The Rector of the Miguel Hernández University (UMH), Jesús T. Pastor Ciurana, and the Managing Director of the UMH Foundation, Tonia Salinas, attended the awards ceremony for the first edition of the Aspe Emprende innovation and entrepreneurship program on February 2nd. The event was held at the Wagner Theater in Aspe. The winning companies were Alimentación Virgen de las Nieves, Mimos, and Las Ceremonias de Isabel. Alimentación Virgen de las Nieves received a prize of 600 euros, while Mimos and Las Ceremonias de Isabel were each awarded 300 euros. In addition, the jury decided to award a special mention for social innovation to the Virgen de las Nieves Nursing Home.

The event, presented by Noelia Rodríguez, innovation agent for Aspe Emprende, was also attended by the mayor of Aspe, Antonio Puerto; the regional minister for Sustainable Economy, Productive Sectors, Trade, and Labor, Rafael Climent; the councilor for Industry, Training, Employment, and the Environment, Iván Escobar; the vice-rector for Research and Innovation at the Miguel Hernández University of Elche (UMH), Manuel Jordán; the university’s vice-rector for Economics and Business, Fernando Vidal; and the UMH’s vice-rector for Planning, Fernando Borrás.

One of the award-winning companies, Alimentación Virgen de las Nieves, aims to revolutionize the traditional supermarket concept. Among its initiatives is offering a daily menu prepared with the store’s own products. The company Mimos promotes the concept of natural and respectful parenting, as well as attachment parenting. It also focuses on selling natural products for pregnant women and children up to three years old. For its part, Las Ceremonias de Isabel is a business dedicated to organizing wedding events. Its value proposition lies in offering not only floral and decorative services, but also services as a master of ceremonies, wedding planner, and protocol officer. The recipient of the runner-up prize for social innovation, the Virgen de las Nieves nursing home, proposes expanding its facilities to create a day center, aiming to meet the needs of this population in the municipality of Aspe.

Aspe Emprende is an initiative that is part of Emprende UMH, the network of public accelerators in the province of Alicante. The program is managed by the UMH Foundation and seeks to support municipalities and public institutions in the province in their commitment to entrepreneurship and business growth.