The Regional Minister for Economy and Industry, María Jesús Lorenzana, accompanied by the director of Igape, Covadonga Toca, took part in the Investor Day organised by Business Factory Aero (BFAero) and XesGalicia, held at the Galician Economic Office in Madrid, where she emphasised that it is “crucial” to connect start-ups with investment firms, as this “ensures their financial viability and accelerates their growth in the market”.
During Investor Day, the regional minister explained that “we identify and support many innovative projects, but these projects need to establish themselves in the market and continue to grow. And we cannot achieve this through Igape or XesGalicia alone: we need private investment. It is therefore essential that we use our Economic Office as a showcase for everything that is being done in Galicia to attract that investment”.
At the event, 18 investment firms specialising in deep tech, space tech, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, mobility, aerospace, defence and dual-use technologies gathered at the Galician Economic Office in Madrid with eleven technology projects from the 7th edition of BFAero and three established companies from the accelerator’s ecosystem, with the aim of exploring opportunities for investment, co-investment and scaling up in high value-added technologies.
Galicia, an attractive environment for specialised investment
Galicia continues to build an ecosystem capable of attracting talent, generating high-impact innovation and sparking the interest of specialist national and international investors, thereby transforming technological potential into real opportunities for economic growth and skilled employment.
BFAero, the Galician Regional Government’s aerospace accelerator, forms part of the Strategic Initiative on Security, Defence and Aerospace, a roadmap that aims to mobilise up to 900 million euros in investment by 2030, supported by public investment of 183 million euros aimed at strengthening the region’s industrial, technological and business capabilities in sectors considered strategic for technological autonomy and European competitiveness.
Since its launch in 2019, BFAero has supported the creation of 49 new businesses. More than 80 per cent of them are still active and growing. Together, these companies have created more than 310 skilled jobs and generated an annual turnover of more than 28 million euros.
In the last two rounds, BFAero companies have raised more than 14 million euros, with around 70 per cent coming from private equity, confirming the programme’s ability to transform strategic technologies into companies that are attractive to investors.
Several start-ups linked to the BFAero ecosystem have also gained international recognition by being selected for leading programmes such as DIANA, NATO’s innovation accelerator, or by attracting investment from strategic organisations such as the NATO Innovation Fund, thereby consolidating the global profile of the Galician aerospace ecosystem.
From technology to the market
BFAero’s methodology supports projects throughout the entire business development process, from technology validation to investment readiness, addressing key aspects such as the business model, market strategy, intellectual property, commercial validation, funding strategy and links with major industry leaders.
This initiative enables start-ups to connect with investors by showcasing their distinctive technologies, highly specialised teams and value propositions geared towards markets with significant growth potential, particularly in dual-use sectors with applications in the civil, industrial, security and defence sectors.
Investor Day thus reinforces BFAero’s role as a platform for generating investment opportunities in aerospace, security, defence and dual-use technologies, and as a bridge between technological innovation, industry and private capital.