Smallops took part in the third edition of the “Extremadura, destino inversor” (Extremadura, investment destination) forum, organised by El Confidencial in Cáceres. Rubén Escudero, the company’s co-founder and CTO, championed the role of Extremadura’s deep tech innovation as a driver for attracting investment and talent.
The event was held on 10 July at the Cáceres Chamber of Commerce, organised by El Confidencial together with CaixaBank, the Regional Government of Extremadura, Philip Morris International and Veolia. The day brought together institutional and business leaders from the region around a shared idea: Extremadura is no longer merely a recipient of investment, but a hub of innovation in its own right.
The forum was opened by Nacho Cardero, director of El Confidencial, who framed the region as an opportunity “not only for Spain, but also for Europe”, and by Guillermo Santamaría, regional minister for Economy, Employment and Digital Transformation, who summed up the moment with a single figure: “In Spain, foreign direct investment is collapsing, but in Extremadura it is growing.” The closing remarks were delivered by María Guardiola, president of the Regional Government of Extremadura.
Our co-founder and CTO, Rubén Escudero, took part in the first panel, “Extremadura, fertile ground for talent and innovation”, moderated by journalist Alberto Sanz. He shared the panel with Javier Sánchez Romero, managing director of Veolia in Extremadura, and Javier Peinado, secretary general of CREEX — a session focused on the region’s consolidation as a national benchmark in the circular economy, the bioeconomy and sustainable resource management.
Speaking to the audience, Rubén explained the Smallops case: a startup from Don Benito that valorises the residues of olive oil production to give them new environmental applications, from improving biogas and biomethane production to water treatment. “We make high-value products for industry,” he summarised.
Escudero presented the project as a success story in attracting investment: “We are an example of attracting foreign investment.” He also placed the team at the heart of growth: “For a company to do well, it takes the whole team. You have to attract talent and be flexible with people and the way they work.” He pointed, too, to some of the challenges still pending in order to retain that talent, such as a strong leisure and infrastructure offering, including the high-speed rail (AVE) connection.
In the same panel, Javier Peinado (CREEX) highlighted the region’s starting resources — “we have sun, water, talent and a business fabric” — and the importance of looking after the local productive base, while Javier Sánchez Romero (Veolia) advocated a “global approach from a local point of view” and the need to turn waste into profitable solutions.
The day also included a second panel focused on reinventing traditional driving sectors through technology and digitalisation, with Extremadura as a testing ground for agritech projects. It featured Cesare Trippella, European director of Value Chain and External Relations at Philip Morris International; Miguel Ángel Leal, CEO of CL Grupo Industrial; and Francisco Morcillo, CEO of MB3.
The forum closed with an address by María Guardiola, who championed the region’s economic moment — with the lowest unemployment figures in its history and energy production “six times greater” than its consumption — and summed up the message of the day: “Extremadura wants to be recognised for the industry it develops, for the innovation it drives and for its ability to attract and retain talent.”
You can read the full account of the event at El Confidencial.