The Canary Islands Institute of Technology (ITC) is a Publicly Owned Company created by the Government of the Canary Islands and attached to the Regional Ministry of Universities, Knowledge and Culture. Its activity falls within the field of Research, Development and Innovation (R&D&I), mainly carried out within the Canary Islands. Among its core objectives is to promote technological progress aimed at improving living conditions and quality of life in the social environment, and to support the comprehensive development of the Canary Islands through the implementation of high Technology Readiness Level (TRL 4–7) R&D&I practices and projects. The ITC has a staff of over 250 professionals and 9 departments operating in the following technological areas: renewable energy, water technologies, marine biotechnology, biomedical engineering, environmental analysis, and ICT/computer science. The Biotechnology Department has 30 years of experience in research and development in the marine plant aquaculture sector, supporting technology transfer to companies in the industry and their incubation in the Canary Islands. The department is a recognized center of excellence in various areas related to microalgae production, particularly the improvement of cultivation systems and technologies, biomass processing, and the extraction of valuable compounds for applications in aquaculture, agriculture, medicine, cosmetics, and nutraceuticals, among other sectors.
ITC in ACUICONECTA: within the project, the ITC will coordinate the scientific consortium and ensure the achievement of objectives by implementing project management and monitoring tools, fostering active and synergistic collaboration among participants. The ITC will be responsible for ensuring that the project’s results have the intended impact, and that they are widely and equitably disseminated and transferred to the productive sector and society. On a technical-scientific level, the ITC will contribute its expertise in the demonstration-scale production of native microalgae to generate high nutritional value marine plant biomass for use in human food and integration into the diets of other aquaculture species of interest. At the recently renovated Blue Biotechnology and Aquaculture Experimental Area in Pozo Izquierdo, the ITC will work to improve the environmental footprint of algae cultivation and processing, focusing on waste reuse (e.g., combustion gas CO₂) and the valorization of the island’s water resources. It will also work on diversifying aquaculture products of market interest, developing new microalgae-based foods, and contributing to the design and development of compact and modular aquaculture solutions. In addition, it will support entrepreneurial, experimental, and commercial initiatives in the aquaculture sector, while also enhancing interaction among sector stakeholders.
Go to the Canary Islands Institute of Technology website