Francisco Conde, the Minister of Economy in the Regional Government of Galicia, presented today 20 small and medium enterprises whose projects were selected for financial and expertise support under the Connect-19 program. Speaking at a videoconference, the Minister announced that his government will facilitate these 20 innovations aimed at fighting COVID-19 with a subsidy of 600 000 euros.
The COVID-19 crisis is also an opportunity for innovation
The government program, called Connect-19, will be carried out in collaboration with the Parque Tecnolóxico de Galicia (also known as Tecnópole) in Ourense. Until the end of the year, the business incubation labs of the park will be used to sustain, grow and improve the 20 projects so that they will be ready to enter the national and international markets.
The start-ups were carefully selected so as to reflect a wide range of ideas and a variety of proposed technological solutions for the current pandemic. Some of the winning projects are:
- Biodegradable masks made of vegetable fibers,
- Cosmetic substances with anti-viral capacities,
- Applications which include scanning of COVID patients and diet management in the hospitals,
- Sensory kits for early detection of coronavirus infections,
- Drones for distant public surveillance,
- Mattress fabric that will be able to kill bacteria and viruses,
- Digital observation system which measures usage of masks and social distancing measures among the public.
The start-ups will benefit from two-step expertise which will provide individualized approach to make sure that their needs are best met, and their products’ potentials are fully developed.
At first, the projects will get technical consultation which has the goal of strengthening the products an eliminating any deficiencies and shortcomings. Then, marketing consultants will advise the entrepreneurs on how to best attract external investors and what strategies to pursue in order to garner attention on the market.
Minister Conde believes that giving a shoulder to innovative minds in Galicia is the best policy to build their resilience and confidence and to create trust with investors. Likewise, it guarantees the vitality of the economic life in the autonomous community.
Source: TheMayor.EU
