Winners of National Innovation and Design Awards

These awards, for which 79 entries were received from 46 companies and 33 professionals, are issued by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities. Panels of outstanding professionals in the various fields choose the winners in each category.

They seek to reward those individuals and entities that have made innovation an essential factor in the development of their professional strategy and corporate growth. They also seek to reward those professionals and companies that have made a significant contribution to enhancing Spanish prestige in the field of design and those entities that, by incorporating it into their business strategy, have demonstrated that design is a powerful lever for innovation and competitiveness.

The awards are strictly honorary in nature, except for the National Innovation Award in the category of Small- and Medium-sized Enterprise (which comes with a prize of 30,000 euros), the National Design Award in the category of Professionals (which comes with a prize of 30,000 euros) and the National Design Award in the category of Young Designers (which comes with a prize of 15,000 euros).

The decisions by the various panels were as follows:

• National Innovation Award in the category of Innovative Career, for business owners and professionals with a career of at least ten years in which innovation has played a significant role. This was presented to Ignacio Sánchez Galán "for his leadership capacity in the innovative transformation of companies in various technology sectors. The panel particularly valued his ability to lead the energy transition in Spain, being a pioneer in the implementation of renewable energies and finding a way to position the Spanish electricity industry among the most competitive and cutting-edge in the world".
• National Innovation Award in the category of Large Company, for large companies with an innovative project lasting at least ten years. This was presented to Porcelanosa Grupo AIE, which "initially set up as a small family business in the ceramics sector, has become a holding company with 1,000 proprietary stores and close on 50 logistics centres around the world. The panel particularly valued its business model, which is strongly committed to innovation in technology, sustainability and the environment, as well as its focus on innovative and solid growth for its proprietary companies and teams and its ability to generate disruptive changes".
• National Innovation Award in the category of Small- and Medium-sized Enterprise, for small- and medium-sized enterprises with demonstrable innovative activity over at least five years. This was presented to Inmunotek S.L., a leading company in the research, development, manufacturing and commercialisation of products for the diagnosis and treatment of diseases in the field of allergy and immunology in human and veterinary pathology. The panel highlighted "its strong, consistent and ongoing economic commitment to R&D+i, a technology monitoring system that allows it to capture strategic information from its environment and its rapid growth, which has enabled it to strengthen its domestic and international competitiveness". The panel also decided to present a Special Mention for Innovation in the category of Small- and Medium-sized Enterprise to the University School of Innovation and New Technologies (ESNE). "The track record of ESNE clearly demonstrates its commitment to innovation training for new professional categories with a capacity to adapt to the constant process of transformation in Spain's productive fabric. The panel particularly valued the innovative nature of its teaching activity, as well as the internationalisation strategy implemented by ESNE".
• National Design Award in the category of Professionals, for individuals or teams of professionals with a track record of at least ten years of recognised standing in the sector. This was presented to Marisa Gallén Jaime "for her extensive, global and innovative career. The panel highlighted the consistency of her professional career since setting up La Nave, which represented a major revolution in the design world, and leading up to her current work, which is highly influential in the company's strategy, demonstrating strong planning skills. Firmly committed to sustainability since the outset, she demonstrates an outstanding ability to interweave design and art into her projects. Her work with associations and involvement in culture to convey the values of design to society are a benchmark for commitment to improving quality of life".
• National Design Award in the category of Companies, for consolidated companies that have incorporated design into their business strategy for at least ten years. This was presented to POINT S.L., a family business set up in 1920 with extensive experience and far-reaching knowledge of the furniture market. "The panel valued its continued and sustainable upward development based on a business strategy that is highly focused on international growth, which has helped communicate and consolidate the design ecosystem and raise its profile. With a responsible consumption philosophy and a desire to reduce environmental impact, it has an outstanding commitment to interconnecting artisanal craft and tradition with design and innovation, while remaining loyal to natural materials".
• National Design Award in the category of Young Designers, aimed at creators under the age of 35 and with a professional career spanning less than ten years. This was presented to Silvia Fernández Palomar. The panel "valued her contribution within a context of digital transformation in all industrial sectors to the reconfiguration of major clients through her work in the field of graphical interfaces, as well as her in-depth understanding of process design, strategic design and service and research design. The panel highlighted her diversified career and her courage to reconcile creativity and design demand". Finally, the panel presented a Special Mention in Design in the category of Companies to Fhecor Ingenieros Consultores S.A., "for being a fine example of the key role played by design in the strategic positioning and international growth of Spanish companies in all sectors, including those not traditionally tied to the design industry, without forgetting its work in the field of social and environmental responsibility".

The importance of Innovation and Design

The OECD Oslo Manual states that "an innovation is the implementation of a new or significantly improved product (good or service), or process, a new marketing method, or a new organisational method in business practices, workplace organisation or external relations". Together with research and development, innovation plays a key role in economic and social development and has positioned itself at the heart of public policies as a bridge between long-term knowledge and productive action in the market.

Design has been and continues to be a source of wealth in Spain. However, this activity cannot be understood solely from its cultural and artistic impacts but must also be viewed as something present and necessary in a sizeable part of the daily reality of citizens and companies. User-focused design represents a source of overall improvement in the quality of life of the general public as well as business effectiveness. To a greater or lesser degree, design is always present in the productive process, especially in innovative business activity.

Non official translation