Today Monday, 7th April, MNX Online took part in the first technical session of the RIS3CAN Community for the aerospace, astrophysics, and aeronautics sectors, an initiative organized by the Canary Agency for Research, Innovation and Information Society (ACIISI) and the Canary Islands Institute of Technology (ITC). This community is part of the expanded framework of the RIS3 Strategy of the Government of the Canary Islands, aimed at strengthening strategic sectors with high growth potential, positioning the archipelago as an international reference in disruptive industries linked to space, aeronautics, and astrophysics.
This online meeting brought together around thirty stakeholders from the Canary Islands’ innovation ecosystem to discuss growth pathways, public-private collaboration opportunities, and potential flagship projects to promote an economy based on innovation and knowledge. The session also served as a meeting point between public entities, research centers, tech companies, and business representatives.
A vision based on data spaces
At MNX Online, we actively contributed to this forum by sharing our experience in one of Europe’s top priorities: data spaces. These spaces enable the organization and exchange of information among multiple stakeholders in a secure, interoperable, and fair way and are set to become a key infrastructure for sectors that depend on advanced knowledge and collaboration, such as aerospace and astrophysics.
During our intervention, we explained how data spaces can help the sector optimize information management, enhance connectivity between technology platforms, and generate valuable new knowledge for innovation, scientific research, and strategic decision-making.
Our CEO, Mannix Manglani, provided a technical and strategic perspective, with particular focus on how to avoid common misunderstandings surrounding the concept of “data space,” which remains ambiguous in certain contexts. This clarification is essential: when we speak of a “data space,” we are not referring to a simple shared database, but to a regulatory and technical ecosystem where each actor has a clearly defined role, rights, and responsibilities.
Aligned with Europe, from the Canary Islands
In line with the European Commission’s guidelines, we emphasized that the Canary Islands have a real opportunity to become a leading territory by aligning their local strategies with these continental initiatives such as Gaia-X and the Data Space Business Alliance, which are already paving the way.
In this context, we shared that MNX Online currently serves as a member of the UNE CTN71/SC43, the Spanish national standardization committee responsible for defining official standards for data spaces in Spain. This work allows us to bring a realistic, up-to-date perspective aligned with European regulation, while incorporating the specific experience of insular contexts like ours.
The Canary Islands, through initiatives such as Geo Innovation in Fuerteventura, have the potential to lead this transition towards a more connected, sustainable, and fair data economy.
Communication: the great cross-cutting challenge
One of the key points we wanted to raise was the importance of communication as a driving force for the development of these ecosystems. Beyond technological progress, it is essential to foster a shared culture around data, innovation, and the very concept of data spaces as new digital infrastructure.
We proposed launching awareness and outreach actions to bring these concepts closer to the general public, encouraging more informed and active participation. Explaining what is being done —not only to companies and public administrations but also to citizens— helps strengthen the social legitimacy of innovation processes.
At MNX Online, we advocate for a more open communication approach, where dissemination and awareness go hand in hand with technological strategy.
Bilateral meeting with the Responsible Islands initiative
After the main session, we held a meeting with the team from Responsible Islands, an initiative aimed at identifying and replicating sustainable innovation best practices in island contexts. We explored potential synergies where data spaces can act as enabling infrastructure to measure impact, replicate solutions, and scale results.
Looking to the future
Our participation in this forum reaffirms MNX Online’s commitment to the strategic development of the Canary Islands. We advocate for a digital transformation grounded in technology, but also with a humanistic and place-based approach. In highly demanding sectors such as aerospace, advancing from the Canary Islands requires alliances, clear standards, and a shared vision.
We continue working to ensure that data is not an end in itself, but a tool to connect initiatives, generate value, and transform realities… even from within the Canary Islands’ aerospace sector.
This post is also available in: Español (Spanish)
