Innovation emerges as the key driver of European competitiveness at the 9th Spanish-German Business Meeting.

 

El IX Spanish-German Business Meeting, held at the ACCIONA Campus Auditorium, reaffirmed innovation as the key lever for Europe's economic growth and resilience. The event, organized by the German Chamber of Commerce, served as a platform to analyze the challenges and opportunities in the bilateral economic relationship between Spain and Germany.

 

The inauguration was attended by Osmar Polo, President of the German Chamber, who outlined the spirit of the forum in four pillars: "Innovate with purpose to create value for society, cooperate across borders, invest in talent and training, and finally, act with European ambition." Later, the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Spain, Maria Margarete Gosse, Together with Federico García Guillén of ACCIONA, underlined the Spain's strategic role in Europe's digital and industrial transition and the stability provided by the Spanish-German axis.

 

During the day, Mischa Groh, managing director of the German Chamber, presented data from the AHK Innovation Survey, which reveals how German subsidiaries in Spain perceive Asia (54%) and the US (42%) as their Main competitorsA significant fact is that close to 40% of German subsidiaries in the country already operate as centers of excellence or R&D hubs for your entire group.

 

The need for a stronger European ecosystem

 

The first panel, focused on 'Boosting the European innovation ecosystem', addressed the urgency of remove barriersExperts agreed on the need to simplify bureaucracy, reduce the educational gap between Member States, and facilitate the single market. It was highlighted how the new US tariff policy is perceived as a burden on competitiveness. In addition, the importance of the European recovery funds in the digital transformation and a call for collaboration was made public-private to generate technological innovation, with Spain already a benchmark in sectors such as the pharmaceutical industry. date It was identified as the essential transformative pillar in the business value chain.

 

 

With the participation of more than a hundred attendees, the event served as a framework for the presentation of the Excellence Award, which in this edition went to BASF, Bosch Aranjuez and Celonis

 

 

Integrating Innovation into Corporate Strategy

 

The second panel, 'The Company as an Innovation Actor', focused on internal R&D&I management. The speakers, representing leading companies, shared strategies for integrating innovation into corporate culture, fostering leadership and Talent managementAmong the current challenges for companies were cited: technological pressure, regulation and standards, electrification, decarbonization and international competition.

 

To address these challenges, it was advocated strengthen collaboration between large corporations and SMEs, with the former acting as tractor effectThe importance of the 'collective intelligence' between different generations of workers and the implementation of a culture of continuous trainingAs Spain's competitive advantages for innovative development, participants highlighted its ability to attract talent and its potential in the field of renewable energy.

 

Recognition of Excellence: BASF, Bosch Aranjuez and Celonis

 

As is tradition, the Meeting was the setting for the presentation of the XIV Excellence Award, an award that recognizes contributions to business development and the strengthening of Spanish-German relations. This year, the prize went to innovative initiatives of BASF, Bosch Aranjuez and CelonisThe economic endowment of 5.000 euros was allocated to the DKV Integralia Foundation for his work in the social and labor inclusion of people with disabilities.

 

The forum was closed by Osmar Polo, who thanked the speakers and attendees for their participation, reaffirming the German Chamber's commitment to bilateral economic cooperation.