ITA is to expand with a new building for laboratories and offices: an investment of 8 million euros.

The Aragon Institute of Technology (ITA) is about to take a qualitative leap, and will become a fundamental pillar of the brand new Aragonese Technology District (DAT Alierta). To achieve this, the public innovation centre will invest almost 7.7 million euros in the expansion of its infrastructure.

A new building for innovation and collaboration

The project comprises a new 4,000 m² building, designed to house state-of-the-art laboratories, spaces for technological experimentation, and collaborative offices. The investment also includes the development of 2,000 m² in the surrounding area, which will improve access and facilitate the unloading of heavy equipment. This expansion seeks to foster key synergies with the School of Engineering and Architecture (EINA) and the CEEI, by boosting collaboration and knowledge transfer.

The specialist laboratories will be at the forefront of areas such as Artificial intelligence, robotics, microelectronics, advanced industrial systems and digital technology integration. Innovative projects with a direct impact on strategic sectors such as mobility, industry, and construction will be developed here. The Department of the Presidency, Economy and Justice has announced an additional investment of nine million euros in these laboratories, with the aim of enabling Aragonese companies to “develop deep digital technologies, and thus contribute to the reindustrialisation of Europe”.

The new block will also offer coworking and shared workspaces with a capacity for more than 200 professionals. These environments have been designed to facilitate interaction and collaboration between technology experts and businesses, and accelerate the creation of new solutions and their arrival to market.

ITA, the heart of DAT Alierta

The expansion of ITA is part of the Government of Aragon’s strategic plan for DAT Alierta, an ambitious project in which 100 million euros is to be invested in the coming years. The goal is to consolidate an open ecosystem where collaboration between companies, startups, research centres, and public entities drives technological development and generates greater social impact. The ITA, for its part, aims to achieve revenues of €28 million by 2028.

Mar Vaquero, Vice President and Regional Minister for the Presidency, Economy and Justice, highlighted the importance of this expansion: “As we stated from the outset, DAT Alierta wasn’t created from scratch; we also announced that the Aragon Institute of Technology would be one of its main components. This expansion will help adapt the ITA to its future needs, attract more projects, increase its impact on the Aragonese economy, and transform Alierta into a leading national and international innovation hub. Innovation is an essential area in any organisation, and with this expansion, the centre is positioned as what it is: the leading R&D&i department in Aragon”.