Aragon with dual technology strategies at the 2nd PYME Week

The event began with a welcome from Ana Sanz, Director General of SMEs and the Self-Employed of the Government of Aragon, in which she emphasized Aragon's role in SMEs, innovation, industry, and the future, and explained, "That's why we're here today, to build bridges, generate synergies, and position Aragon as a land of opportunity in a strategic industry at the national and European levels." Next, Alejandro Ibrahim, President of the Aragon Aeronautical, Space, and Defense Cluster (AERA), emphasized, "The Draghi report emphasizes the development of SMEs and the overall increase in investment, making it necessary to strengthen critical supply chains (microelectronics, secure communication systems, AI applied to defense)."
Next, in the roundtable "Defense Industry in Aragon," moderated by Daniel Rey, General Director of the IAF, the companies Escribano Mechanical and Engineering (EM&E), ARPA, and INSTALAZA participated in growth processes with innovation, skilled employment, and technological sovereignty that face challenges such as internationalization and public-private collaboration.

Rafael de Solís, CEO of the Robotics Unit at EM&E, emphasized the growing international demand for robotic solutions and the importance of strengthening ties with Aragonese suppliers. For his part, César Fernández, Director of ARPA, highlighted his company's ability to maintain the highest quality standards at ARPA, as well as its investment in R&D and customer service. Luis Ciria, representing INSTALAZA, emphasized its dual strategy: strengthening growth and sustainability, and developing more complex and efficient systems.

The day continued with a strategic discussion on the national ecosystem, moderated by Alejandro Ibrahim, General Manager of Teruel Airport and President of AERA, with the participation of the Joint Cyberspace Command (MCCE) and CESTE, the International Business School. Lieutenant Colonel Enrique Castañeda, of the MCCE, shared the vision of the MCCE as an integrated cyber defense system that combines military capabilities with collaboration between civilian and private actors, highlighting the key role of artificial intelligence in cyber defense. He discussed the need for training in response to cybersecurity threats, highlighting AI, telecommunications, and IT. Mateo Barrios, ICT Director of CESTE, emphasized the importance of adapting university education to real market demands and public-private partnerships for new research systems, with the goal of attracting and retaining talent in the region.

Diego Alierta, CEO of UMEC, highlighted Aragon's role as a strategic industrial hub, while explaining the magnitude of traceability and certification at his company, using the UNE-EN 9100 standard for aerospace quality as an example. María Domínguez, CEO of EQUIMODAL, explained how her company applies innovation and digitalization in the field of dual logistics, also using lighter materials and new energy, storage, and production systems. Aitor García, Technical Coordinator of Aragón Photonics, presented the capabilities of DAS technology for monitoring in critical environments and advocated for attracting scientific and technical profiles, especially graduates and PhDs, to the dual sector of precise and growing photonic technology.

A special mention was made by the Director of AERA, Inés Villa, highlighting the European Conference organized by AERA, which will be held in Zaragoza and Teruel Airport in November 2025 and will bring together the 42 European aerospace clusters from 23 countries.
The event was closed by Mar Paños, Director General of Industrial Promotion and Innovation of the Government of Aragón, who emphasized the importance of the Defense sector and the role of the Aragón Defense Hub in this conference.