The power of Aftercare: UMIbeach and ShibataFenderTeam drive innovation in Valencia
The Invest in Valencia professional team is dedicated to the city’s development. Our commitment and care shine through in every project we undertake, celebrating each achievement of the companies we support as if they were our own.
Recently, we have been particularly proud of two outstanding business achievements that have generated remarkable local and national impact, both for their size and innovation: UMIbeach, the smart robot designed for beach cleaning and developed by Umibots, and ShibataFenderTeam‘s new expansion initiative.
UMIbeach: Cutting-Edge Technology from an Aftercare Event
Effective networking is key to our work. Weekly, our team participates in numerous events, including those organized by our partners, specialized trainings, national and international technology and innovation congresses, trade fairs, and meetings with potential investors. Our agenda is always active, as seen on our social networks.
As part of the AFTERCARE program, which we offer to foreign companies in Valencia, we organize quality networking events on a recurring basis, always with a touch of originality and interest. Doing business is not incompatible with having fun, and we know that in a relaxed atmosphere, the best conversations are held, revealing the needs of other companies in the ecosystem and creating successful synergies.
At one of these Aftercare events, Siemens Mobility and Umibots connected, leading to the creation of UMIbeach, an intelligent robot for cleaning beaches that a few months ago we already advanced in Invest in Valencia. This innovation premiered in the Urban Sandbox of Valencia, a pillar of the Valencia Innovation Capital strategy. This ordinance, a pioneer in Spain and Europe launched by the Valencia City Council, allows the entire city to be used as a real scenario to test new products and services, aiming for market succes.
During a live demonstration, UMIbeach, affectionately known as the Roomba of the beach, showcased its capabilities. Local and national media covered the event, which was attended by the city Mayor María José Catalá and Councilor for Tourism, Innovation and Investment Attraction Paula Llobet. They praised UMIbeach for its role in maintaining clean beaches, aligning with the Green Capital 2024 initiative.
ShibataFenderTeam: €7 Million Investment in the Province
At Invest in Valencia we continue supporting national and international companies established in our city with all our office services. A notable example is ShibataFenderTeam, a world leader producer of marine foam fenders based in Germany, which decided to take the leap and go from having a small team in Valencia to building the fourth factory in its portfolio.
We provided them with all the necessary support to define their real estate strategy. To this end, we put them in contact with the most cutting-edge professionals. Inmoking, as real estate experts, successfully identified the ideal location, and construction began in June in Sollana, 25 km from the port of Valencia.
This operation translates to 10,000 square meters of facilities, a €7 million investment, and 30 new jobs. The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by government representatives such as the regional secretary of Industry and Trade, Felipe Carrasco, who highlighted the “dragging effect of the establishment of companies of this entity in our territory, which undoubtedly results in excellent investment figures”, and Ester Olivas, Generalitat Valenciana general director of Entrepreneurship and Internationalization.
The Importance of a Strong Collaborative Network
The successes of Umibots with Siemens Mobility and ShibataFenderTeam illustrate the vital role of collaboration within Valencia’s vibrant technological and innovative ecosystem. These partnerships showcase how effective networking and cooperation drive significant advancements and economic growth.
At Invest in Valencia, we strive to be the key facilitator, promoting our companies, fostering synergies, and attracting new success stories to our city. We build bridges to business success and remain a driving force for innovation and collaboration in Valencia.
