CETEM participates in the TechGrow project webinar “Technology Watch: Fostering Innovation”

On October 30, CETEM participated in the webinar coordinated by FEDIT entitled “Technology Watch: Fostering Innovation.” The event, which was attended by more than 60 people, brought the TechGrow project to a close. The event agenda was as follows:

• Welcome and introduction – Juan Luis González López – Head of R+D+I Public Policies – Spanish Federation of Technology Centres (Fedit).
• Technology Watch and its benefits for the industry – Eliana Benjumeda – General Manager – Infoline Insight & Foresight.
• Technology Watch for Innovation – Jorge Riobó Iglesias – Competitive Intelligence Consultant – Technological Institute of Aragon (ITA).
• TechGrow Project Overview – Juan José Ortega – International Projects Director – Furniture and Wood Technology Centre of the Region of Murcia (CETEM).
• VINÇI tool: systematic technological surveillance – Josefina Garrido – R&D Director – Furniture and Wood Technology Centre of the Region of Murcia (CETEM).
• Closing and conclusions – Aureo Diaz-Carrasco Fenollar, Executive Director – Spanish Federation of Technology Centres (Fedit).

The event’s objectives included presenting the results achieved within the framework of the project, as well as providing attendees with useful information on Technology Watch (TW) processes, addressing this issue from different perspectives.

At first stay, Eliana Benjumeda provided a general overview of TW processes, explaining how aspects related to risk analysis, such as geopolitics or climate change, are factors that must be taken into account in technology watch processes, since they provide information of great importance to the industry.

For his part, Jorge Riobó focused on the importance of TW processes for Technology Centres , highlighting the relevance of its use in developing innovative projects. His speech provided a vision close to innovation, gividing examples of specific cases, where ITA has availed itself of TW to promote innovative projects.

Juan José Ortega, as project coordinator, presented the reasons that prompted the launch of the TechGrow project, the different members of the consortium, as well as the results achieved within the framework of this initiative, which aim to serve as a support for any entity that wishes to implement TW processes in its organisation.

Fourthly, Josefina Garrido presented the main elements of the TW VINÇI tool, as well as the different functionalities available in the three TW platforms created within the framework of the project, adapted to the furniture, textile and footwear sectors.

Finally, Aureo Díaz-Carrasco highlighted the commitment of the Technology Centres in promoting the implementation of TW processes in companies and encouraged that the results generated in the project, specifically the TW tools, should be exploited by more entities in the future, in order to promote innovation.

Both recording of the event as the presentations of the speakers can be consulted in the “library” from project website.