MAE Bilateral Visit in Galicia

Introduction

On June 17 and 18, a delegation from the Moving Towards Aerospace (MAE) project conducted a study visit to Galicia, Spain, to analyze the region's thriving aerospace ecosystem up close. The visits focused on the areas of Lugo and Vigo, offering a deep dive into the regional strategies, key infrastructures, and innovative startups driving the sector's development.

Visit Objectives

• To analyze Galicia's aerospace development model and its public strategy.

• To visit key infrastructures such as the Rozas Aerodrome.

• To engage with successful startups and support structures like the Business Factory Aero (BFAero).

• To understand the dynamics of collaboration between the public and private sectors and research centers.

First Day: June 17, 2025

Visit to Rozas Aerodrome

The first day began with a visit to the Rozas Aerodrome near Lugo, a facility owned by the Region of Galicia and managed in collaboration with the Ministry of Defence. The infrastructure includes a 2.5 km runway for testing large aircraft, radars for drone safety, and a dedicated area for private companies that have located there following a regional call. These companies actively collaborate with local universities and technical institutes, offering internship opportunities to students.

Focus on AVINCIS

Within the aerodrome, the delegation visited AVINCIS, a company specializing in drone production. The firm builds vertical take-off aircraft, marine drones, and small unmanned helicopters, and is developing advanced software to coordinate air and ground assets in crisis scenarios like wildfires. A key strength of AVINCIS is its almost exclusive use of Galician components, demonstrating a consolidated and highly specialized local supply chain.

The BFAero Initiative and Regional Strategy

The delegation then moved to the CEL Foundation, which manages the Business Factory Aero (BFAero), an initiative by the Region of Galicia to incubate, accelerate, and consolidate aerospace startups. BFAero offers tutoring, fundraising support, and creates strategic partnerships between startups and established "Anchor companies". Now in its seventh edition, the program has attracted national and international talent, helping to create a robust local ecosystem.

Galicia's aerospace strategy was also presented here. Since 2015, the region has seen employment in the sector nearly double, with a 21% growth in profits and a 43% increase in exports. For the 2025-2030 period, a total investment of €900 million (€183 million public) is planned to strengthen the ecosystem, support companies, and develop the security and defense sector in collaboration with the Ministry.
 

Second Day: June 18, 2025

The Vigo Aerospace Hub

The second day took place in Vigo, near the Portuguese border, where many startups from the BFAero program have established their production units in a single industrial area. This physical proximity has created a true "aerospace citadel," where companies collaborate, exchange ideas, and grow together, fostering healthy competition and strong synergy.

Success Stories from BFAero

Four emblematic success stories from the Vigo ecosystem were presented:

• Kreios Space: Produces self-generating, zero-emission thrusters for low-orbit satellites.

• Vig Sec Drone: Develops an integrated drone system for emergency situations, working closely with the Ministry of Defence.

• Alen Space: Born from a university collaboration, it produces nanosatellites and software for telecommunications.

• UARX Space: Builds deployer boxes to send satellites of various sizes into orbit and release them with precision for different clients.