Emtech 2012 Spain is here!!

You can watch Emtech Spain 2012 live on streaming at www.technologyreview.es

The second edition of the world’s most important conference on emerging technologies, organized by Technology Review and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Emtech Spain 2012 is on today and tomorrow, in Málaga, Spain. Once again, MIT puts its trust in Spain, betting on Málaga as the meeting point for its conferences in Europe; and I wouldn’t be surprised! Emtech 2011 was a great success. The first Spanish TR35 winners (young innovators under 35) were presented, with projects of great relevance and projection. The forum in southern Spain, surrounded by nice sunny weather, brought together tech gurus from around the world, young innovators, and the necessary capital to bring their projects to life.

Program in hand, I can say that this rendezvous, like good wine, is quality improving over time. If last years conference was a benchmark for congresses in the sector, in content as well as in format, this year will not be the exception!

What is the best part of EmTech? For me, without a doubt, the global image of technology that it projects… because, what is technology? Technology is a catalyzer that produces a reaction towards change…Technology is thinking how the cities of the future will be, with less contamination, efficient services, reasonable energy and fuel prices, security or better mobility. Technology is the new relations tool, where dynamics such as crowdsourcing and gamification can be, in the future, tools to confront natural disasters or other social emergencies. Technology is innovation in medicine, and not only in new products, molecules or approaches, but also in changing the existing model in matters of access to sanitation ad it’s funding. Technology is that Internet will redesign the rules of the game. Technology is looking for new ways of funding. Technology is social innovation. And, why not, technology is the TR35 award winners, ten projects by the ten most innovative young people in the country, who cover from aeronautics to artificial intelligence, as well as healthcare.

You cannot miss it; it is one of those dates I have marked in red on my calendar! In my case, I have a special interest in three biotech projects of this year’s TR35’s Héctor Perea, Juan Moreno and David Horma. A diversity of projects in deed: bioengineering and tissue regeneration, neuronal rehabilitation or new drugs. I would not want to be in the shoes of the judges, and have to choose one…it would be mission impossible! All three are technically really good projects, and their excellence lies in the fact that they all incorporate the most fundamental aspect in order to be feasible in today’s modern world: they offer significant improvements provided in the most efficient way. Gotta go…Emtech has started!

Elena Benávides

Elena de Benavides, CEO of the International Institute of Phlebology S.L., is an economist by training and a specialist in Health Economics and Management of Healthcare Organizations. She is also one of the winners of Spain’s 2011TR35 competition, which is the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s prize in recognition of top innovators under 35.