We closed 2014 with 64 linked companies and associations. Of these, 17 are physically located in the Universitat Jaume I (UJI) facilities, five are linked through the coworking service and 42 are of virtually linked; that is, connected to the espaitec ecosystem without being physically located at the UJI or in the city of Castellón. This has broadened espaitec’s scope to the whole business fabric in this province and the rest of Spain.
Turnover
The total turnover for 2014 was 60.4 million euros, and was 3.6 million euros in R&D&I investments, which represents 6% of turnover. These figures correspond to the sum of the turnovers and R&D investments of all the companies linked to the espaitec ecosystem, except the large business groups linked to the Park in Castellón.
Activity sectors
When we look at activity sectors, the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) stand out for yet another year with 29 companies and two research groups, which is 48% of all the Park’s activity. The industrial production technologies sector is represented by eight companies, which represents 13% of the Park’s entire activity. Two linked companies work with smart materials and centre on nanotechnology, which is 3% of all the activity in this Park, and is the same percentage of companies (two) that operate in the chemical sector. Six companies operate in the sustainability and clean technologies sector, better known as “clean tech”, which is 10% of the total. The health sector remains the same as in previous years with four companies, which is 6% of activity. Finally, 17% of the Park’s activity centres on advanced services, where 2 non-profit organisations, one research group and eight companies operate.
Personnel
The number of employees linked to the espaitec ecosystem increased yet another year. The year 2014 closed with 777 people working in the espaitec-linked SMEs and startups, which is a 31% increase compared with 2013. Of these 777 employees, 527 are men and 250 are women, while 211 people work in R&D either full-time or part-time.
By taking the companies, organisations and research groups set up in the espaitec 1 and espaitec 2 buildings as a reference, 2014 closed with 268 people who work daily in the Riu Sec Campus facilities, which is a 71% increase compared to 2013. Among them, research groups like INIT stand out, which employs a large number of workers, as do growing companies that employ some 20 people.
In 2014 the series of espaitec-linked companies received 80 students for internships through OIPEP and FUE, of whom 16 were contracted in 2014.
Technology and knowledge transfer
During financial year 2014, 11 patents were registered by all the espaitec-related companies and organisations, and eight were licensed. Furthermore, the series of espaitec-linked companies collaborated with 38 university research groups, and maintained direct (by forming part of the usual personnel) and indirect (sporadic collaborations) relations with 67 researchers from the Universitat Jaume I and other Spanish universities.
During financial year 2014, 11 patents were registered by all the espaitec-related companies and organisations, and eight were licensed. Furthermore, the series of espaitec-linked companies collaborated with 38 university research groups, and maintained direct (by forming part of the usual personnel) and indirect (sporadic collaborations) relations with 67 researchers from the Universitat Jaume I and other Spanish universities.
