Las Rozas: A Leading Technology and Innovation Hub in Europe

The city has begun 2025 by collaborating on 13 European innovation and research projects alongside 94 other European cities.

In recent years, Las Rozas has implemented a strategy to promote innovation, technological and business development, support for the entrepreneurial ecosystem, and the attraction of talent. This strategy has transformed the city, both within and outside Spain, into a hub where the most advanced technologies are developed, tested, and demonstrated in real-world settings.

This positioning has made Las Rozas a living lab for fostering technological solutions aimed at improving quality of life and promoting sustainability.

Las Rozas Innova, the Public Innovation and Technological Development Company of the City Council, has led this progress, which has positioned the city within the European research and development (R&D&I) sphere. Currently, Las Rozas is participating in 13 European innovation projects alongside 94 cities, having been selected in various calls. The latest two are led by EIT Urban Mobility, an initiative of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology of the EU, that focuses on improving urban mobility.

This is a forward-looking strategy (designed for the next 10 years) initiated by José de la Uz, president of Las Rozas Innova, mayor of the city, and current president of the Spanish Network of Smart Cities (RECI). It began in 2015 when he assumed the mayoralty and is led in collaboration with the European Projects Office of Las Rozas Innova. The office, under the direction of CEO Cristina Álvarez Requena and her team, identifies the needs of Las Rozas, assesses its strengths, prepares proposals for European funding calls, manages applications, and accounts for grants, all with one goal: to ensure the city's growth by leveraging the most cutting-edge and competitive R&D&I projects of the European Commission and obtaining Next Generation EU funds for the city.

Thanks to the remarkable work of Las Rozas Innova, the city has quickly gained recognition in Spain as one capable of driving, developing, and integrating advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, the Internet of Things (IoT), and Virtual Reality. The city efficiently manages its resources, optimizes services, promotes sustainable development, and attracts talent to continue enhancing and energizing these spaces.

In its pursuit of internationalization, talent, and innovative solutions, Las Rozas has not only attracted European projects but has also signed an agreement with the Taipei Computer Association (TCA), a leading organization in Taiwan's information technology sector. This collaboration aims to foster innovation and partnerships between the business ecosystems of both cities.

With the same goal of mutual learning, technology transfer, and talent exchange, Las Rozas has looked beyond Spain and Europe. In 2024 alone, it participated in events held in Chile, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Germany, Brazil, the United States (Washington), and Taiwan.

This international leap follows extensive work in Spain alongside leading cities through collaboration and participation in the technical groups of RECI and its alliance strategy, agreements, and hosting of high-value events. As a result, last year, Las Rozas actively participated in conferences and forums in Barcelona, Málaga, Valencia, Cáceres, and Seville.

The robust business ecosystem of Las Rozas, being the second city with the highest number of startups in the Madrid region after the capital, drives collaboration with major innovation players across Spain, such as Banco Sabadell’s BStartup, BIGBAN Inversores Privados, Netmentora Madrid, The Style Outlets, INCIBE, Global Mobility Call, and others. Las Rozas Innova also functions as a platform for attracting and connecting companies, entrepreneurs, investors, academics, researchers, and public administration to enhance competitiveness and create opportunities and synergies. As a major catalyst, it hosts Las Rozas Innova Hub, the city's Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center, home to 50 startups and businesses, providing personalized services for their growth and consolidation.

This comprehensive strategy strengthens Las Rozas as an epicenter of innovation, showcasing its ability to lead technological projects and its commitment to a sustainable and competitive future in Europe and worldwide. From Las Rozas to Europe and the world, through innovation.

Foto: Jose de la Uz, Mayor of Las Rozas