News about innovation

27 November 2024

First call for startups in "Airports for Innovation".

We are delighted to announce the results of our first Call4Startups.

We join forces with leading airports around the world to explore new technologies and solve common challenges:

- 292 proposals submitted.

- 283 startups applied.

- Participants from all continents and more than 36 different countries.

Source: Linkedin Aena.

Innovación

November 14, 2023

Aena Ventures announces the winning startups of its 2nd edition

More than 500 proposals from 40 countries have participated. The five winning companies will carry out a pilot project with Aena with a budget of €50,000 and will be eligible for a contract of up to €2 million.

The selected startups present their projects at the 'Welcome Week', inaugurated today in Barcelona with the presence of Maurici Lucena, president of Aena.

The accelerator Aena Ventures has already selected the projects that will be part of its second open acceleration program, aimed at solving the five challenges posed by the leading airport management company.

In this second edition, 514 proposals have been presented, 46% international, as companies from up to 40 countries have participated.

Aena Ventures has selected five technological startups in the growth phase, with the aim of them adding value to Aena and developing a pilot project in a real airport environment and with the help of the company's internal teams:

Bag Id, the startup from Norway, specializes in electronic luggage tags, replacing traditional paper ones, providing a modern and sustainable solution for the identification and tracking of suitcases. It is the winning startup of the 'Airport Efficiency' challenge.

Copenhagen Optimization, based in the city that bears its name, is the winner of the 'Data Driven Airport' challenge. The startup works on improving airport operational efficiency through data-driven solutions, with a particular focus on optimizing passenger flows.

Deusens is a Spanish startup that is dedicated to improving the traveler experience through interactive digital solutions that allow more intuitive navigation within airports. Winner of the 'Virtual Airport' challenge, it opens the doors to the world of hyperexperience.

The Dutch company Hovyu, winner of the 'Greener Airport' challenge, offers an innovative solution for the decarbonization process in airports, focusing on energy efficiency and sustainability.

Finally, stressfreecarrental.com, the UK startup winner of the ‘Airport Destination’ challenge, provides a stress-free vehicle rental platform, guaranteeing a simplified and transparent user experience. Startups will have the opportunity to develop a pilot project during the acceleration phase within the Aena ecosystem, with a prize of 50,000 euros and the opportunity to access a contract with the airport company of up to 2 million euros.

‘Welcome Week’ at Aena Ventures

The selected startups present their projects at the Aena Ventures 'Welcome Week', inaugurated today at the accelerator's headquarters in T2 of the Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport. The president of Aena, Maurici Lucena, participated in this opening day; the vice president, Javier Marín; and the Innovation, Sustainability and Client Experience Director, Amparo Brea, among other members of the company's Management Committee.

During the event, the president of Aena assured that "Aena Ventures not only anticipates the future of aviation, but actively contributes to its creation." Until next November 16, presentations have been scheduled in which startups will show their innovative solutions, sessions to define pilot projects to outline and specify collaborations with Aena and round tables in which experts from the entrepreneurial ecosystem will share their experiences, knowledge and visions about the future of the sector.

The second edition of Aena Ventures is part of Aena's Strategic Innovation and Digital Transformation Plan, which promotes innovation and takes advantage of the advantages of technology and new business models to design the airport of the future.

Innovación

June 14, 2023

Aena and Cellnex bring 5G technology to San Sebastian airport

The pilot project involves rolling out the first private network of these characteristics in an airport in Spain.

Spanish airport manager Aena, which ranks number one in global passenger volume, and telecommunications infrastructure and services operator Cellnex Telecom have brought into service the first private network based on 5G technology in Spanish airports. The pilot project is itself one of the first on the European airport scene.

In the wake of the alliance struck between both companies, Cellnex was responsible for installing and rolling out this 5G network at San Sebastian airport, on which various use cases related to drone operations will be developed, mainly in terms of security and advanced monitoring, and to the acquisition, collection and secure processing of environmental data (gases and particles in suspension, temperature, humidity and noise) through the Cellnex SmartBrain Platform.

