Unicaja Banco’s collaboration falls within its support to the business fabric and within its interest to promote entrepreneurial initiatives and job creation in Andalusia.
Unicaja Banco reaffirms its support to entrepreneurship as the key driver of the economic growth in Andalusia, supporting one more year, as the sole collaborating financial institution, the regional finals of the Andalucía Emprende Awards, whose sixth edition has been held today in Malaga.
At this event, organized by the Department of Employment, Training and Entrepreneurship of the Regional Government of Andalusia, through the Andalucía Emprende Foundation, the Malaga company ‘Kaiju Entertainment’ and the Cordoba business ‘La Salmoreteca’ have been recognized as the best Andalusian companies 2019. Both have been chosen from the 16 initiatives shortlisted in each category during the provincial phases.
‘Kaiju Entertainment’ is a company dedicated to the organization of events related to the audiovisual industry, multimedia, training and videogame development. ‘La Salmoreteca’ works in a new gastronomic concept around salmorejo. The first company has been awarded in the category ‘Creation’, for recently established business initiatives (up to three years ago); and the second one, in the category ‘Consolidation’, aimed at businesses between three and seven years of history.
These awards recognize each year the most innovative business initiatives and with the highest growth and development potential in each province, supported and mentored at the business incubation centers of the Centros Andaluces de Emprendimiento (CADE, Andalusian Entrepreneurship Centers).
The award consists of an international business agenda, sponsored by Extenda-Agencia Andaluza de Promoción Exterior, with travel expenses financed by Unicaja Banco, and of an MBA at ESESA Business School.
As a new feature this year, this edition includes a third recognition to the European dimension, the ‘Startup Europe Awards Andalucía 2019’, which falls with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The company awarded in this category has been the Granada business ‘Maquetas Axfito’, which will participate in the Startup Europe Awards 2019.
Startup Europe Awards 2019 is an initiative supported by the European Commission, in collaboration with Startup Europe and organized by Finnova Foundation, with the goal of creating an alliance of European startup awards.
Support to entrepreneurship at SmartDay, Andalucía en Acción
Additionally, Unicaja Banco’s support to the Andalusian business fabric will be reinforced with its presence on 17 December at Smartday, Andalucía en Acción, to be held in Sevilla. This is the first global event for entrepreneurs, a meeting point for all the agents involved in this ecosystem and who wish to add their knowledge, proposals and talent to the boost and reinforcement of entrepreneurship, self-employment and social transformation in Andalusia.
In particular, Unicaja Banco will be present in the financing area, where it will inform visitors on its main financing products with exclusive conditions for entrepreneurs, business owners and professionals with feasible business projects. It will also participate in the space ‘Red con ellas’, on women’s entrepreneurship.
During its participation at SmartDay, the financial institution will present different financial instruments available to professionals to boost their businesses, such as specialized financing solutions (microcredits, first business loans) or the agreements with institutions such as Spain Official Credit Institute (ICO), European Investment Bank (EIB) or Andalusia Confederation of Business Owners (CEA).
The bank will also talk about its financial education programme, the Edufinet Project, promoted by Unicaja Banco and Fundación Unicaja through its portal for business owners and entrepreneurs Edufiemp; and by EspacioJovenUni, platform available on the website www.espaciojovenuni.com, dedicated to the promotion of employment and entrepreneurship, training, innovation and talent.
Unicaja Banco’s support to this initiative falls within the long-standing and close collaboration maintained with Andalucía Emprende Foundation, as well as within the bank’s interest in contributing to favour entrepreneurship, the economic development and job creation in Andalusia.
