Gran Canaria will host the OECD Digital Economy Ministerial Conference between December 13 and 16

The Government’s First Vice-President and Minister of Economic Affairs and Digital Transformation, Nadia Calviño, chaired yesterday the Sectorial Conference for Digital Transformation. The Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence State Secretary, Carme Artigas; and the Telecommunications and Digital Infrastructures Secretary, Roberto Sánchez, also attended the meeting. Moreover, several representatives of all autonomous communities, the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla and of the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FEMP) took part online.

During the meeting they have agreed that the following meeting of the Sectorial Conference for Digital Transformation will be a face-to-face one and the Region of Murcia has presented itself as host. They also plan to hold a meeting in December in the Canary Islands, coinciding with the OECD Digital Economy Ministerial Conference, which will take place between December 13 and 16 in Gran Canaria.

Letter anniversary of Digital Rights

The Spanish Government is promoting purposefully the process of digital transformation taking advantage of the opportunity that means the funding of Next Generation EU regarding the Recovery Plan with a clear humanistic approach. As a matter of fact, today marks the anniversary of the Letter of Digital Rights, which places Spain at the forefront in the development of a regulatory framework that guarantees the protection of the rights and democratic values of the citizens in the digital field.

New investment in the Next Tech Fund

Likewise, the Vice-President has spoken about the signing of the Next Tech Fund’s third operation, an initiative in cooperation with the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Digital Transformation, by means of the State Secretary of Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence and the Institute of Official Credit (ICO) through AXIS, which will count with 100 million euros in Cathay Innovation Fund III, a venture capital fund with a size of 1,000 million euros and managed by Cathay Innovation, which is dedicated to investing in projects related to the sustainable transformation of the industry and society.

It is the third operation of the Next Tech Fund since its creation in 2021, with which they reach a public investment of 270 million euros so far. Previously, the Fund had invested 70 million euros in the Leadwind Fund together with Telefónica, BBVA and KFund, and 100 million euros to the Andromeda Fund together with Iberdrola, Seaya and Nortia Capital.

As they complete the third investment, as for now, the Next Tech Fund will mobilize investment in public-private collaboration in Spain with the purpose of reaching a total of 900 million euros in businesses and digital projects.

Translated by Andrea Expósito Santana