Málaga TechPark hosted a high-level exclusive forum that brought together over fifty international executives from the photonics and microelectronics sectors, alongside institutional representatives. The event is part of the Optica Global Photonics Economic Forum 2026 congress, taking place at FYCMA on September 24th and 25th.
Following a detailed tour of the facilities, the event showcased a competitive model based on public-private collaboration to foreign investors. The park was presented as an ideal strategic partner for high-impact deep tech projects, establishing itself as a reference point for investment in Southern Europe.
Lourdes Cruz, Business Development and Investment Promotion Director at Málaga TechPark, welcomed attendees, emphasizing the park's commitment to photonics, quantum technology, artificial intelligence, and microelectronics. She highlighted efforts to build a robust ecosystem in these critical areas, presenting a significant opportunity for global industry.
José María García Orois, Executive Director of Business Development at the Spanish Society for Technological Transformation (SETT), analyzed Spain's innovation landscape. He emphasized the importance of the future Semiconductor R&D Center that imec will establish at the park, a key infrastructure for national and European semiconductor strategy, funded with 500 million euros from the Spanish Government through SETT, as part of the PERTE Chip and Next Generation EU funds.
This facility will house 60 advanced machines for microchip research and prototyping, representing a total investment of 267 million euros, financed by #FEDER funds, with 150 million specifically from #STEP funds managed by SETT.
Javier López, Vice-Rector for Technological Innovation at the University of Málaga, discussed the connection between academia and business, detailing the UMA innTech initiative to foster technological cooperation with Málaga TechPark and the operation of the co-innovation laboratory with Innova IRV.
Marco D’Arcangelo, Senior Project Manager for Foreign Investment at Andalucia TRADE, highlighted the region's economic growth driven by the arrival of numerous technology multinationals, and urged international capital to invest in Andalusia.
The institutional panel also included Marc Sanderson, representative for Malaga Open for Business from the Málaga City Council, who pointed out the city's undeniable attractions for new projects, and Helio Fernández, Institutional Relations Manager at imec Spain, who elaborated on the multinational's ambitious microelectronics complex.
The international delegation toured the technology park's state-of-the-art infrastructure, focusing on the arrival of imec's new semiconductor R&D center, which positions Málaga TechPark as an international leader in microelectronics.
The technology park reaffirms its position as a leading technological hub in Southern Europe, offering an integral ecosystem that attracts and retains global talent in areas such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and quantum technology.
Málaga TechPark hosts over seven hundred companies, generates annual revenue exceeding 4.8 billion euros, and employs more than 29,000 highly qualified professionals. Its innovation network extends to Antequera and the University of Málaga, leveraging connectivity with the Costa del Sol and the Guadalhorce valley.
