​In the first call for public aid from Puertos del Estado as part of framework of the Plan to Promote Entrepreneurship for Innovation in the Port Sector.

33 ideas will receive a total of 500,000 euros in grants from the "Ports 4.0" Fund.

• 5 ideas selected in the intrapreneurship category and 28 ideas in the general category
• Francisco Toledo: Innovation, which is already a part of the port DNA, will increase the competitiveness of our ports.
  
   
  
   

08-04-2021 (Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda) The Distribution Committee of the Interport Compensation Fund, in which the presidents of the 28 Port Authorities are integrated, approved in its meeting today the proposal made by the Technical Committee that evaluated the applications submitted to the first call for public aid to the 'Ports 4.0' Fund, under the "Plan to Promote Entrepreneurship for Innovation in the Port Sector." 33 ideas will receive grants for a total amount of 500,000 euros, of which, according to the call, 75,000 euros are reserved for intrapreneurship (ideas from the working staff of Puertos del Estado and Port Authorities).

According to the president of Puertos del Estado, Francisco Toledo, after the success of the first call and this first award, we can say that innovation is already part of the port DNA and, as the selected ideas and projects materialize, we will see the progress of the ports in their adaptation to the 4.0 economy, which will surely result in an increase in competitiveness.

On 24 March, the Technical Committee evaluated the 100 applications admitted in the ideas category. First, the evaluation of the list of ideas in the intrapreneurship category was unanimously approved, assigning an individual endowment of 15,000 euros to each of the 5 ideas with the highest scores.

The Technical Committee then evaluated the proposals for ideas in the general category, also unanimously approving the 28 ideas to receive the remaining 425,000 euros.

Of the 28 approved ideas, 3 deal with process digitalization, 4 with safety and security, 10 with environmental sustainability and energy, 1 with the tourism sector and the remaining 10 with logistics efficiency.

Regarding the main technologies to be used, the ideas are aimed at the following: 1 automation; 2 biotechnology; 2 blockchain; 1 drones; 2 3D printing; 3 artificial intelligence; 1 IoT-5G; 5 sensing; 5 ICT; 1 robotics; and 5 other technologies.

During the month of May, the Committee will hold a new meeting to analyse and evaluate the 66 projects admitted in the trade category, followed by 156 projects admitted to the pre-trade category.

• 12 MILLION EUROS IN THE FIRST CALL

'Ports 4.0' is an initiative of the 28 Port Authorities and Puertos del Estado, which is included in the Innovation Plan for Transport and Infrastructures of Mitma, and constitutes the most important disruptive project for the adaptation of the Spanish logistics-port sector to the 4.0 economy.

In its first call, corresponding to the 2020 fiscal year, in accordance with the principles of publicity, transparency, objectivity, equality and non-discrimination, grants for an amount of 12 million euros have been budgeted. This is the first time that the Spanish port system has undertaken such an ambitious and innovative project in relation to the methods and procedures already implemented in the logistics chain.

Given the position of the ports as the tractor links of Tradetech for the transformation of the logistics chain to the 4.0 economy, the creation of the 'Ports 4.0' Fund arises as a model of open corporate innovation of the Spanish port system of general interest to promote and facilitate the adaptation of the Spanish logistics-port sector to the 4.0 economy.

The Tradetech concept encompasses any innovative product, service or process resulting from the application of new technologies that make the agents in the logistics-port community and, in short, all the agents that affect trade and the logistics chain, more efficient, sustainable and competitive. The competitiveness of our ports depends to a large extent on the competitiveness of the whole value chain associated with trade.

The aim of the 'Ports 4.0' Plan to Promote Entrepreneurship for Innovation in the Port Sector is to attract, support and facilitate the application of talent and entrepreneurship for innovation in the Spanish public and private logistics-port sector, articulated through a public aid plan.

The aim is to promote the creation or consolidation of a network of emerging companies, startups, spin-offs or new business lines of existing companies that develop and implement innovative products, services and processes for the Spanish logistics-port sector, with a focus on the market.

The 'Ports 4.0' Fund has been created and financed through the Interport Compensation Fund, through an additional 1% contributed by the 28 Port Authorities.