The Gran Canaria Island Council, the Canary Government and the ULPGC will invest 7 million Euros in blue biotechnology
The president of the Gran Canaria Island Council (Cabildo), Antonio Morales, announced today that 7 million Euros will be invested in 2018 and 2019 to boost the blue economy on the island, via various lines of work to be developed within the framework of the Bioasis Gran Canaria initiative.
The funding of 4.5 million Euros that the Department for RD&I has committed to providing the Cabildo of Gran Canaria, through an agreement that will soon be signed to develop activities related to the blue economy, includes a 1.5 million Euro allocation over two years for infrastructure and equipment linked to the facilities of the Ecoaqua University Institute, the Canary Islands Technology Institute and the Spanish Algae Bank.
In addition to the 4.5 million Euros, the island will benefit from an investment of 2.5 million Euros from the Canary Government's Agency for Research, Innovation and Information Society for the experimental area of Arinaga. Specifically, the aim of Bioasis Gran Canaria will be to redevelop this area which will focus on the cultivation and production of microalgae and aquaculture.
The Corporation for Economic Development of the Cabildo is, moreover, processing a request for a further 1.3 million Euros for a high-tech incubator, a space to simulate on a small scale various proposals that could later be transferred to a business environment.
Other lines of funding are geared towards defining tools for business funding and grants, exploitation of the island's marine resources in cooperation with its public research bodies , hiring young researchers and supporting specialised training.
The Councillor for RD&I of the Cabildo, Raúl García Brink, explained that taken together, these activities are aimed at raising around 60 million Euros of private investment in the next three years, business projects that are being analysed and which "are of the greatest importance" for the island.
The Cabildo, the Canary Government and the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria - organisations which make up the Blue Biotechnology and Aquaculture Platform (Bioasis Gran Canaria) through the Corporation for the Economic Development of Gran Canaria (SPEGC), the Canary Technology Institute, the Spanish Algae Bank and the Ecoaqua University Institute, are thus laying the foundations for the development of this industry under the new brand "Bioasis Gran Canaria", which was presented this morning with the Regional Councillor for Economy, Pedro Ortega, and the dean of the University, Rafael Robaina.
A platform open to the future
With the aim of boosting the blue economy and marine biotechnology through microalgae the Platform was established in July 2016 with a Protocol of Action which, in its Steering Committee this morning, was broadened to incorporate aquaculture as a sphere of action and the Ecoaqua University Institute. Furthermore, the new name of the Platform, "Bioasis Gran Canaria", with a new corporate identity brand, has been approved.
The Steering Committee also established the regulatory framework within which Bioasis Gran Canaria will carry out its work and within which special relevance will be attached to the Regional Management Plan for Aquaculture in the Canary Islands, to be approved in the coming weeks, and the Gran Canaria Island Management Plan, which will increase the area available for this activity twenty-sevenfold, from 3,400 to 90,000 hectares and is, according to the President, "a very significant increase allowing investment projects linked to this field to be rolled out".
Throughout the coming year, Bioasis Gran Canaria will implement a plan for promotional activities and internationalisation to consolidate Gran Canaria as a benchmark for experimentation in the fields of blue biotechnology and aquaculture and "attracting investment and investors to the island".
The Stier Group organises the second 'Oil & Gas Meeting Day' in Gran Canaria
The second Oil & Gas Meeting Day in the Canaries will take place on 22nd and 23rd March, and is organised by the Stier Group and Saga Subsea under the umbrella of Best in Gran Canaria and with the collaboration of the Corporation for the Economic Development of Gran Canaria (SPEGC), the Las Palmas de Gran Canaria City Council, Proexca, the Canary Islands Shipping Cluster, the Canary Islands Special Zone (ZEC) and Ports of Las Palmas.
