business skills most in demand when it comes to entrepreneurship, and Escamilla drew on his experience in the sector to advise our team in this area. First, he stressed the importance of knowing the context in which one intends to undertake (knowing the state of the situation, the real needs of the market, market niches, ways to differentiate oneself from competitors, etc.). Secondly, he emphasized the interest that the entrepreneur must put in structuring an adequate, realistic financial plan that is adjusted to the company’s capabilities. As a last piece of advice on this area, Rafael Escamilla added that the most recent SMEs are adapting to the spaces where their activity is located, implementing local raw materials and linking innovation to the territories. “This is a very important step, taking into account the territorial imbalance that Spain has in innovation. The new economy marks us stronger poles focused on cities, and we must bet on innovation in uninhabited areas to curb depopulation, using the new environments of digitization or sustainability through proximity economies,” concluded Escamilla.

About Finnova:

Finnova is a Brussels-based organization dedicated to promoting innovation, research and investment in Europe. Its commitment to collaboration and training of young researchers fits perfectly with the EDGE project and its employability objectives.

• The GIVE project aims to reduce the environmental impact of digital learning by supporting VET providers’ green digital competences
• Finnova attended the event as a partner of the Erasmus + DESTINE project, to keep up to date with the latest trends in the field of VET

19/10/2023, Brussels. On Tuesday, September 17, the offices of the European Vocational Training Association (EVTA) in Brussels hosted the final event of the European GIVE project, in order to disseminate and extend among stakeholders the scope of the results of this Erasmus+ project. The event marked the completion of two years of fruitful cooperation between the partners and the implementation of the GIVE project, which helps VET providers to participate in the green and digital transitions. Finnova attended the event as a partner of the DESTINE project to keep abreast of the latest developments in VET.

The introductory speech was given by Tatjana Babrauskiené, member of the European Economic and Social Committee, who stressed the importance of these initiatives to support VET and education. “The latest crisis has shown us that education is always one of the hardest hit sectors when resources are cut,” concluded Babrauskiené. Another of the facts that Babrauskiené emphasized from the event was the link that this project was making between digital skills and green skills, as the digital transition will be “a value that all sectors will have to incorporate”.

Susanne Nielsen, leader of the European Training Foundation’s (ETF) GRETA (Greening Responses to Excellence Through Thematic Actions) project, then took the floor. Nielsen explained the ETF’s main tasks, which focus on helping the EU’s neighboring countries to reform their education and training systems, contributing to the social and economic development and long-term stability of these territories. Nielsen also gave some hints about GRETA, which addresses the challenges related to the delivery of green skills as a response to the dual challenge of ecological and digital transformations, achieved by incorporating green principles into VET.

The next part of the event consisted of a panel discussion on the importance of promoting digital and green habits in schools, companies and institutions and ways to do so. Giovanni Manisi (ENAIP FVG) agreed on the fact of the new paradigm raised by the COVID-19 pandemic. “After COVID, we worked on sustainability and digitization and ways to achieve a greener digitization.”

The next panelist was Léa Ichikawa, project manager at The Digital Collective, who introduced the Digital Competence Development System Methodology (DCDS). The methodology was part of an Erasmus + pilot project tested in 5 countries, in which the learning outcomes consisted in the identification of places to deposit obsolete and/or worn out ICT elements and measures to save energy and environmental resources).

Mathieu Rama, programme manager at ECOS, took the floor to talk about the work of this international NGO with a network of members and experts who advocate for environmentally friendly technical standards, policies and laws. In this case, Maza insisted on the need to use sustainable electronic products and batteries, as this is the fastest growing waste stream in the world, in addition to the possibility of triggering conflicts, human rights violations, chemical contamination and environmental degradation.

The event concluded with a presentation of the context, results and challenges of the GIVE project by the partners. Melisa Özdilek, project manager at My Green Training Box, presented the platform launched by the consortium, a digital training course to introduce sustainable ITIs to VET providers.

David Ekchajzer, co-founder of Hubblo, pointed out the main findings of the project, focusing on the impact of education on the carbon footprint. In this case, the project concludes that, for vocational education and training, travel to attend a course has a greater impact than course-related household energy, even though this increases household energy consumption. Other important findings were the impact of equipment lifetime and the value of reducing the energy consumption of educational buildings.

Diogo Morais, researcher and professor at Universidade Lusófona, highlighted some of the recommendations made by GIVE, such as avoiding duplication, extending the useful life of objects, promoting low-carbon modes of transport and controlling energy use.

Finnova attended the event as a partner of the Erasmus + DESTINE project, to keep abreast of the latest trends in the VET environment. Finnova celebrates the advances that are taking place in distance VET, advances that are aligned with values that the foundation champions such as access to education or sustainable development.