The fifth generation of mobile communications, better known as 5G, will revolutionise digital transformation processes thanks to its high-speed data transmission, low latency, capacity to manage a high density of connected devices and, in particular, its high availability and reliability. 5G will be a turning point when applied to airports, laying the foundations for the future development of the airport itself and serving as the basis for a wide range of new applications and functionalities that will allow a more efficient and sustainable service.

In this project, Cellnex will enjoy the collaboration of Nokia as its partner for the 5G network, while Inetum will supply and operate the associated drones. Globally, Aena has identified 5G as one of the key technologies for its digital transformation process. Although connectivity has been a reality in airports for a few years, the leap to this new technology will make it possible to develop new applications in important fields such as security and operations. 5G will help to further advance the Internet of Things (IoT) and help to implement Big Data, virtual and augmented reality and artificial intelligence. This new technology, and its relevant applications and functionalities, will also foster the sustainable management of airport activity, making it compatible with local nature conservation and environmental management.

Pablo Lopez Loeches, Head of Ideation & Entrepreneurship at Aena, underlined “the importance of having a private 5G network at one of our airports that allows us to test specific airport use cases that require high capacity, low latency and high device density, as well as a new connectivity layer that provides the airport community with a highly reliable and readily available data transmission service.” He went on to state that “performing these tests will allow us to identi-fy the degree of maturity of 5G technology and to see to what extent it can be adapted to Aena's needs to improve our internal connectivity services.”

Miquel Mir, Enterprise Sales Manager at Cellnex Spain highlighted “the importance of telecommunications infrastructures and technologies such as 5G in contributing to optimise processes in complex environments like airports, where security and operational efficiency are key, above and beyond connectivity for passengers”, and was “satisfied to work with Aena in this pilot that will serve to lay the foundations for future deployments of this type of network —and its multiple use cases— in Spanish airports; in addition to being able to demonstrate Cellnex’s capabilities as a neutral telecommunications infrastructure operator and its expertise in assisting the deployment of critical networks”.

San Sebastian airport

Located in the municipality of Hondarribia, 22 kilometres north-east of the city of San Sebastian, next to the French-Spanish border, it is one of Spain's main airports in the north of the Iberian peninsula. Various reforms have been undertaken in recent years to provide the airport with better infrastructures and services. The installation serves mainly regular domestic and international flights, with 383,000 passengers on a total of 5,600 flights in 2022.

About Aena

Aena is the number one airport manager by passenger numbers, with over 243 million passing through Spanish airports in 2022. The company manages 46 airports and 2 heliports in Spain and participates directly and indirectly in the management of a further 23 airports: one in Europe (London Luton airport, in which it holds a 51% stake) and the rest in the Americas (airports in Brazil, Mexico, Jamaica and Colombia). Aena has recently signed a concession contract for a further 11 airports in Brazil, including Congonhas-São Paulo.

It is a leading company due to its experience, capacity and professional team in airport service management. Aena airports are among the most modern and functional in the world and are equipped with the most advanced technologies. Aena is a responsible company, aware that it must play its role as an economic driver in the areas of influence of airports and has an ongoing commitment to development and sustainability.

About Cellnex

The efficient deployment of next-generation connectivity is essential to drive technological innovation and accelerate inclusive economic growth. Cellnex is the independent wireless telecommunications and broadcasting infrastructures operator that enables operators to access Europe's most extensive network of advanced telecommunications infrastructures on a shared-use basis, helping to reduce access barriers for new operators and to improve services in the most remote areas.

Cellnex manages a portfolio of around 135,000 sites - including forecast roll-outs up to 2030 – in Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, France, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Portugal, Austria, Denmark, Sweden and Poland. Cellnex's business is structured in four major areas: telecommunications infrastructure services; audiovisual broadcasting networks, security and emergency service networks and solutions for smart urban infrastructure and services management (Smart cities and the “Internet of Things” (IoT).

