The President of the Government of Navarre, María Chivite, visits the office of Zabala Innovation in Brussels

With Brussels as the epicentre of European decision-making, María Chivite, President of the Government of Navarre, visited the Belgian office of Zabala Innovation, a key player in the submission and management of European projects, on 15 October. “Brussels is our gateway to Europe,” stated Camino Correia, Director of European Programmes at Zabala Innovation, during her presentation. She highlighted the strategic importance of the Belgian capital for the company.

With over 500 professionals, 25 of whom are based in Brussels, Zabala Innovation has become a leading player in European project management. The company is supported by three key areas developed from this office: international relations, international business, and communication and dissemination of results. “We have analysed the role of European projects not only as a funding tool but, above all, as a means to position organisations and regions in Europe within a global environment,” explained Correia.

During the meeting, Navarre’s involvement in Europe was also reviewed, highlighting its leadership in key sectors. One example is the European Circular Innovation Valley (ECIV) project, led by Navarre as part of the European call for Regional Innovation Valleys. The need to expand Navarre’s participation, particularly in sectors where the region has a strong ecosystem, such as health, agriculture and agri-food, or artificial intelligence, was discussed.

The commitment of Zabala Innovation and Navarre to Europe

“Being a leader in Europe is not easy; it requires strategy, determination, public-private collaboration, technical and political resources, and relational capital,” added Correia, emphasising the Government of Navarre’s strong commitment to this, a commitment which Zabala Innovation works hard to support. She also expressed her gratitude, on behalf of the entire company, for the President’s visit, seeing it as a reinforcement and motivation to keep pushing forward.

Participation in European projects “is almost an obligation for companies, universities, and administrations,” Correia continued, “as these projects offer great international visibility, a network of contacts, significant positioning, and the chance to play in the top league.” In her words, “any organisation can be part of Europe, but it needs to be ambitious, think about where it wants to be in two or three years, and come to Brussels with a fresh plan.”

The visit not only underscored Brussels’ significance for Navarra but also made it clear that the region still has untapped potential in strategic sectors. In this way, Zabala Innovation, alongside the Government of Navarre, reinforces its commitment to continue leading the path towards a more innovative and competitive future in Europe.