Archive for March, 2024

Platjabot, the device created by Invest in Valencia success story Umibots, is poised for testing in Las Arenas in April. The Urban Sandbox ordinance, recently greenlit, adopts a one-stop-shop model, facilitating real tests to boost innovative and technological projects in the city. The aim is offering companies the opportunity to test their products in real environments to ensure their success. 

Valencia’s commitment to becoming an experimentation hub for prototypes and cutting-edge projects, addressing urban challenges, is evident in the ambitious Urban Sandbox initiative. Paula Llobet, Councillor for Innovation, Technology, Digital Agenda, and Investment, emphasizes Valencia’s pioneering role in Europe, stating, “the Urban Sandbox turns the city of Valencia into a real experimentation scenario and consolidates it as a leading city in innovation We are the first in Spain to launch such an ambitious Urban Sandbox.”

This initiative aligns with the goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2030 while promoting business productivity and competitiveness, contributing to the knowledge society, enhancing public services to meet evolving citizen needs, and fostering an innovative ecosystem and culture. 

With the Living Lab and the Sandbox ready, Valencia now possesses two out of the three experimentation spaces prioritized by the European Commission to promote innovative experimentation policies among member states under public-private collaboration frameworks. 

PLATJABOT, one of the first projects to launch in the Sandbox 

Tests will take place in April at post 3 of the Malvarrosa beach, next to the Hotel Las Arenas. The Platjabot, designed to transform beach cleaning, features a sophisticated system for selecting, vacuuming, and accumulating debris from the sand. Like domestic robot hoovers, Plajtabot can be configured according to the time of day, weather conditions or beach saturation. Its advanced technology provides up to 19 hours of autonomy, covering around 4000m² per hour, with anti-vandalism measures and optimal sensors for triple security. While the initial tests focus on the beach, Platjabot’s applications extend to urban parks, recreational areas, golf courses, and various sandy terrains.

Valencia City Council has announced additional projects in the Urban Sandbox, including the adaptation of lampposts for electric vehicle charging and innovations in sports facilities to reduce energy consumption. 

About UMIBOTS 

UMIBOTS, having arrived in Valencia with the support of Invest In Valencia in May 2023, focuses on autonomous and electric robots for urban mobility. The company, with four employees, achieved a turnover of €200,000 last year. UMIBOTS boasts the UMI-MARKET project, an award-winning app-based purchasing system, and is currently developing the UMI-CLEAN, an automatic cleaning robot for indoors and outdoors.  

If you’ve been fortunate enough to experience Valencia during the Fallas festival, you’ve witnessed firsthand the grandeur of this quintessential Valencian celebration. Even if you’re from outside Spain, chances are you’re familiar with its significance. It’s no surprise that Las Fallas ranks as the most searched popular Spanish festival worldwide on Google, followed by the Sanfermines and the Feria de Abril. In 2023 alone, it garnered a staggering 1,355,620 searches, marking a 31% increase from the previous year. The search volume peaked in February and March, with 225,930 and 577,430 searches, respectively. 

These insights are derived from a report by the Cluster of Innovative Companies for Tourism in the Valencian Community (ADESTIC), which also highlights the festival’s international appeal. Italians (17.4%), Americans (16.5%), Mexicans (15.7%), and French (10.5%) exhibit the most interest in this iconic event outside Spain. 

Further data from the Economic Impact Study conducted by the Chair of Sustainable Economic Model València i Entorn at the University of Valencia underscores the Fallas’ significance. It reigns as Spain’s leading festival in terms of employment generation and economic impact, with a staggering 732.6 million euros contributing to the economy in 2023. This investment translates to 6,500 jobs and 180 million euros in income. 

On an individual scale, Fallas families contribute an average of €1,760, totaling €74 million, while commissions invest nearly €35 million. Visitors and residents collectively spend close to €269 million, with companies and public administrations investing €8 million and €11 million, respectively. This economic activity accounts for 0.29% of the province of Valencia’s GDP, 0.14% of the Comunitat Valenciana’s GDP, and 0.53% of employment in the province compared to 0.28% in the Comunitat.
 

Cost Breakdown: Creating a Fallas Monument 

As for the cost of constructing Fallas monuments, expenditures vary, with the 384 fallas commissions collectively spending 8.84 million euros in 2023. Notably, the Special Section Fallas, renowned for their size and spectacle, lead expenditures, with the Jerusalem-Matemático Marzal Convent investing €245,000 this year and the Falla del Ayuntamiento allocating €239,000, its largest budget to date. 

Additional fascinating Insights: 

– 353 traffic closures and 283 marquees set up in Valencia 

– Over 5,000 officers and 460 firefighters ensuring public safety 

– €2.74 million spent by the City Council on cleaning services 

– 133 stalls offering chocolate, churros, and buñuelos 

– Nearly 2 million visitors during the festival’s five main days, with hotel and turistic acommodation occupancy ranging between 75% and 90% 

– Over 100,000 falleros participating in the floral offering, presenting nearly 100,000 bouquets to the Virgen de los Desamparats.