The company is listed on the continuous market of the Spanish stock exchange and is part of the selective IBEX 35 and EuroStoxx 100 indices. It is also present in the main sustainability indexes, such as CDP, Sustainalytics, FTSE4Good and MSCI.

Innovación

7 june 2023

Andreas Boschen Executive Director SESAR Aena

Aena Innovation team received today the visit of SESAR 3 Joint Undertaking Executive Director, Andreas Boschen; Chief Programme Officer, Benoit Fonck, and Chief Economist & Master Planning, Alain Siebert.

During the visit they discussed Aena's innovation strategy, their participation in SESAR 3 JU as founding members and their work in the EUREKA and OPERA projects.

Fuente: Linkedin Aena.

Innovación

6 de junio de 2023

SESAR 3

Aena Innovation team received today the visit of SESAR 3 Joint Undertaking Executive Director, Andreas Boschen; Chief Programme Officer, Benoit Fonck, and Chief Economist & Master Planning, Alain Siebert. During the visit they discussed Aena's innovation strategy, their participation in SESAR 3 JU as founding members and their work in the EUREKA and OPERA projects.

Innovación

September 1, 2021

The start-ups taking part in the Aena Ventures accelerator have already implemented their pilot projects in an airport environment

The acceleration period began just over 3 months ago with a Welcome Week, held at Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport

The accelerator has been developing innovative projects in the fields of passenger communication, airport sustainability, passenger experience, luggage handling and travel to the airport

The start-ups selected will be eligible for contracts with Aena worth up to 2 million euros to roll out their idea

The five start-ups taking part in Aena Ventures already have their pilot projects up and running in an airport environment, as part of the acceleration process that Aena is carrying out with the aim of boosting initiatives that develop disruptive technologies in an innovative, sustainable and efficient way.

In just over 3 months since this programme began, at the Welcome Week held at Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport, the start-ups have put their ideas into operation thanks to the work that has been supervised by mentors and Innovation Managers at Aena. Each company will outline the details of its pilot, which will be carried out during the 6 months that the acceleration programme will last.

Five pilots under way

The start-ups that are part of Aena Ventures have been working with the aim of finding smart solutions to improve the customer experience, in response to the five challenges specified in the tender: passenger communication, airport sustainability, passenger experience, luggage handling and travel to the airport.

Airbot's "Chatbot" is now ready. The conversation app, now in testing, answers any questions that passengers at Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport might have. It is available on the Aena website, its mobile application and via WhatsApp, platforms that have been used by over 5,000 users in the last month. The automatic agent is multilingual, Spanish, Catalan and English, and can be tested at https://wa.me/34634851130?text=Hola!+¿cómo+me+puedes+ayudar?

The sustainability challenge is addressed by Carwatt, which has developed a project involving decarbonisation in airport mobility by converting diesel combustion vehicles to fully electric vehicles, using reusable batteries and components. This pilot, in collaboration with one of the main handling agents operating at Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport, makes it possible to do away with the emissions associated with these vehicles and to give them a broader purpose, one that is consistent with the needs of society and the environment and optimises the current market options in terms of mobility.

"Hi China!" in the area of passenger experience. Chinespain has launched an app for Chinese passengers with all the information of interest in their language on the airports of Barcelona and Madrid; online booking and payment through their platforms (Wechat and Alipay). Interest in this app has been significant in the last two months, with more than 27,000 impacts on China's leading social networks (Wechat, Weibo and Xiaohonghu) thanks to this pilot, and over 100 passengers have used this method to access the airport's services.

The Dubz test project is called "Baggage as a whole". With this service, passengers will not have to worry about their luggage when checking in, since this company will collect it at the point in the city of Barcelona specified by the user and check it. The passenger only needs to pick it up at the final destination.

And finally, the company Meep has brought its project to life by turning it into "Meep Barcelona by Aena". This is the first MaaS (Mobility as a Service) that connects a city's mobility, by integrating different means of transport on a single platform, with the indoor guide at Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport, as well as with updated flight information.

