The Aragonese Institute of Promotion (IAF), the public economic development agency of the Government of Aragon, has assessed its recent comprehensive transformation process. According to official data published by the organization, the management model change implemented starting in 2024 to bring the administration closer to the private sector has supported more than 4,000 companies across the entire regional territory.
This institutional redesign, dubbed ‘Nuevo IAF’, has focused on streamlining the channels of engagement with Aragonese SMEs to generate a tangible impact on the region’s competitiveness and innovation.
Capital Injection and Regional Structure
The central axis of this new phase has been financial backing. The agency has allocated €49.5 million in direct aid benefiting 345 companies. This public capital injection has acted as a catalyst, enabling a total investment volume of €138.8 million, primarily aimed at innovation, digitalization, and industrial development projects.
To ensure these resources are not concentrated solely in the capital city, the agency has launched the «IAF Conecta» plan. This territorial connection strategy has resulted in the organization of 13 workshops in various regions, gathering over 600 participants. As a result of this fieldwork, more than 500 business consultations have been addressed, 186 development-phase projects have been advised, and the creation of 65 new companies from scratch has been supported.
Commitment to the Digital Economy and Emerging Sectors
The technological modernization of the Aragonese business fabric represents another major line of action. Through the Aragón Tech Pyme program, 210 companies have advanced in their digital transition, leveraging a catalog of over 200 technological solutions and nearly 500 training resources in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT).
Additionally, the innovation ecosystem has been strengthened through the creation of 20 startups (technology-based emerging companies) and the acceleration of 125 high-value-added projects. This effort is further complemented by the impact of the EDIH Aragón (European Digital Innovation Hub), which has facilitated the integration of advanced technologies in around one hundred local SMEs.
Aragon as a Strategic Hub for the Defense Industry
From a macroeconomic and industrial perspective, the rapid growth of the HUB of Defensa Aragón stands out. This strategic cluster already brings together 150 companies and entities in the sector, incorporating 110 SMEs and startups into specialization programs. The initiative aims to position the autonomous community as a key logistical and technological node for the European military and security industry, also facilitating the participation of over 250 professionals in trade missions and international fairs.
To sustain this growth, the IAF has complemented capital investment with the development of human talent. Over 15,000 individuals have participated in its training programs in digital skills and entrepreneurship, a measure aimed at equipping the Aragonese economy with the qualified workforce necessary to navigate the technological and industrial transition of the coming years.