The second Oil & Gas Meeting Day in the Canaries is a unique chance to discuss key aspects that will determine the future of this industry in the Canary Islands. The Canaries are a crossroads between Europe, Africa and America and, in addition to their privileged geostrategic location, offer international businesses European-level technology, legal, social and health services, aspects demanded by large companies in the industry when choosing a specific place to carry out their maintenance, repairs, prospecting, production and distribution operations.
The event will bring together authorities from West Africa and Europe, where the main explorations are taking place, and representatives of the Norwegian O&G market, national and international authorities and Spanish businesses to create jobs, synergies and activities.
The main theme, ‘Embracing The Future – West Africa Opportunities’, will provide an opportunity to interchange viewpoints and experiences among industries - to share everything that businesses, associations and institutions are doing with a view to the future and bring to those attending the opportunities for innovation within the O&G industry.
This event hosts prominent speakers in the industry such as the geologist and expert, considered father of the O&G industry in Norway, Farouk Al-Kasim, and Tore Gautessen, from Karmsund Port, who will talk about crucial aspects in the future of O&G, LNG and mineral mining, analysing trends and the progress that is being made in each country and field.
The first edition of this event took place in March 2017 and drew 96 high-level representatives from 22 countries, becoming a crucial meeting point for the industry.
The SPEGC publishes a support guide for foreign professionals who wish to establish themselves in Gran Canaria
The Gran Canaria Island Council (Cabildo), through the Corporation for the Economic Development of Gran Canaria (SPEGC), published a "soft landing" guide for foreign professionals and businesses who wish to settle on the island.
The guide, published in English and in digital form under the umbrella of the 'Best in Gran Canaria' initiative, focuses on two aspects: on the one hand it seeks to provide these professionals with all the information they may need to set up their professional activity on the island and, on the other, to present to them all the benefits Gran Canaria offers to make life truly enjoyable.
The handbook includes relevant information regarding connectivity, communications and the advantages available to professionals as well as useful information about how to apply for a residence permit, how to look for work, banks with experience in dealing with expatriates, etc.
The guide also gives answers to questions about setting up a business in Gran Canaria, including basic information about taxes and tax concessions, how to make the most of the talent on the island and a list of organisations which, like the SPEGC, assist professionals with the process of establishing themselves in Gran Canaria.
Moreover, the guide has a section for digital nomads and remote workers who, due to their working conditions, have special needs such as locating work spaces and a good internet connection.
Professionals who wish to reside in Gran Canaria with their family, will also find useful information, such as a list of foreign-language schools and details about health care.
The 2018 call for the granting of aid from the 'Investment Programme of foreign businesses in R&D activities' has been published
ICEX-Invest in Spain announced the 'Investment Programme of foreign businesses in R&D activities' to promote the development of new R&D by foreign capital businesses already established, or looking to set up business in Spain.
The beneficiaries will be firms with foreign capital which have a minimum 10% share in their foreign direct investment (FDI) and carry out activities covered by the aid in one or several of the following Autonomous Regions: Extremadura, the Canary Islands, Castilla la Mancha, Murcia and Galicia.
Funding is possible for R&D projects aimed at foreign capital firms that have not yet set up business and wish to set up an R&D centre in Spain, and R&D projects aimed at established foreign capital businesses, provided they attract new corporate R&D projects to the branch that is established in Spain.
The aid per beneficiary may come to an overall maximum of 200,000 Euros during any period of three consecutive fiscal years and will be a percentage of the investment made.
Applications must be made via ICEX's virtual office by 26th February 2018.
Further information: http://bit.ly/2zDlQiQ
Gran Canaria's talent meets at the second Christmas event 'Uvas de talento'
Today the president of the Gran Canaria Island Council (Cabildo), Antonio Morales, welcomed the 70 participants of the second 'Uvas de Talento' gathering, the rendezvous that gathers professionals from the island who work abroad to encourage them to exchange experiences, contacts and synergies.
The event, held at the premises of the Corporation for the Economic Development of Gran Canaria (SPEGC), was aimed at members of the 'Gran Canaria Talent' network which already includes almost 800 professional people, most of whom are young ones who emigrated to receive training or out of necessity and who eventually found strategic jobs and are now connected via this network driven by the Cabildo of Gran Canaria through the SPEGC.
