CZFB and Esade connect talent and knowledge to drive industrial innovation
The Consorci de la Zona Franca de Barcelona (CZFB) and Esade have signed a collaboration protocol to connect academic talent and knowledge with DFactory Barcelona's industrial innovation ecosystem. Signed by CZFB Director General Blanca Sorigué and Esade Director General Daniel Traça, the agreement will promote initiatives that bring education and research closer to the real challenges facing companies and create new opportunities for learning, innovation and professional development.
Blanca Sorigué described the collaboration as both key and strategic because “it represents a further step in our commitment to connecting knowledge, talent and innovation with the real needs of the business community. At CZFB, we want to continue building bridges between academia and industry to create new opportunities for professional development, entrepreneurship and knowledge transfer. Working with a leading institution such as Esade will enable us to strengthen the innovation ecosystem we foster at DFactory Barcelona and help generate a positive impact on competitiveness and economic progress in our region”.
For his part, Daniel Traça said: “The cities that lead the future will be those capable of bringing universities, companies and institutions together around a shared purpose. Barcelona has a unique opportunity to consolidate its position as an international hub for impact and innovation, and at Esade we want to contribute to that project by placing our knowledge, talent and capacity to generate leadership at the service of the city and its economic and social development”.
The collaboration is based on a shared vision: innovation needs technology, but also talent, knowledge and leadership capabilities. Accordingly, the two institutions will promote initiatives that bring Esade's academic expertise and research closer to the companies and projects linked to DFactory Barcelona, while enabling the Esade community to gain first-hand insight into the challenges facing the business and industrial sectors.
The agreement provides for the organisation of seminars, conferences, training sessions, outreach activities and professional gatherings, as well as the creation of spaces for networking and knowledge exchange. These initiatives will connect students, alumni and professionals with companies and institutions, opening up new opportunities for learning, collaboration and applied innovation.
This framework will also make it possible to explore projects of shared interest in areas such as education, talent development, entrepreneurship and knowledge transfer, as well as potential collaboration on the use of spaces and facilities for joint activities.