Vélez-Málaga inaugurates the High Performance Business Center

Vélez-Málaga/Last September 30th, Antonio Sanz, the counselor of the Presidency of the Junta de Andalucía, announced during the celebration of the Fórum Europa that Vélez-Málaga would have a high-performance business center aimed at providing digital training for both the unemployed and agricultural sector companies seeking to adapt to new technologies. This project became a reality almost three months later, as the mayor of the municipality, Jesús Lupiáñez, inaugurated the facilities, which received funding of four million euros from the Junta.

This is "an innovative space designed to enhance the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the province," said the mayor. The event took place at the Urban Building, in the heart of the city's Historic Center, and was attended by Luis Alcalá, representative of the Digital Agency of Andalusia, and Lola Martínez, director of the Department of Innovation, Entrepreneurs, and SMEs at the School of Industrial Organization (EOI).

The CARE positions itself as the only center of its kind in the province of Málaga, "setting a milestone for Vélez-Málaga in the business and innovative field," added the mayor. This pioneering program, which already has 20 companies enrolled, offers a flexible support itinerary that includes group training, personalized tutoring, and improvement strategies tailored to the needs of each business.

The mayor emphasized "the importance of this initiative" for the city and, especially, for its historic center: “This High-Performance Business Center is a step further in our goal to invigorate and enliven the heart of Vélez-Málaga, making our Historic Center a benchmark for innovation and business development. We are the only municipality in the province with a CARE, which reflects our commitment to the future of our businesses and our city.”

Furthermore, Lupiáñez highlighted how this project adds to other ongoing initiatives such as the 'Coworking' program, and he announced that new courses and programs will be launched in the coming months. “With the CARE and other projects we are promoting, Vélez-Málaga is establishing itself as a reference for entrepreneurs and business people looking to grow, innovate, and adapt to the challenges of the current environment,” he specified.

Organized by the EOI and the Digital Agency of Andalusia, and funded with FSE+ and ADA, the CARE will offer 30 hours of group training, 12 hours in small groups, and 20 hours of online tutoring for each participating company, allowing for specific adaptation to the needs of each business. "With this initiative, Vélez-Málaga is not only betting on business development but also on revitalizing its Historic Center, generating a positive impact both on the economic fabric and on the social and cultural life of the city," the mayor detailed.