CTA is a multi-sectorial innovation cluster that was created in 2005 as joint effort of Andalusia regional government and a group of key companies to boost the regional economy through the application of the quadruple helix model of innovation.
CTA’s main activity is advising, mentoring, and funding innovation projects led by companies with a clear and measurable market application in the short term. Currently, CTA is owned by more than 186 companies, 70% of them SMEs, and acts as a catalyst of collaboration creating partnerships between its members and research groups supporting the creation of joint research projects.
Regarding the connection with public bodies, CTA is a policy promotion body, providing strategic advice on innovation and technology to governments, from regional to international frameworks.
CTA is partner in almost 60 innovation European projects within the different programs funded by the European Commission (Horizon Europe, I3 instrument, Interreg, Cosme, etc..) focused on different thematic areas: bioeconomy, digitalization in Agrifood, circular economy, blue economy, industry 5.0, climate neutrality, renewable energies, aerospace Tech, SMEs competitiveness and internationalization and sustainability.
Andalusian innovation cluster
Multi-actor ecosystem design and stakeholder engagement
Living labs and farmer adoption
Exploitation, replication and business models
Policy uptake and connection to regional funding
Communication, dissemination and clustering
Role CTA can play:Multi-actor ecosystem design and stakeholder engagement: structure the value chain, connecting the full farming systems stakeholders: farmers, livestock, biomass managers, technological and biotechnological providers, universities, technology centres, SMEs, startups and industrial players. Living labs and farmer adoption: co-creation process with end users, through living labs with farmers, cooperatives and agroindustry. This includes analyzing adoption barriers, feed specific quality needs and validating business models. Exploitation, replication and business models: CTA can lead the commercialisation roadmap, market segmentation, IP strategy and Mediterranean replication plans, ensuring that the pilot can scale to other mediterranean regions. Policy uptake and connection to regional funding: Connect project outcomes with Andalusian agrifood and bioeconomy strategies, Regional Smart Specialization Strategy, PERTE, FEDER and climate adaptation policies, reinforcing long-term impact and scalability. Communication, dissemination and clustering: coordinate dissemination and communication activities at project level; clustering with other similar projects
CTA has been involved in the follwing related funded projects:
Bioeconomy funded projects:
BIO4AFRICA: Biobased solutions for sustainable for agri-food systems in rural Africa
ROBIN: Deploying Circular BIOeconomies at the Regional Level with a Territorial Approach
SCALE UP: Concepts, tools and applications for community‑driven bioeconomy development in European rural areas
BBIONETS: Thematic Network to Boost the Adoption of Bio-Based Technologies
Mediterranean funded projects:
VERDEinMED – PreVEnting and ReDucing the tEXtiles waste mountain in the MED area (Interreg Euro-MED).
CircleMED – Test circular economy solutions for the green transition of the Mediterranean region (Interreg Euro-MED).
INTECMED – Incubators for innovation and technological transfer in the Mediterranean (ENI CBC Med).
FinMed – Boosting innovation for a greenImpulsando la innovación para un crecimiento verde (Interreg Med).
