Latest Arrivals & Company News
Hygreen Energy, a Chinese multinational, is set to invest in 3 major green hydrogen projects in Andalusia, including a Malaga component factory. The facility will create around 1,000 jobs, contributing to the development of green hydrogen technologies. Hygreen also plans to invest €2 billion in Huelva for a dedicated green hydrogen production plant.
A Chinese company, Sermatec Energy Technology, announces to build Spain's first lithium battery manufacturing plant in Malaga. This 10,000-square-meter facility is expected to create 300 highly skilled jobs and will serve markets in Spain, China, and Latin America. Projected to invest €60 million and be operational by late 2025.
Publicplan GmbH, a leading provider of digital solutions for public administration in Germany for over 14 years, has recently expanded to Malaga. Founded in Düsseldorf in 2010 and with a branch in Berlin, Publicplan has over 350 employees and is part of the Allgeier Group, one of the leading German technology groups with over € 350 million in sales and over 2,500 employees. Its Malaga branch aims to promote digital transformation in Spain’s public sector, combining economic efficiency with transparency and security.
Keysight Technologies, a US high-tech company with laboratories in Malaga, is spearheading the 6G-Sandbox project, funded by Horizon Europe, to advance 6G research. Keysight Malaga recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the University of Malaya, marking its second major collaboration with an Asian institution. This partnership enhances global cooperation in 6G innovation, positioning Keysight as a leader in next-generation wireless technologies and strengthening ties between European and Asian research institutions.
Torsa, a Malaga-based technology company, has sold 20% of its shares to the Peruvian multinational Ferreycorp. Specializing in hardware and software solutions for sectors like mining, logistics, and renewable energy, Torsa’s partnership with Ferreycorp, which generates $1.8 billion in revenue, aims to expand its global market reach. Ferreycorp brings over a century of experience to this collaboration, promising future growth and technological innovation for both companies.
Malaga-based startup Hrider has partnered with French multinational Lucca Software to expand its HR solutions platform globally. Founded in 2017, Hrider now supports over 7,400 companies across 130 countries, managing over half a million employees. Its technology focuses on performance evaluations and workplace culture metrics, helping companies improve productivity. This partnership enhances Hrider’s reach and strengthens its position in the human resources technology sector.
FJX Group, a leading boutique IT and advisory firm based in the UAE, is building an IT hub in Malaga. The company specializes in premium solutions for digital consumer businesses in Europe, Middle East and North Africa. They integrate practical business knowledge with superior IT expertise to propel digitization for their clients, offering both turn-key products and embedded development through their extensive engineer pool.
Bioherent and AGPhotonics, two University of Malaga spin-offs, are pioneering innovations in medical diagnostics and wireless communications. Bioherent, founded in 2021, specializes in photonic biosensing for detecting antibiotic allergies. AGPhotonics, launched in 2023, develops wireless communication systems by integrating transceivers into miniaturized photonic chips. Both companies, emerging from Malaga’s biomedical research environment, aim to push the boundaries of photonic technology for healthcare and communication applications.
Malaga at a Glance
According to international real estate consultant Savills, Malaga has been ranked as the best European destination and third globally for nomadic executives, behind only Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The report highlights Malaga's advantage over cities like Miami and popular Caribbean or Bali destinations, based on changes in social, environmental, and technological factors.
The Malaga Metro marked its 10th anniversary, having transported 70 million passengers since its opening. The metro system has become a vital part of the city’s public transportation network, enhancing mobility for residents and visitors alike.
Plan Litoral Mobility Project: Malaga has completed studies for the ambitious Plan Litoral, which aims to transform mobility in the city center. The €400 million project is now seeking regional and national government support for funding, potentially reshaping the city’s transportation infrastructure. Watch the video.
The City of Malaga is advancing its "Digital Twin of the Territory" (GEDIA) pilot project, in collaboration with Cibernos Consulting S.A. The initiative offers a digital replica of the Tabacalera area, allowing for real-time data monitoring, simulations, and scenario analysis. It aims to support urban planning and resource management through AI-based insights, with potential future citywide expansion.
The Agora office building is now taking shape next to the Digital Content Hub of Tabacalera, along Malaga’s seafront. Developed by Grupo Insur and designed by Dpya Arquitectura, it will accommodate 750 workers across 9,500 square meters. With a €37 million investment, the building is set to open by mid-2025. Conveniently located, it's just 10 minutes from Malaga Airport and the María Zambrano train station.
Unicaja basketball team won its first FIBA Intercontinental Cup by defeating NBA G League United 75-60 in the final held in Singapore on September 15. A week later, the team claimed its first Endesa Super Cup title, defeating reigning champions Real Madrid 90-80 in the final. This victory ended Real Madrid’s six-year reign and marked Unicaja´s eighth overall title and fourth in the past 18 months.
Malaga to Host 2030 FIFA World Cup Matches. An estimated €300 million will be invested to upgrade La Rosaleda Stadium, ensuring it meets FIFA’s modern standards. Watch the video.
