The University Institute of Research on Olive Grove and Olive Oils (INUO) at the University of Jaén held the first Joint Innovation Units (UMIs) Conference. This initiative aims to strengthen cooperation between the scientific community and the business sector within the olive growing and olive oil industry.
Held on 17 June in the ‘Salón de Grados Verde’ in Building C1 at the University of Jaén, the conference aimed to foster synergies between companies and the Institute’s research staff around common challenges, promoting a model of collaborative innovation with a direct impact on the sector.
Francisco José Torres Ruiz, the INUO’s deputy director, gave an institutional presentation at the opening of the meeting. He outlined the main strategic priorities and the scientific and technical capabilities available for the development of joint projects. The presentation also emphasised the INUO’s role as a driving force in knowledge transfer and in promoting R&D&I initiatives related to olive cultivation.
The day continued with a session dedicated to funding opportunities, led by Elena Guzmán, head of the INUO Management Unit. Dr. Guzmán outlined the various calls for proposals available at regional, national, and European levels, providing attendees with a practical overview of the mechanisms for accessing resources to develop innovation projects.
The program also included a networking session to encourage the exchange of ideas and identify potential avenues for collaboration. This was followed by a round-table discussion and bilateral meetings between INUO research staff and company representatives from the sector. These meetings aimed to define specific cooperation proposals.
During the meeting, the Mixed Innovation Units (UMIs) model was presented as a strategic tool for identifying and implementing R&D&I projects aligned with the real needs of the productive sector. This model enables collaboration to be structured between companies and research groups at different levels of technological maturity, facilitating the effective transfer of results and the development of innovative solutions.
In this regard, INUO has made its expertise available to the sector in key areas such as the optimisation of olive oil milling processes, the valorisation of by-products, quality control and traceability, the health and functionality of extra virgin olive oil, as well as digital transformation, market analysis and the application of artificial intelligence.
The holding of this first edition of the Joint Innovation Units (UMIs) Conference reinforces INUO’s commitment to promoting open innovation and public-private cooperation, consolidating its role as a platform linking scientific knowledge with the needs of the olive sector.