About DESTINE

The Erasmus + DESTINE (DivErSity and Tolerance IN E-Environment) project was created with the aim of promoting online vocational training that ensures support for diversity, inclusion and tolerance, providing the necessary tools for all professionals and students to adapt to the e-learning methodology. DESTINE focuses especially on those vocational training students who need a learning environment adapted to their needs.

About FINNOVA

Finnova is the Spanish-Belgian non-profit foundation based in Brussels and Spain, working for the promotion and development of innovation and entrepreneurship in the EU. Finnova’s experience in leading communication and dissemination activities of European projects is combined with a solid proven track record in business creation and entrepreneurship support programs, such as accelerators, incubators and events, as well as its commitment to training and employability of young people.

• In this edition will be held more than 7,700 to publicize the projects funded by this program.
• Finnova, as an entity committed to access to employment and youth, participates as a partner in 4 Erasmus + projects.

09/10/2023, Brussels. From yesterday, Monday October 9th until Saturday October 14th, the Erasmus Days 2023 will take place, six days that will highlight the cultural diversity of Europe and the numerous learning opportunities that this integrated program of the European Union for education, training, youth and sport offers. During these days, beneficiaries of the Erasmus+ program, European stakeholders and alumni organize events where they share their experience and disseminate the projects they are involved in for all those interested in this European program. This edition will feature 7,732 events open to everyone, even those who have not participated in an Erasmus+ project.

Erasmus Days are an excellent way to promote the richness of European mobility and the successes of the Erasmus+ program, showcasing the benefits of the learning experiences it offers. In addition, Erasmus Days 2023 falls within the framework of the European Year of Skills, a unique opportunity to recognize the importance of Europe’s cultural diversity and for participants to discover new cultures, strengthen their language and intercultural skills, develop their employability and embrace the European values of tolerance, respect and diversity.

With more than 35 years of history, Erasmus + offers mobility and cooperation opportunities in higher education and vocational training, adult education, youth and sport, and has an estimated budget of 26.2 billion euros for the period 2021-2027, which will be allocated to areas such as social inclusion, ecological and digital transitions, and promoting the participation of young people in democratic life.

The Finnova Foundation, which specializes in areas such as access to employment, training and youth, promotes innovation in these areas by being a partner in various projects funded by the Erasmus + program. Currently, Finnova is partner of 8 Erasmus + projects that promote inclusion and diversity in remote education, the improvement of the security preparedness of Civil Protection workers, the proposal of actions that apply artificial intelligence from an ethical point of view, the support of youth employment in the agricultural sector, the participation of young people in democracy or the inclusion of girls in careers.

The DESTINE (DivErSity and Tolerance IN E-Environment) project responds to the challenge of raising the issues of diversity and tolerance within an online and distance learning environment, and aims to develop the skills and competencies of Vocational Training teachers, trainers and mentors in this area. The pandemic and the subsequent implementation of online education created the need for vocational educators and trainers, teachers and mentors to integrate the challenges of diversity and tolerance into online and digital learning programs.

The SETOFF project aims to improve the preparedness and job security of Civil Protection personnel, both public and private, for future crises and emergencies. The core of the project is the development of an innovative online training curriculum based on a proven and successfully applied simulation model, combined with the latest scientific knowledge as well as a comprehensive needs analysis.

LivAI proposes several ways to approach technology and data in particular from an ethical perspective, within a certification framework that guarantees standards for any kind of learning and work. The project aligns with the aforementioned Digital Education Action Plan, which aims to foster digital skills and competencies for all citizens and explore the impact of AI on education and training through pilot testing.

Finally, the Smart and Digital Agriculture (SDA Project) has as its main objective to promote and support youth employment in the agricultural sector through medicinal and aromatic plants with high value in agriculture. To achieve this objective it seeks to Raise awareness of unconscious agricultural practices, Support digitization in agriculture and Develop smart and virtual agricultural practices and a training program.

BETTER-EU aims to encourage the participation of young people in European political life and to make them aware of the functioning of the European institutions and their relationship with the rural environment. In this line, this promotion of the institutions encourages young people to be more participative in the democratic life of their municipality, proposing initiatives that they believe are necessary.

Girls4Tech and 100 Women Plus are initiatives in which Finnova is a participant in the field of female entrepreneurship. Girls4Tech is committed to support training, skills generation and the promotion of STEM careers, initiatives aimed at girls from 8 to 18 years old. 100 Women Plus aims to strengthen the presence of European and African women in the economic and business sectors by establishing new mechanisms for female participation, strengthening the ecosystem of women entrepreneurs in participating countries and creating networks and partnerships between institutions in Europe and Africa.

