Indra, first most notable company in Spain and second in Europe in the Horizon 2020 innovation program

Indra, one of the leading global technology and consulting companies, has emerged as the company with the highest economic return in Spain and second-highest in Europe within the Horizon 2020 Framework for Innovation Program (H2020), the European Commission's main instrument to boost policies and funding for R&D&I and technological development in Europe from 2014 until last year.

This can be seen in the analysis of the results of H2020 Spanish participation recently published by the Center for the Development of Industrial Technology (CDTI), which notes that Indra has participated in nearly one hundred R&D&I projects within the program’s framework, of which it has coordinated more than a dozen.

In addition to being the Spanish company that has raised the most funds for its R&D&I projects, Indra also leads the Smart, Green And Integrated Transport sector in Spain and ranks third in this field within Europe. In fact, Indra is leading some of the main European innovation initiatives that are moving toward the digitalization of transportation and the use of new intelligent solutions, such as the SESAR program, which promotes the creation of the Single European Sky to improve air traffic capacity, increase safety and reduce environmental impact, and Shift2Rail, which seeks to promote the competitiveness of the European rail industry and ensure the attractiveness of railways as a low-carbon, safe and sustainable mode of transportation, among others.

In addition to the European funding received for its projects, Indra has resources of its own allocated to innovation, which also place make it a leader in Europe. According to the European Commission’s latest EU Industrial R&D Investment Scoreboard ranking, the 265 million spent on R&D&I in 2020 make it the second Spanish company and the seventh European company in the Software & Computer Services sector, which includes 98 companies.

Optimal innovation management 

Indra's excellent results in Horizon 2020 are a recognition of the company's global innovation model, which guarantees the best R&D&I management and value creation through the development of innovative solutions and services to respond to the new challenges and needs of customers and society. They are further evidence that Indra's innovation management system, which is certified by Spanish and European quality standards, meets the requirements and guidelines to effectively organize and manage R&D&I, helps identify emerging technologies and materialize opportunities to develop its own technologies, and facilitates the systematic planning and monitoring of its portfolio of innovative projects, among other advantages.

The main goals of Indra’s innovation model are to consolidate Indra's technological leadership, generate value for its customers, encourage the talent of its professionals, and strengthen innovation as one of the foundations of its corporate culture.

This is an open, streamlined, and flexible innovation model which connects technological innovation ecosystems at a global level: startups, entrepreneurs, university research groups and Indra's own professionals. Through Indraventures, the corporate vehicle for strengthening the relationship with the entire entrepreneurial ecosystem and financing initiatives, Indra analyzes more than 1,000 startups a year, collaborates with more than 300 universities, technology and research centers, and stimulates intrapreneurship among its over 50,000 professionals, 3,000 of whom work full-time on R&D&I in Spain.

Indra received the 2020 National Innovation Award, granted by the Ministry of Science and Innovation, for its driving role in promoting innovation in other companies, for its important role in the digitalization of various sectors and its position at the forefront of R&D&I. 

Leading the way in the digitalization of all sectors

In addition to playing an integral role in H2020, Indra leads other relevant R&D&I initiatives, both national and international, in different sectors.

Indra is the Spanish industrial coordinator of the FCAS (Future Combat Air System), the largest joint European defence program to date and the most ambitious in terms of technological development, representing a huge development opportunity for Spanish industry.

In collaboration with Enaire, Indra has also launched Startical, a pioneering project that aims to put into orbit a network of over 200 small satellites at a low altitude to improve air traffic management with the goal of providing service around the planet.

With regard to the Information Technologies business, Indra, through Minsait, is at the forefront of innovation in technologies such as Business Analytics, Big Data, Robotics, Automation, and Artificial Intelligence, for organizations in industries such as Energy and Industry; Financial Services; Telecommunications and Media; and Public Authorities and Healthcare.

In recent years, Minsait has launched unique initiatives, including the creation of Plaiground, the most innovative solution to facilitate companies' access to Artificial Intelligence (AI); the development in Granada of one of the most advanced AI centers in Europe, together with the University of Granada and with Google Cloud as a technology partner; the promotion of sustainability in organizations through The Overview Effect; and the creation of Minsait Payments, which has successfully developed a unique, innovative and differentiated digital services proposal based on intelligence generation and the use of machine learning algorithms.

Minsait’s other cutting-edge projects in the field of digitalization include the development of an innovative model that makes it possible for banks to be managed 100% digitally; the combination of Artificial Intelligence and satellite imaging to design new models for environmental risk management and business fraud detection; the digitalization of environmental monitoring in oilfields, thus minimizing cases of pollution; the construction of a smart management system for handling power grid outages; and the creation of new solutions for the environmental, mobility and safety challenges of the cities of the future.

About Indra

Indra (www.indracompany.com) is one of the leading global technology and consulting companies and the technological partner for core business operations of its customers worldwide. It is a world-leader in providing proprietary solutions in specific segments in Transport and Defence markets, and a leading firm in Digital Transformation and Information Technologies in Spain and Latin America through its affiliate Minsait. Its business model is based on a comprehensive range of proprietary products, with a high-value focus and with a high innovation component. In the 2020 financial year, Indra achieved revenue of €3.043 billion, near 48,000 employees, a local presence in 46 countries and business operations in over 140 countries.