Dec 12tn, 2018 – Antonio Couceiro Méndez has been re-elected Chairman of the Technological Institute of Galicia (ITG) after the Board of this non-profit foundation held an Ordinary General Meeting that took place this morning in A Coruña. Since being appointed Chairman, for the first time in 2015, the entity has opted for more specialized activities, progressively increasing its potential in R+D.
The ITG plays a very important role in Galician R+D. It works to provide innovation in strategic sectors such as unmanned aircraft, Industry 4.0, energy optimization, the integral water cycle or sustainable development.
As a Civil Engineer, Antonio Couceiro began his professional career as part of metal builder companies, making the leap to politics 10 years later, as director of Xestur in A Coruña, where he was promoted to Director of the Galician Housing Institute (IGVS), which he left in 1990. Director of Training and Labour (1993-1994) and Regional Minister of Industry (1994-1999) of the Xunta, president of the Port Authority of A Coruña (1999-2002) and general director of Begano (2003-2014), are some of his qualifications.
The Board is composed by the Galician division, the Official Associations of Industrial Engineers, Architects, Mining Engineers, Agronomists, Civil Engineers and Naval and Oceanic Engineers. The Confederation of Employers of Galicia, the vice dean of research of the three Galician Universities, together with the Xunta de Galicia are also part of said Board.
Research, development and innovation
R+D is the basic principle for any activities where the ITG is involved.The Institute contributes to the improvement of competitiveness and technological development for companies and organizations, working in the fields of applied research, development, innovation and technology, promoting and participating in initiatives on European, national and regional level.
The ITG endorses the development of drones for civil use, and has developed infrastructures and services specifically aligned for the exploitation of data that drones are capable of collecting, which allows the adaptation and configuration of solutions for an organization, regardless of type and size.
Proof of this is its participation as a partner in the Rozas Aerospace Pole, a project that aims to become an international reference in R+D for the UAV sector, and promote its use in the civil field for the improvement of public services. In addition, the ITG is part of two Mixed Research Units (UMI) of the Xunta de Galicia. These are FASTFly, Full Autonomous Systems for UAS specialized in unmanned aircraft, and AIRUS, for the coordination and circulation of drones in air spaces.
Industry 4.0 features the spin off FlyThings.io. The ITG responds to their needs of treatment and data management by collecting, storing, processing, monitoring and acting in industrial and services work environments, using multiple sensorization technologies.