Related to the textile sector are the final mission of the MANUFACTURING 4.ALL project and TEXTIL4ALL. The mission of the first project is to create an educational and training model for young unemployed people with the aim of contributing to the municipal transformation towards a more digitalized business fabric and a greater entrepreneurial spirit among citizens. On the other hand, the TEXTIL4ALL project aims to provide training on the textile sector in terms of sustainability, as well as to promote the employability of people at risk of social exclusion in marginal neighborhoods or vulnerable situations, mostly women, in order to reduce the gender gap in these situations.

About Finnova Foundation

Finnova is a foundation working for the promotion and development of innovation and entrepreneurship at EU level. Based in Brussels, it operates through collaborations and partnerships in all countries of the European Union. Finnova’s experience in leading European project communication and dissemination activities is combined with a strong proven expertise in start-ups and business support programs, such as accelerators, incubators and ceremonial event selection and awarding.

• Funded with €4 million by the COSME program and with a duration of 36 months, Fu-Tourism seeks to establish a solid ecosystem that will provide a lasting impact on the tourism sector, promoting its resilience to future challenges and aligning with the objectives of the EU’s European Green Deal.

• An acceleration program will identify and support a total of 102 tourism SMEs from the six European countries that are part of the project: Spain, Greece, Croatia, Belgium, Austria, and Poland.

Supporting European tourism SMEs in their transition towards a green, digital and inclusive economy, while focusing on the application of the principles of the regenerative economy. This is the main objective of the European project “FU-TOURISM 5.0 – Future-Ready Business Support Ecosystem for Tourism SME Transition to Green and Digital Resilience” which has just started. Funded with 4 million euros by the COSME program and a duration of 36 months (3 years), the project involves eight partners from seven European countries.

Fu-TOURISM 5.0 will develop a support ecosystem for tourism SMEs, promoting greater cooperation in innovation between these companies and incubators and accelerators in the sector. To this end, it will launch an acceleration program that will identify and support a total of 102 SMEs.

During the acceleration program, 10 SMEs from each country will be selected in a transparent and open manner to receive a 5-month support and a grant of 20,000 euros. In addition, the Scaling Up program will select 42 SME consortia (7 per-country) to receive a grant of 30,000 euros and related business support.

Tourism SME Transition Living Labs

Coordinated by Eupolis (Croatia), the project has seven other partners: DUBROVNIK CITY (Croatia), Consell Insular de Menorca (Spain), Finnova (Belgium), Envolve (Greece), SYNYO (Austria), Vestbee (Poland) and Open Impact (Italy).

One of the main pillars of the FU-TOURISM 5.0 project is the development of a platform and a network of 4-Helix Collaborative Clusters, known as Living Labs for the Transition of Tourism SMEs.

These clusters will enable SMEs to be placed at the center of the tourism ecosystem, adopting a multi-stakeholder approach that takes into account the broader needs of the destination, visitors and local citizens.

In the context of the European Union, the COSME Program has proven to be a driver of development for businesses and SMEs in Europe. FU-TOURISM 5.0 is part of the list of projects funded by COSME between 2021 and 2027, standing out as a joint effort to boost economic growth, job creation and foster business competitiveness on the continent.

Unique opportunity to transform the tourism sector

FU-TOURISM 5.0 not only represents an opportunity for European tourism SMEs, but also for the unique UNESCO tourist destinations; the City of DUBROVNIK, a UNESCO Heritage City (listed in 1979), and the Island of MENORCA, Biosphere Reserve (listed in 1993); which will be part of the program’s pilot projects.

These destinations will test the overall Destination Management Organizations (DMO) strategy and support for tourism SMEs, supported by EUPOLIS, which will integrate the Tourism Impact Model (TIM) and the Digital Readiness Index (DRI) to measure and report on the sustainable and digital transition of SMEs and destinations.

The FU-TOURISM 5.0 project, aligned with the objectives of the European Green Pact and the EU Digital Single Market, presents a unique opportunity to transform the tourism sector towards a greener, more resilient and digitized model.

• The project seeks to generate a solid ecosystem that provides a lasting impact on the tourism sector, promoting its resilience to future challenges, aligning with the objectives of the EU’s European Green Pact.

• Funded with 4 million euros by the COSME program and with a duration of 36 months, its main objective is to support the transition of European small and medium-sized tourism enterprises towards a green and inclusive economy in tourism sustainability.

On International Tourism Day, September 27, 2023, the Valencia Exhibition Palace was the venue for the presentation of the European project “FU-TOURISM 5.0 – Future-Ready Business Support Ecosystem for Tourism SME Transition to Green and Digital Resilience”, which seeks to develop a support ecosystem for tourism SMEs, promoting greater cooperation in innovation between these companies, incubators and accelerators.

The presentation was part of The Tourism Innovation Day organized by Finnova, a day that brought together three events to promote the attraction of talent in the tourism sector, position Valencia as a laboratory of best practices in tourism in the framework of its distinction as European Green Capital 2024 and share funding opportunities for this industry through European funds.

