"Make Paterna a regional and state epicenter of innovation". Under this premise, underlined yesterday by the mayor of Paterna, Juan Antonio Sagredo, the Paterna Local Pact for Innovation was formalized yesterday, a joint initiative of the main local agents of R + D + i with which the Consistory intends to make innovation, the engine of economic and social development of Paterna.

The Science Park of the University of Valencia was the scene of the official signing of this agreement, to which a total of 18 different entities and organizations have joined, like the Valencian Agency for Innovation, the University of Valencia, the Polytechnic University of Valencia or the Valencia Chamber or the Valencian Business Confederation (CEV).

The event highlighted the privileged situation of the town as there was «an exceptional concentration of all the agents involved in the innovation processes: productive companies, advanced service companies, technological centers and institutes, companies with R + D + i departments , university scientific organizations, or higher scientific research center ».

However, there is still the need to "create the appropriate mechanisms that help foster interrelationships and cooperation between all these elements that occur in the city".

In that sense, the agreement, which will be valid for two years and will be renewable for another two years, sets four major objectives, with their respective lines of action.

One of them is to promote the development of business innovation, as an engine of economic progress in the municipality, for which it is intended to promote and facilitate events among interested agents; promoting collaboration structures between companies of different sizes or promoting and enabling the use of shared resources, both personal and in technological infrastructures, buildings and facilities for the development of joint projects, of a public-private nature.

Another goal is to position Paterna on the international map of innovation and research, to enable international alliances in different fields. For this, it is intended to implement an active business promotion policy, improve the visibility of Paterna as a suitable destination for the location of companies or increase the municipality's presence in the media.

Likewise, the aim is to promote the development of social innovation as the axis of well-being and quality of life for the residents of Paterna, assuming in innovation social values and new ideas that solve challenges in people's lives and meet the needs of the citizens.

Also, it is intended to consolidate Paterna as an Intelligent City, promoting the talent and knowledge of the town and generating new ideas and opportunities for innovation, research and entrepreneurship. All this, creating appropriate channels of citizen participation and enabling the implementation of other plans such as the Actua Project.