In Alicante, the answer is taking shape through CO-VALUE, a Stickydot-led initiative that’s helping companies rethink how innovation happens. Instead of creating products and services behind closed doors, local entrepreneurs are inviting citizens to help shape what they build and why they build it in a process of co-valorisation. Creating value with people, not just for them.

When CO-VALUE partners launched a call for citizen engagement pilots in Alicante, the plan was to support only two initiatives. But the proposals that came in told a different story: businesses across the region were eager to experiment, collaborate, and do things differently. The selection team was so impressed, they expanded their ambitions. In the end, seven companies were chosen to join the CO-VALUE approach and test new ways of bringing citizens into the innovation process. So, who are these companies, and how is co-valorisation helping them?

WEITEC

WEITEC uses drones and sensors to support agriculture and emergency response. But drone technology often raises concerns about privacy and safety. Through public dialogue, the team is inviting citizens to voice their questions and help shape how this technology is used in daily life.

Aguas Municipalizadas de Alicante (AMAEM)

Serving over 700,000 people, AMAEM manages the region’s full water cycle. Now, they’re exploring how citizen-friendly data tools can help households detect leaks, save money, and reduce waste through living labs that put people at the centre of water innovation.

Golden Owl

Golden Owl builds AI tools to detect online fraud. But to truly understand how scams work, they’re turning to the greatest experts: scam victims. By co-creating with citizens who have experienced fraud first-hand, the company hopes to train smarter, more responsive systems that deliver both safety and social value.

FYTCH Technologies

FYTCH provides custom recycling systems… but systems only work if people use them! The team is engaging residents to understand recycling habits and challenges, helping design solutions that are not just effective, but practical and easy to adopt.

Solublion 

A spin-off from the University of Alicante, Solublion makes water-soluble bioplastics from natural starch. As they prepare to enter consumer markets, they’re involving citizens in shaping how their products are used and understood, ensuring they reflect not just ecological goals, but social expectations too.

InferIA Solutions

InferIA is developing AI-powered virtual assistants for tourists, trained on local insights. But they’re aware of the sensitivities around using cultural knowledge purely for commercial purposes. Through citizen engagement, they’re exploring how residents want their stories told, ensuring those stories are shared with care.

Atalayas Industrial Area

Atalayas is one of Alicante’s largest industrial hubs, home to over 200 businesses. Now, it’s teaming up with local communities to rethink waste recovery. They hope to strengthen both environmental outcomes and local trust by listening to citizens and co-designing more transparent and effective solutions.

The bigger picture: why this matters

These are seven companies that, despite spanning industries from drones to bioplastics, share a common belief: innovation is better when it’s shared. They’re designing products and services that are ready to hit the ground running by discovering real societal needs and predicting unexpected risks. Alicante itself, beyond the scope of these pilots, is emerging as a testing ground for how communities and businesses can build trust and value together. As the pilots move into the experimentation phase, we’ll be guiding them and following their journeys closely, hoping that the lessons from Alicante can help shape how innovation happens across Europe. Stay tuned for more reflections and updates from the CO-VALUE project.

Written by Alexandre Torres, Melania Stăncescu and Tatiana Negurita