At the second edition of 'Uvas de talento', which also included business and professional people who work in Gran Canaria, there were two round-table debates moderated by the journalist from Gran Canaria, Nicolás Castellano. Their purpose was to promote opinions on "Round-trip talent" and they had input from Jaime López, executive director at Theam.io, Diego López, vicepresident of SWF Coverage at PwC (New York), José Julio Artiles, executive director of Satocan (Gran Canaria) and Néstor Rodríguez, managing director of Atrineao (Germany).
Participants in the second round table analysed the opportunities in Gran Canaria to attract investors and businesses with Germán Suárez, executive director at Astican (Gran Canaria), Pritesh Hiralal, cofounder of Zinergy (UK), Ida Stier, executive director of Grupo Stier (Gran Canaria) and Daniel Barman, in charge of Business Development at Grenergy Renovables (Chile).
This long-awaited event is celebrated at Christmas because this is when most members coincide on the island, although the SPEGC also organised the first meeting for people from Gran Canaria in Madrid in November 2016 and the first after-work session in London in March 2017.
Many of the talents said that this network has helped them start collaboration with businesses established abroad and has spurred contact to resolve doubts and exchange experiences between islanders who reside in the same city or continent.
Best in Gran Canaria welcomes six large Chinese companies looking into setting up in the Arinaga Free Zone
The president of the Gran Canaria Island Council (Cabildo), Antonio Morales, and representatives of the Best in Gran Canaria initiative, driven by the Corporation for the Economic Development of Gran Canaria, welcomed a delegation of Chinese companies who are in Gran Canaria to study the possibility of setting up a large centre on the island for the distribution of products to Africa and marketing local agro-food products in China.
The six Asian companies that participated in the visit showed interest in Gran Canaria, on account of its ideal strategic location, tax benefits, services offered at the Arinaga Free Zone, good connectivity and other advantages Gran Canaria offers, which were outlined at an event with representatives of Best in Gran Canaria.
The Chinese delegation was led by representatives of the Juerui Group, a trade platform with its headquarters in Shanghai that imports agro-food products from Spain into China and which already operates in Madrid, Murcia and Navarra. Kumming Food Service, Guangdong Yingmei, Shanghai Industrial, Wuhan Airport Bonded Zone and China Ocean Shipping are the other five companies that formed part of this trade mission.
The Councillor for Economic Development of the Cabildo, Raúl García Brink, explained that this project represents a "unique opportunity" to turn the islands into a "logistics and trade distribution centre to attract more Chinese companies".
New generations will now be able to go to bed along with 'Familia Telerín’
‘Familia Telerín’ (the 'Telerín Family') returns 50 years on with the new 3D series 'Cleo&Cuquin'. The series, aimed at children between the ages of four and five, has 52 episodes and was produced by Ánima Kitchent at its facilities in Madrid and Gran Canaria.
The series was presented today at the TIC Demonstration Centre for Tourist Innovation. Ánima Kitchent wanted to present 'Cleo&Cuquin' in Gran Canaria to thank the Gran Canaria Island Council (Cabildo), the Gran Canaria Film Commission and the SPEGC (the Corporation for the Economic Development of Gran Canaria) for its contribution in making this project a reality.
"They first told us about the fiscal incentives, but it was the willingness to work we found in Gran Canaria, and the facilities to establish ourselves and start up within a month that made us come here and what will make us stay", explained Víctor López, executive director of the production company Ánima Kitchent, who did not hide his enthusiasm about the potential for expansion on the island.
‘Cleo&Cuquin’ saw the light of day after two years of work carried out by one hundred professionals. Out of the 52 professionals who worked from Gran Canaria, twelve of them were students who trained on the 3D animation course organised by the Cabildo of Gran Canaria, through the SPEGC and the Mapfre Guanarteme Foundation.
