ICT and the new economy
Value-adding technology
From the very moment at which the agriculture crisis triggered, in the mid-1900s, the great process of reconversion towards tile making, this interest in innovation has strongly marked the evolution of the economy of Castellón.
In recent decades, having digested the demographic leap with successive stages of economic expansion and growth, technological innovation has experienced its own boom in the context of an increasingly complex society that demands services aimed at improving people’s quality of life. There are already dozens of companies in Castellón that create wealth from within the technology sector, which generates great expectations and attracts financial resources, helping these companies to launch their products and services on the national and international markets.
However, the factor that best defines the companies in this sector, which is also highly heterogeneous, is their future potential.
3,000+ jobs in the province
The Xarxatec association, which initially brought the sector together, has expanded to include traditional companies with a technological component. It currently has more than 70 member companies, representing more than 25,000 workers and a turnover of 3.5 billion euros.
The importance of the ecosystem
The first pieces of this puzzle have been falling into place in an emerging innovation ecosystem in which various actors have been working since the late 1990s. The European Centre for Innovative Companies in Castellón, the Universitat Jaume I Science and Business Park (Espaitec), the Castellón Chamber of Commerce and other initiatives spread throughout the province, such as the Globalis Foundation in Vila-real and the Vinalab space in Vinaròs, have laid the foundations of this environment in which the synergies favoured by the creation of new business incubators, amplified by the more recent emergence of co-working spaces, have become increasingly important.
In this regard, the Chamber has had a competitive incubator in Vila-real for several years, with 38 offices perfectly equipped to respond to the needs of companies and encourage them to generate shared initiatives.
A fertile ground for prosperity
The economic dynamism of the province and the diversification of the investment of business profits has led to the rise of different technology companies in Castellón, contributing to the configuration of a hub that is capable of attracting talent and more companies.
Innovation and technology-based companies, whether they are start-ups or not, find in the province of Castellón a fertile ground in which they can thrive. In 2021, a report on investment trends carried out by the Bankinter Foundation made this point, referring to Castellón de la Plana as one of the country’s leading cities in this area, based on the indicators of capital invested in previous years.
The future, in the technological hub at the Port of Castellón
The promotion and development of a technological hub located in the old cinemas of the Moll de Costa, in the heart of the Port of Castellón, is the sector’s great commitment. In February 2024, the Port Authority of Castellón and the Regional Ministry of Industry, Innovation, Trade, and Tourism signed a protocol to coordinate policies involving innovation and support for the technology-based entrepreneurial ecosystem in the province, channelled through Espaitec and Xarxatec. The tender for the construction project has a budget allocation of 100,000 euros.
The aim of the technology hub is to attract major companies and promote training and talent development not only for the technology industry, but also for the port sector, the Internet of Things (IoT), construction, water, and the environment, among other sectors of the provincial economy.
Main Entities
Collaborators
