As we advanced at the time, since October 2021 our now Engineering Research Institute I3E-UMH (in 2021 “Centre”) has the position of Innovation Agent in its team. This was possible thanks to the support and grant of the Valencian Innovation Agency (AVI) and its programme “Promotion of Talent” (line “Innovation Agents”) of the call for grants for the strengthening and development of the Valencian Innovation System for the improvement of the productive model for the years 2021 to 2023 of the AVI co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund ERDF (project file reference: INNTA1/2021/8).

This project is coming to an end after almost two years (September 2023 is the last month of the implementation period) and it is time to present some of the results that have been generated during this time under the coordination of the Innovation Agent. It is worth remembering that the main functions of this post have been to favour applied and results-oriented research, the transfer of knowledge to companies, and to promote sustainable collaboration between the industrial/business and scientific/university universes. A list of the main results achieved in relation to the initially defined objectives is here presented:

• the technological offer of the I3E-UMH has been elaborated and updated as necessary (available at: https://i3e.umh.es/oferta-tecnologica/)
• more than 10 developments by members of the institute with potential for industrial protection have been identified
• the application for technology transfer and collaboration projects with other entities at regional, national and European level has been promoted, achieving a percentage of successful projects over the total number of applications that has met the initial objective (see those awarded in the annual reports)
• 13 areas with market potential have been identified and independent market studies have been carried out for each one with the support of specialised consultancy firms which, together with the internal analysis of the I3E, have been the starting point for drawing up the strategic plan for the coming years
• the I3E’s annual activity reports have been published (hosted at: https://i3e.umh.es/investigacion/memoria-investigacion/)
• 7 events have been organised to promote and disseminate the Institute’s activity in order to get closer to its environment and to create opportunities for collaboration with other entities such as companies, research organisations or the public administration (more information at: https://i3e.umh.es/eventos/ and https://i3e.umh.es/eventos/noticias/)
• members of the institute have attended various fairs and congresses and, in several cases, have participated to promote the transfer of R&D results and innovation with a stand (Inndromeda Tech Day in December 2022) or by exhibiting to attendees (Smart Mobility Valencia in September 2022)
• more than 1 communication of collaboration and funding possibilities per month has been made to I3E members from the area coordinated by the Innovation Agent

Last but not least, given that the results generated in the framework of this project have been useful for the I3E‘s objective of consolidating itself as a research institute committed to its environment by working in both basic and applied research, in tune with the needs of companies or other entities in the environment, in 2023 it submitted a proposal to the AVI to maintain the Innovation Agent, which was funded (project INNTA1/2023/26). Thus, the I3E is going to maintain its Innovation Agent, financing the project with the 75% that the AVI has granted this year in the aid programme in question.