Jesús Valero, Managing Director of TECNALIA, elected President of EARTO, the main European association for Research and Technology

Valero assumes the presidency of Europe’s largest research network, with more than 350 organisations and 228,000 researchers in 32 countries, with the aim of ‘helping to unite the organisations that research and create technologies to solve the real problems of our environment with industry, to improve people’s quality of life’

Jesús Valero, CEO of TECNALIA, has been elected the new president of EARTO, the European Association of Research and Technology Organisations, after receiving the unanimous support of the members of the EARTO General Assembly. With more than 350 organisations and 228,000 research staff in 32 countries, an annual turnover of 23,000 million euros and 100,000 clients each year, it is the main European technology network, with a consolidated track record of more than 25 years, which has positioned the Technology Centres as key players in collaboration in research, development and innovation, boosting the competitiveness of the European Union. The appointment took place at an event within the framework of the EARTO Annual Conference being held these days in Valencia, during which the new vice-president, Malin Frenning, CEO of RISE, Sweden’s leading Technology Centre, was also appointed.

Valero has been CEO of TECNALIA since 2021, having held the vice-presidency of EARTO since last year, and in this new stage he will represent the interests of the Technology Centres in Europe by monitoring the evolution of EU policies, representing the points of view of its members before EU decision-makers and lobbying for EU programmes adapted to the needs of the Technology Centres.

According to Valero, “EARTO is a driving force in Europe to bring the work of technology centres in research to companies and society. We are privileged to have such a wide and structured network for the creation of technological solutions to the real problems of our environment and to have this great vehicle that is EARTO to unite the organisations that research and create with industry, to improve the quality of life of people. This is also our mission at TECNALIA and it is an honour for us to be able to contribute at a European level”.

With a PhD in Biological Sciences and a Master in Marketing and Business Management, Jesús Valero is a leader in innovation and technological development with more than 25 years of experience in applied research and management in technology centres. After six years as the centre’s Director of Health, in 2019 he took over as Deputy Director General of Technology and in 2021 as Director General. As CEO of TECNALIA, he has promoted excellence in R&D, the development of solutions for the industrial fabric, the attraction of competitive funding and the creation of high-impact spin-offs, as well as strategic initiatives to strengthen industrial competitiveness. His track record in strategic management, public-private investment, leadership of strategic European consortia and technology development and transfer in key sectors positions him as a benchmark in science-industry collaboration. With an active role in organisations such as EARTO, the Spanish Federation of Technology Centres (Fedit), the Basque Innovation Agency Innobasque and the Basque Research and Technology Alliance BRTA, his vision focuses on strengthening the collaboration and competitiveness of European technology centres and promoting innovation as a driver of development and global competitiveness.

Founded in 1999, EARTO, the European Association of Research and Technology Organisations, is made up of more than 350 members from 32 countries and represents 228,000 highly skilled researchers and engineers who manage a wide range of innovation infrastructures. EARTO’s objective is to promote strategic research to develop new knowledge and technologies for future application; to foster knowledge transfer to ensure the widest possible dissemination; to encourage collaboration between different research entities to develop specific technologies and applications.

TECNALIA is a member of the Executive Board of EARTO, as well as of its Steering Committee, made up of relevant organisations such as FRAUNHOFER (Germany), RISE (Denmark), CEA (France), TNO (Holland) or AIT (Austria).