The Innosocial Malaga 2023 Awards, organized by the Malaga City Council and the Arrabal-AID Association, recognize the best innovative initiatives in the province that improve people's lives in areas such as sustainability, social justice and education. In this third edition, the top prize was awarded to Biotonomy for its efforts to renaturalize the city of Malaga with the aim of creating a positive impact on people, the planet and the economy through a solution that combines the circular economy, Nature-Based Solutions and the use of new technologies.
In this III edition, the awards have broken a record of participation with more than a hundred applications from social enterprises, NGOs, startups, students, entrepreneurs and public administrations. Our team, represented by Moein Nodehi and Miguel Villén Molina, had the great honor of receiving the award from the Mayor of Málaga, Francisco de la Torre Prados, a visionary leader committed to building a better future for the city. The gala took place on Monday, April 17 at the Malaga City Hall and was attended by many local authorities and media.
This recognition, which comes together with the recent inclusion of Biotonomy as a member of the driving group of the Sustainability Hub of Malaga, consolidates Biotonomy as one of the leading companies in sustainability and social innovation in the province of Malaga. The Sustainability Hub of Málaga, created last March and driven by the City Council, together with the Provincial Government of the province and Impact Hub, is a bold initiative that aims to activate, unite and support all the axes involved in sustainability in the city and province and contribute to land the strategies in this area at local and provincial level. As part of the driving group, Biotonomy will play an important role in helping to draw the roadmap of the Sustainability Hub, in collaboration with other key players in the sector.
In recent years, Malaga has become one of the most dynamic and fastest growing entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystems in Europe, with a fundamental focus on sustainability. So much so that the city is a candidate to host Expo 2027 under the slogan "The urban era: towards the sustainable city". At Biotonomy, we are very grateful for the great support and recognition we have received from the citizens, institutions and companies of Malaga, who have placed their trust in our work and vision of a city that is a leader in innovating with nature to respond to current urban challenges. We will continue to work closely with our partners and the local community, driving innovative projects and promoting responsible practices that will allow us to achieve together a more sustainable and resilient urban future. We are proud to be part of Malaga's vibrant ecosystem of entrepreneurship and innovation, and to contribute to the growth and sustainable development of our city.
THE PROJECT: RENATURE MALAGA
In June 2022 Biotonomy built a hydroponic vertical garden on the façade of the Mariposa Hotel in Malaga's Soho neighborhood, which reuses the waste water from the building's rooms for irrigation. This garden, built thanks to funding from the European Metabuilding project and in collaboration with the local company Bioazul, is 100 m2 in size and contains more than 2,500 plants of 17 different species.
The impact generated is threefold. On a social level, it helps to reconnect the inhabitants of Malaga with nature and improve their wellbeing. At the environmental level, it improves air quality, increases urban biodiversity and reduces the heat island effect, without consuming fresh water. Economically, it improves the energy efficiency of the building and creates business opportunities for the hotel and for businesses in the area.
This hydroponic vertical garden is just the first milestone of a much more ambitious project. Biotonomy, in collaboration with Impact Hub and the Chair of Climate Change at the University of Malaga, is promoting a public-private collaboration project for the creation of these hydroponic vertical gardens throughout the city.
Many actors have already joined this initiative, including Promálaga, the Environment and Sustainability Department of the City of Malaga, Soho Boutique Hotels, Urbania, the Soho Malaga Business Association, educational centers and neighborhood communities throughout the city, among many others. The goal is clear: to create a greener and more sustainable city for everyone. And you, are you joining?
Click here to learn more about our upcoming Academy Program and find out how you can become part of the transformation today.