At the end of the acceleration period, which will run through October, the start-ups will showcase their experience with the pilots at the final event of the process, Aena Ventures Demo Day, where the feasibility of implementing them in an airport environment will be presented.

In addition, each start-up will be eligible for contracts with Aena worth up to 2 million euros to develop and roll out their idea at select airports.

Innovación

February 11, 2021

Facial Recognition Pilot Project at Madrid Airport to be Extended for Contactless Passenger Experience

The AENA airports authority plus Iberia, Inetum and Thales are partnering in this ambitious project, supported by Spain’s Industrial Technology Development Centre (CDTI).

It allows the biometric detection of passengers using tablet-type mobile equipment.

The aim is to increase security and speed procedures in an airport with numerous flights to many different destinations.

It implies seeking innovative ways of operating in the air travel industry to comply with the new health safety measures implemented following the Covid-19 outbreak.

The national airports authority AENA is part of the consortium which includes Iberia, Inetum, and Thales, which is to carry out an R+D project with the aim of seeking new ways to operate in the air travel industry with the new health measures imposed since the Covid-19 outbreak.

The proposed project allows the biometric detection of passengers thanks to the use of tablet-type mobile equipment, which will improve their airport experience by streamlining the entire process and elimination all physical contact, enhancing still further the safety of all airport procedures.

The use of such mobile equipment also incorporates the concept of mobility, meaning that a limited number of units will be sufficient to deal with a large number of flights to different destinations. In addition, the system boasts improved detection capabilities, making it possible to identify passengers even when they are wearing face masks.

The initiative is being supported by the CDTI, Spain’s industrial technology development agency, through a research and development cooperation programme, thus contributing to the improvement of the technological level and the digitisation of Spanish enterprises via the development of innovative ideas.

For this R+D programme, in compliance wither the new measures of contactless security, the facial recognition programme deployed at the Adolfo Suarez Madrid-Barajas Airport, now in the pilot project stage, will serve in the development of new functionalities, integrating them into a single listing process by means of a dedicated application and security and boarding controls.

With this aim, leading companies in their respective industries have joined to achieve the necessary development and validation Iberia, as and airline, Inetum, as a systems integration company, Thales, as a provider of biometric technologies and identity validation processes, and AENA, as operator of Spanish airports, with responsibility for the intermediate integration systems between airline and biometric engine.

July 9, 2020

Aena announces a call to accelerate five start-ups in airport and commercial management projects

First initiative by the Aena Ventures accelerator as an innovation driver of the company

Each project will receive up to €50,000 in funding

Start-ups can register at www.aenaventures.com until 14 September

Aena promotes innovation and technology and is committed to accelerating start-ups which dovetail with its strategic business areas. With this in mind, it has announced a call aimed at driving disruptive technologies in an innovative, sustainable and efficient way which will help deliver solutions to the current and future challenges facing the air transport industry.

The call is addressed to start-ups from all over the world who are invited to sign up for this first initiative.

Aena will be looking for projects which leverage the advantages of technology and new business models in airport infrastructures and develop smart systems to enhance the customer experience.

The start-ups chosen will be guided by expert mentors in the airport industry to shape their ideas and proposals and also get physical facilities and €50,000 in funding for implementation. They may additionally have the chance to enter into an agreement with Aena worth up to €2 million for development and deployment of the idea in the selected airports.

The programme will address five challenges:

Agility in procedures and travel to the airport
Passenger experience
Passenger communication
Sustainability
Baggage as a whole

As for the calendar, entrepreneurs from all over the world keen to become part of Aena Ventures have until 14 September to present their projects with the aim of starting the acceleration this year in 2020.

The six-month acceleration programme will begin in December 2020 and run until May 2021, when start-ups will showcase their achievements to Aena at the final event called Demo Day.

Start-ups interested in joining the programme can register at www.aenaventures.com.

Innovación

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