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.

This distinction recognises leading cities that have supported investments in infrastructure that promotes economic sustainability and improves our pattern of growth based on knowledge and innovation. Local entities play a key role in achieving the cohesion of innovation agents thanks to their proximity to citizens, companies and public institutions and bodies.

The Network of Science and Innovation Cities (INNPULSO) has been launched alongside the distinction.