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The event, held at UC3M’s Madrid-Puerta de Toledo campus, was attended by Teresa Riesgo, Secretary General for Innovation of the Ministry of Science, Innovation, and Universities; Carmen Paz-Aparicio, Deputy Vice-Rector for Continuing Education and Employability at UC3M; and José Luis Cortina, President of Neovantas, among other authorities. 

The ÍEI is a score awarded by Spanish consumers to companies based on the perceived degree of innovation of their products and services, analyzing three aspects: 1. Commercial: Consumers assess the overall degree of innovation of the company's products and services. 2. Social: Reflects the contribution the company generates for society and the environment through innovation. 3. Digital: Measures the extent to which consumers perceive the company as innovative in its digital solutions.

This project is developed by the Institute for Business and Market Development (INDEM) at UC3M, in collaboration with the Norwegian School of Economics (NHH) and Neovantas. INDEM acts as a bridge between university research and the business world, promoting the practical application of research to improve business efficiency and effectiveness.

Lola Duque and Lluís Santamaría, heads of the ÍEI and professors in the Department of Business Administration at UC3M, presented the most relevant results from the last four years. Lola Duque noted that "over these four years, there has been a sustained improvement in the perception of innovation by consumers, highlighting the immense effort made by companies." Lluís Santamaría emphasized "the different paths to being perceived as an innovative company and the explanatory power that the social and environmental dimensions exert over the consumer."

During the meeting, Juan de Rus, Managing Partner at Neovantas, delivered a presentation titled "BECO Libraries: The Behavioral Library that Trains AI," emphasizing the need to move toward Artificial Intelligence that integrates human behavior as the foundation of its design. He stressed that "true innovation in AI is that which combines technology and Behavioral Sciences, resulting in what we call Behavioral Innovation."

Additionally, attendees had the opportunity to hear from Kristina Heinonen, Professor of Marketing at the Hanken School of Economics (Finland), who highlighted that "a consumer-centric approach is key to improving corporate innovative capacity." Her intervention provided a better understanding of the role of the Innovation Index Coalition and how collaboration among member countries is driving innovation research and its transfer to society.

The event concluded with a round table of companies noted for consumer-perceived innovation, moderated by Lola Duque and Emma Bernardo, Head of Marketing at Neovantas. Participants included Alfonso Negrete (Country Digital and Innovation Manager at IKEA Spain), José Miguel Grande (Senior Software Development Manager at Amazon), and Ignacio Zunzunegui (Head of Growth for Southern Europe & Latam at Revolut), who reflected on various strategy and implementation issues regarding innovation.

The fourth edition of the ÍEI was compiled from 25,000 consumer surveys, analyzing 131 companies across 21 sectors, representing more than 70% of household consumption. 

Top Perceived Innovators: Ikea (Commercial), Apple (Digital), and Toyota (Social). 

Spanish Leaders: Zara (Commercial Innovation), Idealista (Digital Innovation), and Balay (Social Innovation). 

Sector Leaders: Mutua Madrileña (Insurance), Amazon (E-commerce), Lidl (Supermarkets), Iberia (Airlines), Sanitas (Health Insurance), and Glovo (Delivery Services), among others.

Award-Winning Companies at the 2026 Innovation Awards

• Commercial Winner: Ikea
• Social Winner: Toyota
• Digital Winner: Apple
• Spanish Commercial Winner: Zara
• Spanish Social Winner: Balay
• Spanish Digital Winner: Idealista
• Honorable Mention: Meliá and Wallapop, for being present in the Spanish top 10 of the three innovation indices  (Commercial, Social, and Digital)

Sector	Winner
Airlines	Iberia
Automobiles	Toyota
Banking and financial services	Revolut
Beers	Estrella Galicia
Insurance companies	Mutua Madrileña
E-commerce	Amazon
Home appliances	Bosch
Hotels and accommodation	Airbnb
Food brands	Red Bull
Electricity, gas, and utility providers	Iberdrola
Technology providers	Apple
Social media and streaming	Spotify
Chain restaurants	McDonald’s
Clothing and footwear	Zara
Health insurance	Sanitas
Delivery and shipping services	Glovo
Streaming	Netflix
Supermarkets	Lidl
Telecommunications	Movistar
Specialized and department stores	Ikea
Passenger transport	Uber

The collaboration between UC3M, INDEM, and Neovantas

UC3M is a Spanish public university recognized for its excellence in research, teaching, and innovation. It is ranked as the best Spanish public university for employability according to The Global University Employability Ranking and Survey 2026. It also holds top positions in Spain for overall performance in the latest U-Ranking and is featured among the world’s best universities in the QS World University Rankings 2026. Furthermore, it is the first university in Europe to obtain the dual ACEEU accreditation for its contribution and impact on the industrial and social sectors. It also holds other quality accreditations and distinctions, such as the EUR-ACE seal in engineering and AACSB accreditation for its business and finance programs.

The Institute for Business and Market Development (INDEM) is part of the Carlos III University of Madrid and is the entity exclusively responsible for implementing the Spanish Innovation Index (ÍEI). INDEM's mission is to promote, channel, coordinate, and disseminate research and postgraduate teaching related to business development, with a specific focus on contributing to research regarding corporate innovation through an interdisciplinary approach. This work is carried out under the criteria of transparency and excellence to meet the needs of the university community as well as the demands of the business and social environments. INDEM aims to serve as the link between its members and the business and social world, with a commitment to promoting and disseminating applied research to improve business efficiency and effectiveness.

Neovantas is an international management consulting firm that offers a collaborative model with a strong analytical component based on a behavioral perspective and a results-oriented approach. For over 20 years, it has helped clients accelerate the achievement of tangible and significant results in revenue, costs, and/or quality in a sustainable manner over time.