Andalucía Emprende, a foundation affiliated to the Department of University, Research and Innovation of the Andalusian Regional Government, is one of the five new members of the Andalusian Bioeconomy Platform of the European project SCALE-UP. This platform, born in the framework of the SCALE-UP project of which CTA is a partner, brings together more than 30 entities committed to the promotion of the bioeconomy in Andalusia.

SCALE-UP, funded with nearly €3 million by the Horizon Europe programme, aims to generate bio-based partnerships, tools and solutions to foster the bioeconomy in six European regions. To this end, its partners have created six regional platforms, located in Northern Sweden, Mazovia (Poland), the Atlantic Arc of France, Upper Austria, Strumica (North Macedonia) and Andalusia (Spain), where different entities come together to exchange bioeconomy knowledge, cooperate and implement innovation support services.

Since its foundation in March 2023, the Andalusian Bioeconomy Platform has managed to bring together public and private entities such as universities and R&D&I centres, public administrations, cooperatives, investment funds and agri-food companies that participate in the activities proposed by CTA as its driving force. Thus, until the end of the project in August 2025, its members will be able to support the exchange of knowledge and the creation of capacities for the sustainable rural development of the olive sector in Andalusia.

The new additions to the Andalusian platform are the following:

Andalucía Emprende: foundation of the Junta de Andalucía to promote entrepreneurship and business development. It has a network of 259 Andalusian Entrepreneurship Centres (CADE). Andalucía Emprende provides comprehensive support services ranging from advice, feasibility studies or the search for funding, among others. It also promotes entrepreneurship, especially among young people and from the classroom, to encourage the generation of ideas based on knowledge.

Mar Océana: the first fund manager set up in Cadiz in 2022. It is dedicated to investing in innovative companies mainly focused on the agrotech, sports and health tech, leisure and entertainment, technology companies in the scaling phase and university spin-offs.

Tragsatec: technological subsidiary integrated in the public company Grupo Tragsa and dedicated to the development of engineering and technical assistance works in the fields of Biodiversity or Rural Development and Land Management, among others. It has more than 35 years of experience in the creation and implementation of advanced technological solutions.

Austral Venture: investment management company specialising in the renewable energy sector, founded in 2021 and headquartered in Seville. It offers investment opportunities in ready-to-build (RTB) photovoltaic projects through two managed investment vehicles. It also manages investment vehicles focused on start-ups, university spin-offs and technology transfer, with a focus on Andalusia. Its founding partners have extensive experience in activities focused on the value chain of investments in renewables, industry and startups.

Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA): an organisation founded in 1942 and headquartered in Costa Rica, specialising in agriculture in the Inter-American System. It is made up of 34 Member States and has a permanent office in Spain. Its objective is to promote agricultural development and rural well-being through international technical cooperation of excellence. IICA has a Hemispheric Programme on Innovation and Bioeconomy in the Americas that promotes awareness, capacity building, public policies and investments for the bioeconomy in the region.

To become a member of the Andalusian Bioeconomy Platform of SCALE-UP and join its activities, which are voluntary, it is necessary to send an email with the application to: cta@corporaciontecnologica.com