Valencia, towards sustainable tourism with the FU-TOURISM 5.0 Project

The “Fu-Tourism 5.0” Forum presented the European COSME project, which emerges as a transcendental opportunity for the city of Valencia and its thriving tourism industry.

After a networking coffee, the event started with a first block in which Juanma Revuelta, CEO of Finnova presented the “COSME Fu-Tourism 5.0 Project”, where he explained the main objectives of the project, among them, the acceleration program that will identify and support 102 tourism SMEs from six participating European countries: Spain, Greece, Croatia, Belgium, Austria and Poland through support services for sustainability, inclusive business models and direct financial assistance.

Revuelta assured that, “with the European Agenda for Tourism 2030, the competitiveness of the tourism sector must be consolidated, understood as an engine of sustainable growth, employment and social cohesion in the EU for the next decade as it must also be, above all sustainable, resilient, digital, global and social.” “At a crucial time when sustainability is imperative, this project offers strong support to local small and medium-sized tourism businesses to transition to a greener and more resilient approach.”, he concluded.

Paula Mª Llobet Vilarrasa, Deputy Mayor Valencia, offered the European Green Capital in 2024 as a municipal laboratory of good environmental and sustainability practices.

Likewise, Juan José Cortés Vélez, General Director of Innovation of the Regional Ministry of Innovation, Industry, Trade and Tourism of the Valencian Region; highlighted that European projects are an essential ally in the materialization of a vision of responsible tourism, thus boosting economic growth, the preservation of the environment and the positioning of Valencia as a leading destination in the European context. “Tourism has five challenges to face right now: the new consumer, sustainability, digital transformation, the use of data and governance,” Cortés concluded.

With the distinction of Valencia as European Green Capital 2024, FU-TOURISM 5.0 stands as an essential ally in the materialization of a vision of responsible tourism, thus boosting economic growth, the preservation of the environment and the positioning of Valencia as a leading destination in the European context.

This was confirmed by the different actors participating in the Table of Synergies and projects.

The next speaker was Juan José Cabrera, CEO of Alstenda, who focused his presentation on sustainability and the effect of digitalization on tourism. Cabrera remarked the relevance that digitalization must have when transforming the tourism industry towards a sustainable industry, as digitalization was a catalyst for other previous changes in the tourism industry in the 90s. In addition, Cabrera insisted that fighting tourismphobia is another of the industry’s current challenges. “It is important that the benefit generated by tourism stays in the tourist sites, in the businesses in those areas, since tourism phobia appears when the enclaves only suffer a negative impact from this activity,” Cabrera concluded.

Francisco Contreras, director of the Parador de El Saler, also insisted on the need for a paradigm shift, leading to a transformation of tourismphobia into tourismphilia. “We must take advantage of the synergies that can arise from tourism, and think that tourism is not only a source of economic value, but tourism also allows us to create intercultural ties,” concluded Contreras.

On the other hand, Contreras explained another of the structural changes that are taking place in the industry, which is moving away from agglomeration tourism to focus on more sustainable tourism, “a sustainability that is here to stay, as this is what the client is looking for”.

Alberto Galloso, head of the HOSBEC Valencia delegation, also insisted on the importance of sustainability and its connection with technology for a faster transformation. Galloso indicated the steps to be followed when working from a sustainable perspective: identifying aspects of sustainable tourism, providing healthy working environments, providing management tools, generating agreements and collaborations and communication.

The second block was closed by Juanma Romero, director and presenter of TVE’s “Emprende”, who stressed the importance of communication methodologies for entrepreneurship as an added value for European projects.

In short, this event has laid the foundations for the creation of a Laboratory of Best Practices through projects such as FU-TOURISM 5.0 as essential allies in the materialization of a vision of responsible tourism.

This Laboratory aims to promote economic growth, environmental preservation and the positioning of Valencia as a leading destination in the European context, laying the foundations for a resilient and prosperous tourism industry in the future.

Fu-Tourism 5.0

Funded with 4 million euros by the COSME program and a duration of 36 months (3 years), the Fu-Tourism project involves eight partners from seven European countries. To develop a support ecosystem for tourism SMEs, promoting greater cooperation in innovation between these companies and incubators and accelerators in the sector.

This project takes on special relevance in the EU scenario where the tourism sector, according to the latest European Parliament Factsheet, encompasses 2.3 million companies, mostly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and employs some 12.3 million people.

ABOUT THE FINNOVA FOUNDATION

Finnova is the Spanish-Belgian foundation based in Brussels and Spain (headquartered in Valencia), which works for the promotion and development of innovation and entrepreneurship in the EU. Finnova’s experience in leading communication and dissemination activities of European projects is combined with a solid proven track record in business creation and entrepreneurship support programs, such as accelerators, incubators and events, as well as its commitment to training and employability of young people.