Innovation, sustainability and talent transform Madrid into a global benchmark
On November 18, the first edition of the Madrid Investment Forum, organized by Invest in Madrid. This event, designed to consolidate the Community of Madrid as the epicenter of the innovation and strategic investment in Europe, included the round table “Madrid, an innovative ecosystem of reference in strategic sectors”, a panel that brought together leading voices from the public and private spheres.
“Being part of Madrid is always worth it”, Isabel Díaz Ayuso
The president of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, opened this event by highlighting the region's commitment to innovation and entrepreneurship. He announced a catalog of strategic projects that positions Madrid as the preferred destination for foreign investment, reinforcing his message with a resounding statement: “Madrid is always worth it. From here, we are going to make it easier for anyone who wants to build and dream, to do so with all the tools at their disposal.”
The region has established itself as a key economic engine, concentrating 20% of the national GDP and generating one out of every four jobs in Spain, as he stressed Irene Correas, General Director of Self-Employment and Entrepreneurship of the Community of Madrid. Correas highlighted that, as of November, they have been created about 20,000 companies, almost 70 a day, in addition to concentrate 40% of Spanish startups which, in 2023, raised 80 million euros and created 30,000 jobs.
The role of PATIO Campus: innovation with purpose
Borja Marinas, CEO of PATIO Campus, provided a strategic perspective on innovation in Madrid. He emphasized the importance of the public-private collaboration to transform good ideas into sustainable realities: “At PATIO Campus, when you want to be the benchmark in innovation and sustainability, if we don't have public support, it's impossible. We have received international delegations looking for spaces in Madrid to co-create, which reinforces our role as a bridge in this ecosystem”.
Marinas also emphasized the need to simplify bureaucratic processes and provide tools to address the mental problems faced by entrepreneurs: ”More than 70% of entrepreneurs suffer from mental health problems. Our job is not only to provide a physical space, but also to accompany them with administrative fast tracks and psychological support”, thus highlighting the commitment of PATIO Campus to the integral well-being of the ecosystem.
Finally, he focused on a A crucial challenge for Europe: prevent Scaleups migrate to more flexible markets such as the United States or Asia due to high European regulation. “The big challenge is to bring technology transfer and research closer to the market and to corporations. We just signed an agreement between PATIO Campus and UCAM And we both know that we should converting theoretical innovation into applied solutions that impact society”, concluded.
The path to a more sustainable future
PATIO Campus, in its role as a catalyst, is committed to a co-creation model where startups, corporations and administrations work on concrete solutions that positively impact the local and global economy. ”Madrid has the capacity to act as a connecting node where different ecosystem actors collaborate effectively”, Marinas concluded.
In this first edition of the Madrid Investment Forum, it became clear that Madrid not only aspires to lead innovation in strategic sectors such as technology, health and renewable energy, but it is also committed to being a model to follow in sustainability and cohesion. The Community of Madrid and its key players, such as PATIO Campus, are leading the way to a future in which innovation is not only an economic engine, but a transformative tool for society.
