Friday, February 20, 2026 - 19:30
- The Director of the Igape, Covadonga Toca, took part today in the opening of the Infoday for the VIII Edition of this accelerator, where she highlighted the growth of the Galician innovative ecosystem and the public-private collaboration model of the Business Factories Network
- She noted that the accelerator has supported 92 projects since 2019, boosting 68 companies, more than 250 skilled jobs and mobilising more than 6 million euros in investment
- She emphasised that the Galician Government is advancing the future Business Innovation Strategy 2026-2028 to “industrialise innovation” and strengthen the competitiveness of the Galician production fabric
- Santiago de Compostela, 20 February 2026
- The Director of the Igape, Covadonga Toca, reaffirmed today the Xunta’s commitment to innovation as a strategic axis of competitiveness during the opening of the Infoday for the VIII Edition of the Business Factory Food (BFFood) accelerator, a programme integrated into the Galician Business Factories Network that drives the modernisation of the agri-food sector through technology and innovative entrepreneurship.
- In this context, Toca Carús stated that Galicia is experiencing “a particularly favourable moment for innovation”, with an ecosystem that is “diverse, balanced and growing, where innovation is no longer concentrated in a single sector or territory, but extends throughout the Community”.
- During her speech, she highlighted the progress of the Galician innovation system, noting the increase in R&D effort, the greater involvement of companies and the positive evolution of the technological ecosystem. She also emphasised the importance of business collaboration and Galicia’s growing dynamism as an innovative benchmark within the country.
- She further explained that the Xunta’s strategy is based on sectoral specialisation, public-private collaboration and connection with the market, with the aim of building a solid, coordinated and results-oriented innovation system. In this regard, she pointed to the Galician Business Factories Network as an example of this model, by facilitating the connection between entrepreneurial talent, industry, market and finance.
- Innovation applied to the agri-food sector
- In the specific case of BFFood, she recalled that since its launch in 2019 it has supported 92 projects, boosted 68 different companies, generated more than 250 skilled jobs and mobilised more than 6 million euros in investment.
- Beyond the figures, she highlighted that the accelerator represents “the modernisation of the Galician agri-food sector through technology”, with startups developing solutions in areas such as automation, digitalisation, biotechnology, new proteins, valorisation of by-products or smart logistics.
- Strategy 2026-2028: scale and compete
- During the event, the Igape director also recalled that the Xunta is promoting the future Business Innovation Strategy of Galicia 2026-2028, with a roadmap aimed at positioning innovation as “a structural capacity of our production fabric, not as something punctual or accessory”.
- The new plan will prioritise greater technological intensity in companies, a closer connection between knowledge and industry, and greater scalability and internationalisation of innovative projects, while also ensuring that innovation “is transferred, adopted, scaled and reaches the market”.
Category:
