Innovation

Innovation is one of the essential factors for a country's economic growth, which is why it is a significant part of European and national policies. It is also set as one of the keys to job creation, medium-term growth, productivity and, ultimately, improving competitiveness.

The Ministry of Science and Innovation carries out actions that promote innovation in both companies and public bodies. Specifically, Public Innovation Procurement (CPI) aims to enhance innovation in the public and private sectors through public procurement, so that innovative solutions are incorporated in Public Administrations and innovation is encouraged in companies.

The transfer of knowledge is one of the action priorities in the Spanish Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy. The main objective is to position Spain among the countries with the highest level of innovation, ensuring that the transfer of knowledge has an impact in terms of generating progress.

To do this, it is necessary to promote the transfer of knowledge and to develop two-way links between science and business (especially SMEs) through the mutual understanding of needs and objectives. It is also of the utmost importance to ensure public-private cooperation in the different stages of the value chain: from the initial stages of the development of technologies in which the application of knowledge will be encouraged, until products of interest to society reach the market. National R&D&I needs to prioritise and respond to the challenges of strategic sectors.

Progress has been made in recent years in terms of public policies aimed at promoting regional innovation ecosystems towards a new, more participatory and collaborative approach. This shift in science and innovation policies is oriented towards a new model of multilevel governance around shared challenges, with a territory-oriented vision that promotes the efficient use of all regions’ capacities, encourages interregional cooperation and addresses persistent territorial innovation gaps.

The “European Strategic Energy Technology Plan” (SET Plan) is a key instrument for promoting the transition to a climate-neutral energy system, through the development of innovative, low-carbon and cost-competitive technologies. The SET Plan was established in 2007 and, since the creation of the Energy Union in 2015, it has become one of the main instruments of its fifth pillar dedicated to research, innovation and competitiveness. Spain is a member of the Steering Group and the Bureau, the governing bodies of the SET Plan.