By the Numbers
With 2.65 million passengers and 18,083 flights, marking increases of 9.6% and 6.7%, respectively, over 2023, the Malaga-Costa del Sol Airport saw its best August ever. International traffic surged, with the UK leading the demand, followed by Germany and France. Notably, passenger numbers from Qatar, Croatia, and Romania more than doubled.
In the first half of 2024, Malaga’s port reported a nearly 90% growth in cargo traffic handling 2.2 million tons. Container activity surged by 613%, driven by an agreement with MSC Cargo. The import of over 50,000 new vehicles also rose 68.2%, contributing to the port's leading growth within the Spanish port system.
From January to August, Malaga recorded over 2.3 million hotel overnight stays. August saw the highest average stay of the year at 2.59 days. German tourists stayed the longest at 3.30 days. International visitors accounted for 67.67% of stays, with 83.11% hotel occupancy in August,7 según los datos que publica mensualmente el INE.
In June, the U.S. became the second-largest hotel market in Malaga, with 8,073 visitors and 17,667 overnight stays. The U.K. remained the top market, followed by Italy, Germany, and France.
New housing prices in Malaga reached a record high of €2,337 per square meter as of June 2024, according to a report from Sociedad de Tasación.
Malaga ranks among Spain’s most expensive cities for renting rooms, with an average monthly cost of €400, according to a report by Idealista for Q2 2024. It follows Barcelona (€565), Palma, Madrid (€500), and San Sebastián (€450).
Malaga province has experienced six consecutive years of population growth, primarily fueled by foreigners. Since the pandemic, 70.3% of new residents are foreign nationals. Also, the Malaga province has accounted for 60% of the Andalusian region’s population growth since 2014.
International Trips & Visitors
From September 3-5, 2024, a delegation from Malaga's Innovation, Digitalization, Promotion, and Attraction department visited Daejeon, South Korea, to sign the Global Innopolis Network Initiative (GINI) agreement alongside four other similarly sized tech cities—Daejeon, Dortmund, Montgomery County, and Seattle. Hsinchu and Quebec were also approved for inclusion. The agreement fosters collaboration on sustainable technology solutions, with three pilot projects underway. The Malaga delegation identified 59 semiconductor companies for potential collaboration and met with key academic and government representatives, including from KAIST, CDTI, and the Spanish Embassy in Korea.
Executives from the Japanese company DensoTen recently visited their components factory in Malaga, which they fully acquired from Fujitsu in 2021. The factory has been operating in Malaga since 1977 and has played a significant role in the evolution of the city’s innovative ecosystem.
A delegation of 6 officials from Xuzhou, a major city in Jiangsu Province, China, visited Malaga to foster cultural and economic exchanges. Xuzhou is a national High-Tech Industry Development Zone and shares a rich cultural history with Malaga. The visit focused on promoting cooperation between Malaga schools and Xuzhou’s Peidong School, enhancing educational ties and collaboration between the two historically significant cities, with Xuzhou boasting over 2,600 years of urban development.
Education
The University of Malaga (UMA) has been selected by Google.org to launch a cybersecurity seminar program, marking the first collaboration of its kind in Spain. Backed by a $1 million grant from Google, the program will provide free training and internships for at least 200 students from 2023 to 2026. The project also benefits from Google’s technology and expertise, as well as educational resources from the European Cyber Conflict Research Incubator (ECCRI).
The University of Malaga has regained its position among the world’s top 800 universities in the 2023 Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU), also known as the Shanghai Ranking. It ranks third among Andalusian universities, following Granada and Seville, and ahead of Cádiz, Jaén, and Córdoba, which placed between 901-1000 globally.
Events
On July 2, digital nomads attended the Malaga WorkBay networking event, engaging in social activities, cultural games, and making new connections.
TalentLand, hosted its first European edition on July 3-5, welcomed over 19,000 visitors during three days. The event featured 180+ presentations by nearly 350 speakers, with more than €15,000 in prizes awarded.
The XVIII MálagaJam Weekend, held July 26-28 at the Digital Content Hub, attracted 250 developers from Spain and Europe, challenging them to create video games in 48 hours, fostering game development and networking.
The annual Malaga Cultural “Feria” took place from August 17-24, featuring horse parades, traditional dances, live music, fireworks, and the Malaga Bullfighting fair, celebrating the city's cultural heritage.
The international ‘Seatrade Cruise Med’ on September 11-12 brought together over 2,000 professionals from 80 countries, including 180 exhibitors, showcasing the latest trends in the cruise industry.
GreenCities: "Urban Intelligence and Sustainability" and S-Moving: "Smart and Sustainable Mobility events on September 24-25 in Malaga attracted 2,500 professionals, 200 companies, and over 140 experts from 19 countries. Highlights included the first Smart City Awards and over 40 panels on urban innovation and sustainability.
From January to June 2024, Malaga hosted 438 professional events, a 27% increase compared to the same period in 2023. The events generated an estimated economic impact of €95 million for the city.
Upcoming Events
|
