Proexca has initiated a prospecting agenda in Japan with the aim of forging new alliances, identifying emerging business niches, and positioning the islands within priority markets for digital industries. This initiative seeks to replicate the strategic success that began 17 years ago with the commitment to the audiovisual sector.
Alfonso Cabello, Vice-Minister of the Presidency and President of Proexca, highlighted that the audiovisual sector's experience demonstrates the Canary Islands' capacity to develop new sectors that generate economic activity, skilled employment, and opportunities for local talent. The mission, with an institutional and prospecting focus, aims to establish links with one of Japan's main technological and creative hubs.
Monday's agenda included meetings with international startup promotion and foreign investment officials, as well as a working session at the Kyoto Center for Growth Industries Creation. The Canarian delegation discussed Kyoto's instruments and policies for fostering innovative companies and the conditions Canary Islands offers for new company establishment.
Cabello stated that economic diversification is built by identifying competitive sectors, fostering talent, and seeking investment. He cited the evolution of the Canarian audiovisual sector, which has moved from attracting film shoots to a broader ecosystem of creation, production, and specialized digital services. He indicated that the next step is to leverage this experience for growth in areas like animation, visual effects, and video games.
The mission aims not only to attract Japanese companies to the Canary Islands but also to open the Asian market to Canarian businesses, promoting internationalization and the growth of the islands' productive fabric. Proexca combines external promotion, talent training, and investment attraction to generate knowledge and skilled employment.
In the field of microelectronics and semiconductors, with the CanaryChip strategy, the Canary Islands aim to capitalize on the opportunities within this sector, which is well-established in Japan. Cabello emphasized that the islands possess knowledge, talent, and companies to build a sector that contributes to diversification and skilled employment, mentioning the success of companies like Wooptix and collaborations with institutes such as IUMA and IAC.
The visit to Kyocera is part of the strategy to approach one of the world's most advanced technological ecosystems to learn, build relationships, and identify opportunities that can benefit the Canary Islands, facilitating the presence of Canarian companies in international value chains.
