Verticals have been carried out core technological solutions based on the Internet of Things (IOT), metaverse, blockchain and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in addition to workshops, inspirational talks and financing and internationalization days
The institutional closure has been carried out by the State delegate in the Free Trade Zone of Cádiz, Fran González
BZF is organized by Zona Franca de Cádiz with the collaboration of the Cádiz City Council, State Ports, the Cajasol Foundation, Caja Rural del Sur, Telefónica, Petaca Chico and the Incyde Foundation
Incubazul has 80% co-financing from the European FEDER Funds within the 2014-2020 Operational Program, A way of making Europe, through the INCYDE Foundation
The Blue Zone Forum (BZF), organized by Zona Franca de Cádiz and its technological incubator, Incubazul, has had its closing day today with the outstanding participation of speakers Ángel León and Theresa Zabell and the celebration of the expected technological verticals, among many other activities.
The meeting, which has turned Cádiz into the epicenter of the Blue Economy and has had a high public participation in the Congress Palace since its beginning, has been officially closed on Thursday afternoon by the State delegate in the Zone Franca de Cádiz, Fran González.
The first main speaker to speak was the Cadiz chef Ángel León, recognized with 4 Michelin stars and 3 soles, who described his experience with gastronomy. Regarding his relationship with the Blue Economy, for which León was Named by the Michelin guide as the chef most committed to the environment, earning him the Green Star, the chef has emphasized that “the true product of the human being is water, which is where everything begins” and has advanced that “Next year, water will be my star product.”
On the other hand, the chef of the sea has stressed that “when you have a passion you break the border of yourself and necessity led me to creativity. In 150 meters we made the smallest restaurant in the world to achieve 2 Michelin stars.” León concluded by pointing out that “good ideas without a team behind them do not move forward”, pointing to Cádiz as “the best place in the world to build your companies and your life. Don't ever leave here."
Regarding Theresa Zabell's presentation, the double Olympic champion has stressed the individual and collective responsibility to save the sea, with which she has always been linked, first as a sailor and later as president of the Ecomar Foundation. Through this organization she reaches around 15,000 students every year in her blue education and awareness work to save the planet.
Zabell has asked for greater collaboration to take care of the sea, either collectively or individually, “buying local products, reducing plastic consumption to the maximum, cleaning beaches, reducing, recycling and separating for recycling, and saving water, which “It’s liquid gold.”
The closing day also had a prominent role for technology, with vertical centers based on the Internet of Things (IOT), metaverse, blockchain and Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Before coming to an end, the BZF has hosted interesting workshops led by Emliio Solís and Yohania de Armas, with a great audience in both cases, and inspirational talks led by Izanami Martínez and Patricia García.
The public and private financing and internationalization days have closed the tables, before carrying out the official closing by the State delegate in the Free Trade Zone of Cádiz, who had words of gratitude for all the speakers and attendees and highlighted “the commitment that has been made to convert Cádiz into the great hub of the Blue Economy.”
More sustainable socioeconomic model
With Blue Zone Forum, Cádiz has become a center for reflection on the transition towards a more sustainable socioeconomic model based on the Blue Economy. The meeting brought together entrepreneurs, companies, institutions, experts and lecturers at the Congress Palace.
Among the main objectives of the BZF, raising awareness about the Blue Economy and the improvement of the sector through technological innovation has stood out; promote and encourage entrepreneurship, mainly among young talent; and support the business fabric. For this reason, this forum has been especially aimed at the blue community, at entrepreneurship and has had a notable presence of the 71 startups that are currently accelerating in the Zona Franca incubator of Cádiz.
BZF has been organized by Zona Franca de Cádiz with the collaboration of the Cádiz City Council, State Ports, the Cajasol Foundation, Caja Rural del Sur, Telefónica, Petaca Chico and the Incyde Foundation.
Incubazul has the support of the European Union, which co-finances it, through the Incyde Foundation, of the Spanish Chambers of Commerce, 80% by the ERDF within the Pluriregional Operational Program 2014-2020 within axis 3: Improve competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises and investment priority 3. Promotion of entrepreneurship, in particular, facilitating the economic exploitation of new ideas, and promoting the creation of new companies, also through incubators.
