The presentation of InnovaSpain’s 2025 Innovation Yearbook, in an edition sponsored by PONS IP, brought together the leading voices of the Spanish innovation ecosystem in Madrid for a conference that focused on strategic sovereignty and the key role of intellectual property as drivers of the future. The event, which has already become a benchmark, served to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing Spain in consolidating its technological autonomy and strengthening knowledge transfer.
One of the highlights was the round table discussion “Science with impact: capitalising on innovation”, in which Luis Ignacio Vicente, Strategic Advisor at PONS IP, participated alongside leading figures such as Carolina Rodríguez, CEO of Enisa, Áureo Díaz-Carrasco, Executive Director of Fedit, and José Carlos Pulido, CEO & Founder of Inrobics. The discussion focused on the essential role of intellectual property (IP) and intangible assets as a bridge between research and the market, as well as a key tool for transforming knowledge into economic value and competitiveness.
In this regard, Luis Ignacio Vicente stressed that “Spain needs to align the language used in science, business and politics, and intellectual property can be the language that unites science and the market, creating instruments that enable economic growth to be scaled up and our technological and industrial sovereignty in the world strengthened.”
The conference also addressed issues such as the need to align public and private funding, reduce uncertainty for SMEs and create collaborative ecosystems that enable Spanish innovation to generate a real and lasting impact. The round table discussion “Strategies for a real and resilient sovereignty”, with the participation of representatives from the Cotec Knowledge Foundation, the CSIC General Foundation and Madrid City Council, provided a pluralistic view of the challenges and opportunities facing the sector from the viewpoint of projects and regulation promoted by Public Administrations from a “country strategy” perspective.
The Yearbook: roadmap and mirror of the Spanish innovation ecosystem
Beyond the event, the 2025 Innovation Yearbook has established itself as an essential guide to understanding the evolution and challenges of R&D&I in Spain. Under the slogan of strategic sovereignty, the 21st edition of the yearbook analyses everything from funding and talent to technology transfer, health, energy, defence and food, with forums and case studies from the main players in the sector, including one by PONS IP’s Strategic Advisor, Luis Ignacio Vicente, on global geostrategy, technological sovereignty and intellectual property.
Furthermore, the document highlights the urgent need to invest in training and talent in critical sectors, public-private collaboration, emphasising the role of technology centres, the growth of the start-up ecosystem, the commitment to digital health and energy transition, and the relevance of regulatory innovation in sectors such as agri-food.
The Yearbook includes specific proposals for advancing technological autonomy, from the creation of deeptech consortia and funds to the consolidation of scientific infrastructure and the promotion of knowledge transfer. All this with a clear objective: to ensure that Spanish innovation translates into real impact, skilled employment and international leadership.
