During his speech, Izquierdo highlighted that the trajectory of the Institute of Astrophysics of the Canary Islands (IAC), PLOCAN, the Canary Agency of Research, Innovation and Information Society (ACIISI), the CDTI and the ecosystem of startups and technological companies demonstrates the capacity of the Canary Islands to combine frontier science, large infrastructures, innovation, financing and talent generation. In this regard, he has pointed out the need for the knowledge generated on the island to also be translated into economic activity, promoting spin-offs, startups, engineering companies, digital services and specialized suppliers.
The Commissioner has proposed a vision of La Palma in which science and technology have an increasing weight in the island economy. The consolidation of permanent research centers, the development of the LPQI, the TMT, research in volcanology and natural risks, geothermal, ocean observation, artificial intelligence or technologies linked to water and energy could contribute, according to the hypotheses exposed, to configure a real “Atlantic island-laboratory”, specialized in areas of knowledge in which La Palma has unique advantages.
Izquierdo stressed that this transformation must be extended to the whole of society and the productive sectors. Science can contribute to a more technological and efficient agriculture in the use of water, to a tourism of greater added value linked to astronomy, nature and knowledge, to new activities of blue economy and to the creation of technological and digital services. “The importance of technology and science in the reconstruction process of La Palma after the Tajogaite volcano” lies precisely in its ability to convert knowledge, talent and scientific infrastructures into new opportunities for employment, investment and economic diversification for the island.
Available here la Information from the LPQI workshop. And here more about the project La Palma Quantum Interferometer.
