Twenty years growing in Madrid

In 2005, Zabala Innovation opened its third office in Madrid, following Pamplona and Brussels. Twenty years later, the Madrid team has reached 100 people, consolidating a space where innovation, collaboration, and people remain at the core.

On October 24, the Madrid office celebrated its 20th anniversary with a day full of memories, recognition, and reunions. The event brought together the entire Zabala Innovation Madrid team and the company’s management in an atmosphere that combined emotion, history, and a forward-looking spirit.

An anniversary that celebrates people and history

The day began with a welcome from Ainhoa and Erik Zabala, CEOs of Zabala Innovation, followed by a presentation by Fernando Pérez, Director of the Madrid office. With a warm and participative tone, he revisited the main milestones of these two decades: the first projects, the office’s growth, and the consolidation of a team that today exceeds one hundred people.

One of the most applauded moments was the tribute to Marian Gilarranz, the first person to join the office in 2005, and to Jorge Chávez, the hundredth hire. Both received symbolic recognition amid the applause of their colleagues, in a celebration that highlighted the essential role of people in the organization’s history.

The strength of the team

The event featured a special guest, Lola Fernández Ochoa, former Olympian and President of the Blanca Foundation, who gave an inspiring talk on “The Strength of a Team.” Through a powerful visual metaphor — pulling stones out of a backpack — Lola spoke about challenges, commitment, and resilience as shared values in both sports and innovation.

The day concluded with words from José María Zabala, Founder and President of Zabala Innovation, who reflected on the company’s journey and the evolution of the Madrid office over these twenty years.

A story that keeps growing

Zabala Innovation was founded in 1986 in Pamplona, born from José María Zabala’s vision: to support companies and institutions in their innovation projects. After opening the Brussels office in 2003 as a natural step towards Europe, Madrid followed in 2005. It became the company’s third office, created to meet the growing national demand and harness the potential of Madrid’s thriving ecosystem.

Today, Madrid is Zabala Innovation’s second-largest office, just behind the headquarters in Pamplona. From its offices on Calle Zurbano, in the heart of the capital, projects are coordinated that connect national strategies with the European dimension of innovation.

The Madrid office is structured around four key areas that reflect the diversity of the Zabala Innovation ecosystem:

• National projects, supporting companies, technology centers, and public administrations in the preparation, management, and justification of national public funding programs (such as those from CDTI, ministries, or regional governments).
• European projects, collaborating in the submission and implementation of initiatives under Horizon Europe, the Innovation Fund, and European partnerships, strengthening Zabala Innovation’s presence in leading international consortia.
• R&D&I tax deduction, helping companies identify, quantify, and apply tax benefits derived from their research and development activities, combining technical expertise with strategic advice.
• Innovation and strategy consulting, guiding public and private organizations in defining innovation roadmaps, designing sustainability plans, and creating collaborative ecosystems. This team also leads Public Procurement of Innovation (PPI) projects, fostering cooperation between administrations and companies to promote innovative solutions from the public sector.

Madrid looks back with pride, but also forward with the same enthusiasm as on its first day. Because at Zabala Innovation, innovating has always been — and will continue to be — a shared project.

Together, #InnovationWorks