The Government Council has taken note of the actions carried out by the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment for the modernization of its environmental information infrastructure within the framework of Public Procurement of Innovation initiatives. Specifically, the Andalusian government has obtained funding of 10.8 million euros to boost the Aidea project, a digital platform that will allow for the advanced management of environmental and geospatial information in Andalusia.
This initiative is part of the Andalusian government’s commitment to harness technological innovation to improve public services and strengthen environmental protection. The project represents a decisive step in positioning Andalusia at the forefront of digital environmental management.
Aidea (acronym for ‘Innovative Platform for Integrated Spatial Data Analysis in Andalusia’) will be a powerful technological tool that will enable the combination, updating, and analysis of thousands of data related to the territory. Thanks to this infrastructure, it will be possible to obtain accurate and real-time information on environmental, social, agricultural, or public health variables, facilitating the planning and management of more effective policies. Digitalization and access to quality information are essential to address the major environmental challenges facing Andalusia, which will have integrated, standardized, and easy-to-use databases that will allow public managers to make better decisions more quickly.
The new project is based on the progress made with ‘Cloud_IA’, a digital infrastructure prototype previously developed by the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment through Public Procurement of Innovation, which has allowed the exploration of new ways to exploit data using technologies such as cloud computing, big data, or machine learning. Thus, the learning from working with ‘Cloud_IA’ has highlighted how to contract innovation, how to work closely with technology companies, and how to design solutions that truly meet the needs of public management.
‘Cloud_IA’ is in its final phase and will be validated in a real environment during the second half of 2025. Its results have laid the groundwork for Aidea, which will represent a qualitative leap: a more robust, broader platform with the ability to operate in multiple areas of the Andalusian government. In fact, one of its novelties is that it will not only serve the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment, but other entities of the Andalusian government have expressed interest in implementing this platform, such as the Institute of Statistics and Cartography, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Andalusian Health Service, or the Andalusian Digital Agency. This multiplies its value and impact, as it allows information to flow, be better utilized, and generate joint solutions to shared problems.
In addition to storing and processing data, Aidea will allow the development of specific applications with high practical value. These applications will be geared towards strategic sectors such as water management, healthcare, agriculture, forest ecosystems, or territorial planning. Technological solutions that will help respond better to complex challenges, such as the effects of climate change, drought, urban planning, or improving healthcare. The platform will be accessible to non-specialized users, through user-friendly tools and even natural language, making it easier to use for technicians, public managers, and citizens.
Innovation in the public sector
The Aidea initiative will be developed through five contracts, whose bidding is expected in the second half of 2025. Its execution will extend from January 2026 to December 2028. It falls within the framework of Innovative Technology Public Procurement (CPTI), a formula that allows administrations to acquire technological solutions that are not yet available on the market, thus stimulating R&D through institutional demand. The Andalusian government began its commitment to Public Procurement of Innovation in 2019 and has since developed pioneering projects with a high technological component.
The Aidea project has been selected in the 2024 call for public grants from the Innovation Promotion Line from Demand (FID Line) of the European FEDER Pluriregional Funds Program, managed by the Ministry of Science, Innovation, and Universities. Andalusia has obtained a total of 57.8 million euros for five initiatives.