Matteco has been awarded the Entrepreneurship Award at the third edition of the BASF-ICIQ Innovation and Entrepreneurship Awards, held on 14 October 2024 in Tarragona. This event has established itself as an essential platform to recognise scientific and technological achievements in the field of chemistry in Spain and Portugal.
The ceremony was attended by Alícia Romero, Minister of Economy and Finance of the Government of Catalonia, who highlighted the fundamental role of the chemical sector in Catalan industry and the importance of scientific research as a driver of economic and social progress. The event also included a keynote speech by Dr. Eva Ortega-Paíno, Secretary General for Research of the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, who offered her perspective on the future of research in Spain and the importance of public-private collaboration.
This recognition, which includes an endowment of 4,000 euros, highlights Matteco's ability to develop innovative solutions in the field of green hydrogen production. The award was received by Gonzalo Abellán, co-founder of Matteco and distinguished researcher at ICMol, who has led the development of a new generation of catalysts and electrodes for the production of green hydrogen. This technology has the potential to significantly improve the efficiency of hydrogen production processes, a key component in the transition to clean and sustainable energy.
The event, organised by BASF and the Catalan Institute for Chemical Research (ICIQ), brought together leading figures from academia, industry and government, who highlighted the importance of collaboration between universities, companies and research centres to address global challenges, especially in the chemical sector.
Matteco and its commitment to sustainability
Matteco is a spin-off of ICMol - Universitat de València that emerged after more than a decade of work by a multidisciplinary team of researchers. Its creation has been driven by Zubi Labs, a venture builder focused on entrepreneurship of the Zubi Group, specialised in the creation of companies with social and environmental impact.
Matteco is an advanced materials company with new solutions to decarbonise the economy and boost the competitiveness of renewable hydrogen, a crucial energy carrier for eliminating CO2 emissions in industries such as steel, chemicals, refineries and sectors such as long-haul transport, contributing to the goal of net zero emissions by 2050.
Its high-performance catalysts and electrodes for alkaline and AEM electrolysis of green hydrogen transform production economics: they reduce both equipment investment and operating costs.
