The IFMIF-Dones particle accelerator project, with construction of its main building set to begin this summer, represents an investment exceeding 2 billion euros in the coming years. This ambitious plan seeks to position Granada as a benchmark in clean energy and science, maximizing the participation of the local and Andalusian business ecosystem.
The forum, which gathered nearly 250 companies, focused on identifying the opportunities this facility offers to Granada's productive sector and how companies can adapt to its requirements. The uniqueness of IFMIF-Dones, being an unprecedented global project, demands constant adaptation of construction to the demands of scientific development.
“"In its fourth edition, this forum already identifies itself as a place where it is worthwhile to meet every year to see what the accelerator needs and how we can respond to its demands. It is not a forum where we exchange commercial brochures or catalogs, but rather ideas. That is what makes it so special, and makes it still worthwhile for the science industry and major projects, such as IFMIF-Dones, to meet here every year."
Gerardo Cuerva, president of Cámara Granada and the Industry Office, emphasized the importance for Granada's companies to recognize the project's value. He stressed that IFMIF-Dones should not only be a scientific facility but a key driver for the economy of Granada and Andalusia, overcoming the initial perception of distance some companies had towards the project.
Meanwhile, Juan Antonio Tébar, Director of Innovation Policies at the Center for the Development of Industrial Technology (CDTI), highlighted the primary role IFMIF-Dones will play in fusion energy, as it will be the site for testing essential materials and technologies for its development. The University of Granada is also emerging as a crucial source of talent for these high-value-added sectors.
The mayor of Granada, Marifrán Carazo, underscored the great reception of the event in 2026, with hundreds of companies interested in participating in what she considers the most important scientific project in Spain and Europe. She insisted on the need for local industry to understand the project's real demands to maximize its economic and social impact on the city, integrating it into Granada's strategic planning.
The IV I+Dones Forum began on Tuesday with visits to the accelerator facilities in Escúzar and workshops on instrumentation and nanoelectronics at the Carmen de los Mártires. Wednesday's session included institutional speeches and presentations of CDTI and CIEMAT initiatives in fusion energy, aiming to define national and international growth opportunities arising from the scientific ecosystem being created in Granada.
