The Madrid Innovation District (MID) project is intended to serve as “one of the great engines of transformation” in the Spanish capital. It spans an 85-hectare unused site in Real Madrid City, where companies, researchers, and entrepreneurs can collaborate, exchange knowledge, and promote innovative projects.
The Madrid Innovation District (MID) was presented on Wednesday in the Real Madrid City boardroom. This new district will be built on an 850,000 m² site in the sports city of Madrid. A statement from the city council stated that the MID will provide a space for companies, researchers, and entrepreneurs to collaborate, exchange knowledge, and advance projects.
High-profile figures attended the event, including Real Madrid President Florentino Pérez, President of the Community of Madrid Isabel Díaz Ayuso, and Mayor of Madrid José Luis Martínez-Almeida. On this occasion, it was emphasized that the project’s objective is to encourage the establishment of headquarters of leading global innovation and development companies, as well as other technology-oriented firms, in order to create synergies and establish a collaborative environment.
For Ayuso, the project represents an “exciting challenge” and she is convinced that it will bring “more employment, investment, and prosperity” to the region. It is estimated that the MID will create around 25,000 skilled jobs and attract €8.5 billion in foreign investment. Companies active in the fields of artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and sports science are also expected to be present.
“Experience, cutting-edge technology, and qualified personnel go hand in hand,” added the head of the regional executive committee, who emphasized that the project has been under development for years with a strategic vision.
Almeida, for his part, emphasized that with this project, Madrid will acquire “one of the great engines of transformation” to transform the city into “the great digital center of Europe.” For the mayor, the capital’s growth must be based on innovation, entrepreneurship, talent, and seizing the opportunities offered by digitalization. He also thanked Real Madrid, “a brand and global icon that wants to leap forward and anticipate the future.”
According to the White Club, the MID will be the “most important technology district in Europe,” a center where talent and technology merge to shape the future. The goal is to position Madrid as “the epicenter of major technology companies at an international level” – a place where technology is lived, where people work, live, learn, and have fun.
Real Madrid will provide a “unique and promising” space for the project: the 850,000 m² site in Valdebebas. “It is a privileged enclave with a strategic location near Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport and Ifema Madrid, as well as excellent connections to one of Madrid’s nerve centers, such as the Santiago Bernabéu on Paseo de la Castellana,” the club said in a statement.
