Andalusia strengthens its digital leadership with the Center for Innovation in Exponential Technologies

The center, led by the Andalusian Digital Agency (ADA) in collaboration with Ayesa and IBM, will be hosted at the Andalusian Artificial Intelligence Center in Granada.

The Minister of the Presidency, Interior, Social Dialogue and Administrative Simplification, Antonio Sanz, announced in Granada —alongside the city’s mayor, Marifrán Carazo— the imminent launch of the new Center for Innovation in Exponential Technologies, promoted by the Andalusian Digital Agency (ADA) in close collaboration with Ayesa and IBM. This center will position Andalusia as a key hub for research and development in quantum computing.

Joined by Horacio Morell, President of IBM for Spain, Portugal, Greece, and Israel, and Germán del Real, Managing Director of Ayesa, Minister Sanz announced that this facility will form part of the Andalusian Artificial Intelligence Center, backed by an investment of €3.5 million and located at the Health Technology Park (PTS) of Granada. The center is scheduled to open in November, coinciding with the III Andalusian Artificial Intelligence Congress, to be held in Granada on November 10–12. It will begin operations by coordinating and deploying 65 AI use cases currently active within the regional government, thanks to an investment of €36 million.

“With the new Center for Innovation in Exponential Technologies, we aim to strengthen the innovative digital ecosystem of our region, fostering talent and research in quantum technologies, bringing cutting-edge digital solutions closer to the public sector and research/industrial sectors, and cultivating new producers and consumers of quantum services across Andalusia,” said the Minister during a meeting this morning with the Andalusian exponential technologies ecosystem. The gathering included representatives from the private sector, academia, research institutions, and public entities engaged in advancing these technologies.

The center’s strategic lines of work have already been defined, according to the Minister. These include:

• Collaborating with other knowledge hubs and innovation ecosystems at the local, national, and international levels, focusing not only on quantum but also on other emerging technologies;
• Designing and developing pilot projects and use cases that combine AI and quantum computing;
• Implementing a governance and monitoring framework for outcomes;
• and Providing real access to quantum computing through a service-based model, including the launch of quantum emulation capabilities on the Hércules supercomputer, owned by ADA and operational since December 2023 at the Andalusian Scientific Computing Center.

Antonio Sanz emphasized that the center’s launch is based on a public-private governance model, highlighting the strategic roles of “a global tech leader like IBM and a key Andalusian player such as Ayesa” in its operations.

Meanwhile, Mayor Marifrán Carazo noted that the center “represents a milestone that consolidates Granada as a hub for innovation, technology, and artificial intelligence, placing it firmly on the regional and national map”. She also emphasized that it marks “a qualitative leap in quantum computing and R&D capabilities that will benefit the entire region”.

The mayor further highlighted Granada’s unique position in the innovation landscape, “thanks to the talent at our university and the thriving ecosystem of tech companies that have formed a world-class industry.” She referenced pioneering projects such as iQuantum and the First Municipal Artificial Intelligence Plan, with which Granada “supports and strengthens Andalusia as a whole, positioning the city as a national and international benchmark in advanced technology”.

According to Itziar Cuenca, R&D Director at Ayesa, “This agreement reinforces our role as a key player in the field of quantum innovation and solidifies our position as a strategic partner for high-complexity initiatives, both nationally and internationally. It also deepens our collaboration with IBM and other leading players in the global quantum ecosystem”.

Ana Conde, Key Account Manager for EU Digital Services at Ayesa, added: “This project strengthens our leadership in digital transformation initiatives within the public sector and demonstrates our ability to deliver disruptive solutions that transform society and the economy through innovation”.