The new space, located in the Centro Cultural Fundación Unicaja in Málaga, has coworking offices for startups and other rooms for shared use.
The Málaga TechPark and the Fundación Unicaja have inaugurated a new entrepreneurship space located inside the Centro Cultural Fundación Unicaja in Málaga.
“Imaginarium by Fundación Unicaja-Málaga TechPark” offers free accommodation to startups to promote the launch and consolidation of their innovative projects.
Carolina España, the Regional Minister of Economy, Finance and European Funds and president of Málaga TechPark, together with José M. Domínguez, the president of the Fundación Unicaja, and Francisco de la Torre, the mayor of Málaga, have presented the new facilities. The inauguration ceremony was also attended by the general director of the Fundación Unicaja, Sergio Corral; the general director of Málaga TechPark, Felipe Romera; the territorial delegate of Economy, Finance, European Funds, Carlos García; and the director of the Activities, Communication and Image Division of the Fundación Unicaja, Cristina Rico.
Carolina España has highlighted the value of the new enclave and has remembered that “is not just a physical place, but a dynamic ecosystem in which innovative ideas will germinate, grow and become realities that will transform our society and improve the ecosystem that we are creating together: public administration and companies.”
For his part, the president of the Fundación Unicaja has highlighted the main objective of this new space during the presentation: “the distinctive element of the modern economy lies in its condition as an imaginarium, where creativity and imagination thrive, and that is the character we wanted to give to the new space. We hope it will encourage creativity and collaboration in the search for innovative solutions to current challenges, helping new business projects to take off and consolidate.”
Finally, the Mayor of Málaga has wished the entrepreneurs who will be working in these facilities “the greatest success, because any business venture is actually a response to a need in society. The progress of humanity has a very clear technological, innovative component, and the capacity for entrepreneurship.”
This new alliance between the Fundación Unicaja and Málaga TechPark contributes to socio-economic development and the attraction of talent in Andalusia, by promoting the creation of new technological and socially useful companies that favour innovation and knowledge transfer in the community.
Startups that contribute to socio-economic development
Companies and entrepreneurs can have a fully equipped workspace in the “Imaginarium” coworking offices, which also have other rooms for common use such as a large meeting room, office and rest areas. The use of the offices can be extended for up to one year.
There are currently six startups that have already begun to work in the offices of “Imaginarium by Fundación Unicaja-Málaga TechPark,” although its facilities have capacity for eight projects. All of them will be related to areas such as social development, health and wellbeing, environment, education and culture.
Among these companies are two backed by Fundalogy, the Fundación Unicaja ‘s company for promoting innovative and socially useful projects: Hagamos Hogar and Metamedics. The first has developed Europe’s first online platform for finding shared housing for people over 55. The second has launched a platform that uses extended reality to create simulations of clinical cases that serve as training for future health professionals.
Another three technology startups have been selected by a committee made up of representatives of the Fundación Unicaja and Málaga TechPark after overcoming the challenges posed by large companies in the city through a call for proposals in the areas of food tech, sustainability-circularity, industry 4.0, artificial intelligence, culture, cybersecurity, microelectronics and fintech. Criteria such as alignment with the SDGs, social and environmental impact, technological innovation, viability and growth potential, contribution to research and innovation, and diversity and inclusion were also taken into account in the selection process.
These companies are Cybercrin, which increases the cybersecurity efficiency of SMEs with low-cost automated software; SIMBAS, which uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to facilitate home management, promote sustainable consumption habits and reduce food waste; and bloQde, a platform with information on medicines and health products that, thanks to artificial intelligence, allows patients to interact and ask questions about their medication. Finally, in the cultural field, the space also hosts the team of the Historia Viva Málaga project, which organises dramatised events to bring history to the public in a dynamic and rigorous way.
Companies interested in being housed in “Imaginarium” can submit their applications on the website www.pta.es/programa-de-emprendimiento-conjunto-fundacion-unicaja-malaga-techpark.
Rooms inspired by the leading figures in the field of knowledge
The offices of “Imaginarium by Fundación Unicaja-Málaga TechPark” have names dedicated to Spanish figures who have made a relevant contribution to knowledge and who were chosen through a competition of ideas.
Inspired by these names, the workrooms have been intervened by the artists Doger, Cristina Soler, Íñigo David Magro, Mural 13, Adrián Funes, Eryk Pall, Jerónimo Díaz García, Pipo Malpegados and Sota Pérez, selected through the Premio Fundación Unicaja de Pintura Mural (Unicaja Foundation Prize for Mural Painting).
Twenty finalist works from this competition have also been acquired to decorate the galleries of the space. They are pieces by the artists Andi Rivas, MURAL 13 (Borja Fernández Gramage), Céline Maestroni, Cristina Soler, D. Darko, Daniela Miazzo, Balazor (Emilio Prieto), Iraultza Segura Urbano, It’s Mancho, Dravok (Iván Rubio), María José Gil Lozano, Marta Lapeña, Niko Stook, Noé Peiró, Pablo Fernández-Pujol, Pedro Zamora, Pep Walls, Rocío Gilabert García, Sota Pérez and PLAYINCOLORS (Víctor García).