On Thursday, November 12th, the VINSEUM in Vilafranca del Penedès hosted the celebration of the 15th anniversary of the INNOVI cluster, an organization that works towards the development of innovation and collaboration within the wine value chain in Catalonia. The central event was a commemorative lunch, accompanied by various activities such as the presentation of a video about INNOVI’s 15 years and speeches from key figures within the cluster.
The first to speak was Francisco Romero, the Mayor of Vilafranca, who, like Jordi Cuyàs, General Director of Trade Promotion at the Generalitat at the time of the foundation, highlighted how INNOVI has grown from a local initiative to a benchmark for public-private collaboration that supports the entire wine value chain in Catalonia.
Jaume Gramona, former president of the cluster and president of Gramona, emphasized the pioneering role in innovation of the companies that are part of INNOVI, including wineries, winemakers, universities, technology centers, and wine denominations, among other stakeholders throughout the wine value chain.
As an example of a successful initiative, Gramona mentioned the Academy of Pruning, a project that has trained professionals in respectful pruning techniques across more than 15 wine denominations, from Penedès to Porto and the Canary Islands.
Mireia Torres, current president of INNOVI, director of the innovation department at Familia Torres, and director of Jean Leon, shared some relevant data about the impact of the cluster and its innovative projects. Over the years, INNOVI has promoted over 150 R&D&i projects with a total budget of 22.5 million euros. Among the most notable initiatives, she mentioned the Online Grape Market and the LIFE Vineyards for Heat project, which promotes the use of pruning waste as biofuel, as clear examples of investments in the sustainable future of the sector. She also highlighted the success of the first edition of the Pruning Congress, an event organized by INNOVI this year, and reminded everyone that, throughout its history, the cluster has organized more than 250 knowledge transfer sessions, with more than 11,500 participants, consolidating itself as a leader in training and dissemination within the wine sector.
With 15 years of experience, INNOVI continues working to be a key player in driving innovation and collaboration within the wine sector, looking towards the future with projects that strengthen the competitiveness and sustainability of the sector on a global scale.
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