The series is promising, since the music videos alone, launched on Youtube last year, have had over 700 million hits and 1.6 million subscribers, and has become a long-awaited launch which will finally reach millions of children around the world.
Moreover, the international production company, Ánima Kitchent, took advantage of the launch of 'Cleo&Cuquin' to announce that it has closed a deal with the writer, Elsa Punset, to produce a series based on its collection 'Los Atrevidos', a project that will be carried out at the facilities of the Cabildo of Gran Canaia. The collection, which is about emotional intelligence, is aimed at children, and will also be coproduced by Televisión Española.
Gran Canaria sells itself to the American Film Market
The American Film Market is one of the major global events in the film industry. Producers, distributors and thousands of professionals attend this annual fair to hold meetings, conferences, round tables and events in which to buy and sell audiovisual productions.
The 38th edition of the American Film Market had in excess of 7,000 professionals from the industry from 80 countries, over 1,000 content producers and 400 distributors. One of the highlights this year was the section 'LocationEXPO', a meeting and business space aimed mainly at Film Commissions, which facilitated interaction between producers and Film Commissioners.
The Gran Canaria Film Commission participated in this edition on its own at ICEX's "Audiovisual from Spain" pavilion, where it promoted the advantages of filming on the island using new promotional material, and held around 20 meetings with international producers. The delegation from Gran Canaria was also able to learn about the latest trends of the international industry through conferences and networking meetings with the industry's main players.
Each year more and more international producers are interested in the variety of locations offered in Gran Canaria, its pleasant climate, its safety as a destination and the list of companies that offer production services prepared to fulfil any requirement set by the producers. The American Film Market is a unique showcase for Gran Canaria and a way of connecting with all the professionals in the industry who come together in the US film capital, Los Angeles.
Talents from Gran Canaria exchange ideas and experiences in London
Around thirty young people from Gran Canaria who work in the United Kingdom participated yesterday at the first 'after-work' event organised by the SPEGC in the British capital to create synergies and make contacts among the members of the Talento Gran Canaria network who live in London.
Attendees were surprised that there were "so many people from the island" in London and did not stop sharing and exchanging business cards, contacts and ideas. The event was also attended by the president of the Island Council (Cabildo), Antonio Morales, and the Councillor for Tourism, Inés Jiménez, who offered every facility to these young entrepreneurs to develop their ideas in London and Gran Canaria, given the importance of opportunities for redirecting such talent towards Gran Canaria, whether of islanders or not, thanks to the advantages the island has to offer.
Most of the Canarians who attended the event arrived in London looking for new challenges and attracted by the possibility of discovering new cultures. They were all grateful for the event, as it allowed participants to get to know each other and exchange professional advice and common experiences. So much so, that most agreed to organise another meet-up during the year to repeat the experience. In any case, they were invited to the next meeting of the SPEGC which will be held in Gran Canaria this Christmas, at the Uvas de Talento event.
Talento Gran Canaria, which already has over 750 members across the five continents, works via Linkedin and its aim is to unite people from Gran Canaria who work abroad so that they can meet each other and support Gran Canaria abroad.
The network was created barely a year ago and of note among its activities are meetings that are held taking advantage of dates such as Christmas or this Tourism event in London. The first Uvas de talento event was already held in Gran Canaria last December and another successful 'after-work' event took place in Madrid.
Representatives of a number of American businesses get to know Gran Canaria
Representatives of a number of American firms in the renewable energy industry spent the day getting to know Gran Canaria with the aim of placing the Canary Islands as a meeting point and strategic business hub with Africa. Proexca and Best in Gran Canaria were the coordinators.
During the course of the morning various presentations were given by Best in Gran Canaria, the Island Council for Energy and the Canary Islands Special Zone (ZEC), offering direct information about investment opportunities and setting up business on the island as a business base, all within the framework of the Information and Communications Technology Demonstration Centre for Innovation in Tourism, CDTIC,.
The representatives of the American businesses were also able to meet local business people.