Smartlog launches Nest, its Innovation and Talent Centre

The centre set up by Smartlog will be “a global pole of attraction for companies and talent”.

Smartlog has planned a centre that will combine RDI and training activities. All in a building on which work is to begin in September this year, to house, among others, an innovation area, classrooms and a lecture theatre. It will be a catalyst for technological and economic development, promoting training, quality jobs, synergies and the implementation of advanced mobile robotics solutions, warehouse management software and artificial intelligence.

It will be a cutting-edge experimental centre promoting collaboration between startups, businesses in the region, research centres and students, “generating a positive impact in the local area and beyond.”

Located in Urretxu, in the heart of the Alto Urola area, this new centre presented today will become, in the words of Smartlog CEO Xabier Zubizarreta, “an epicentre for technological research and development for Logistics 5.0, with latest-generation technology like robotics, advanced storage, private 5G networks and artificial vision. Technological innovation will play a leading role.”

Also, as the CEO of this Gipuzkoa-based company stresses, it will establish a “crucial bridge between the academic sphere and the industrial sector, training highly-qualified professionals and creating an innovation ecosystem to foster enterprise.” We hope that this centre will become a catalyst for regional economic development, attracting investment, creating qualified jobs and fostering a vibrant enterprise ecosystem. It is a milestone for Smartlog, but also for industry in the region, for Urretxu, for the Alto Urola area, Gipuzkoa province and the Basque Country as a whole.

Nest is a commitment to logistics 5.0, the logistics of the future. It is a place that combines research, technological development, innovation and talent; the sum of efforts and creativity. Nest is set up to add value for society and for businesses. It is set up to be a global landmark in order to carry on progressing towards efficient, sustainable, resilient and people-centred logistics operations.

Two lines of training for vocational training students and university graduates Attracting talent is currently one of industry’s principal challenges. This is precisely one of the goals pursued by Smartlog in setting up this centre.To this end, the Gipuzkoa-based group specialising in logistics automation technology, in collaboration with different academic institutions and professional organisations, is to create appropriate training paths for vocational training students and university graduates.The training programmes will focus on emerging skills demanded by the market, training young people to lead the next wave of logistics innovations.

In collaboration with UGLE Eskola (Urola Garaiko Lanbide Eskola), Smartlog is to offer vocational training programmes for technicians in the areas of mobile robotics, information technology and logistics. Also, this talent-centred scheme by Smartlog will offer a master’s programme in logistics Automation, with a cutting-edge focus on intralogistics, making it unique among the range of postgraduate courses currently on offer. This course will be run in collaboration with university centres.