The Free Zone of Cádiz and the INCYDE Foundation of the Chambers of Commerce of Spain signed two collaboration agreements on Monday that expand the relationship between both entities regarding the Blue Economy and the promotion of the business fabric of Cádiz. The agreements, signed at the headquarters of the Cádiz Consortium by the state delegate in the Free Zone of Cádiz, Fran González, and the general director of the INCYDE Foundation, Javier Collado, establish two differentiated lines of work: a training plan aimed at entrepreneurship and self-employment, and joint participation in the Agro-Food Summit "Global Agro-Food Systems", which will take place as part of the Alimentaria 2026 fair in Barcelona.
These new agreements add to the joint trajectory of both institutions, given that the INCYDE Foundation has acted as an intermediate body for the FEDER Funds in the Incubazul and Blue Core projects developed by the Cádiz Consortium, in addition to having previously collaborated in the establishment of business incubators in Palmones and Ubrique.
The first of the agreements includes the development of four training programs linked to strategic sectors of the Blue Economy, with a specific focus on the creation and consolidation of businesses in Andalusia. These programs are co-financed by the European Social Fund Plus (FSE+) under the State Program for Employment, Education, Training, and Social Economy 2021-2027 and prioritize promoting self-employment, sustainability of economic activities, and development of professional and social skills aimed at increasing the chances of success in entrepreneurial activity, as well as employability and social inclusion of the participants.
In addition to specialized training, the programs include complementary activities such as orientation and awareness workshops, mentoring sessions, and follow-up services that will extend over time with the aim of providing continuity and support to beneficiaries once the teaching phase is completed. The training plan aims to guide entrepreneurs and businesspeople both in the creation and consolidation of business projects within the Blue Economy, a field that encompasses everything from fishing and aquaculture to shipbuilding, auxiliary industry, or tourism services related to the marine environment.
The second agreement establishes the participation of the Free Zone of Cádiz in the Agro-Food Summit "Global Agro-Food Systems", scheduled for March 23 and 24 in Barcelona as part of Alimentaria 2026. The summit, organized by the INCYDE Foundation and the Mediterranean Diet Foundation, will bring together institutional representatives, experts, and companies to address the main challenges and opportunities of food systems on a global scale.
In this context, the delegate of the Cádiz Consortium will present the Blue Core project, which will also have its own stand showcasing the activities developed in the area of the Blue Economy related to food sectors. The presence of the Free Zone at Alimentaria will be complemented by the participation of six startups from the Incubazul-Blue Core incubator, all of which have activities related to the food sector. These include Salaria, specialized in the artisanal and sustainable extraction of salt; Productos La Salá, which produces innovative products made from salicornia harvested in the natural park of the Bay of Cádiz; Escaramujo Wines, an underwater winery; Marisma Biomed, dedicated to developing functional foods and dietary supplements with ingredients from the marsh; Flavoom, focused on the production and distribution of vegan and sustainable vegetable sauces and preserves; and SeaBites, a producer of natural pet food made from marine products. One of these startups will make a presentation during the event.
Fran González has thanked the collaboration of the INCYDE Foundation in promoting entrepreneurship and self-employment linked to innovation and the Blue Economy, and has pointed out that the chamber's commitment to Cádiz encourages the Consortium to continue working in the sector's ecosystem and to consolidate the province as a reference forum in this area. For his part, Javier Collado has emphasized the importance of institutional cooperation to strengthen the business fabric and indicated that the goal is to contribute to sustainable growth and modernization of the productive fabric through programs that generate employment and assist entrepreneurs in launching their projects.
Alimentaria, which held its first edition in 1976, currently brings together the entire value chain of the food industry and has established itself as one of the major international benchmarks in the sector, making the Barcelona event a platform for generating new contact opportunities for the Blue Core project and the Cádiz startups linked to the Blue Economy.
