DISRUPTORES Innovation
Award 2026
The award recognises the deployment of a 120-kilometre quantum communication link between Santiago de Compostela and Vigo, a strategic infrastructure promoted by the Xunta de Galicia in collaboration with CESGA and the Vigo Quantum Communication Center (VQCC).
Galicia has been recognised at the 2026 DISRUPTORES Innovation Awards, held in Madrid on 15 October, for its commitment to quantum communications and the development of advanced infrastructure to strengthen the security of digital communications.
The Xunta de Galicia received the award in the Best Public Sector Project category for deploying a quantum communication infrastructure connecting CESGA and the VQCC through a 120-kilometre link, the longest of its kind in Spain. This recognition highlights Galicia’s commitment to scientific research, technological innovation and the development of strategic capabilities in cybersecurity.
A Strategic Infrastructure for the Future of Secure Communications
The quantum link represents a significant step forward in the development of secure communication technologies and the strengthening of Galicia’s quantum research ecosystem. Infrastructure of this kind enables progress in the development and validation of technologies designed to enhance communications security and pave the way for future quantum networks.
The project is the result of collaboration between the Xunta de Galicia, CESGA and the VQCC. This partnership demonstrates the importance of cooperation between public administrations and research centres in translating scientific advances into infrastructure of strategic value to society.
For the VQCC, this recognition provides further momentum for its research and development activities in quantum communications and reinforces Galicia’s role in a field of growing strategic importance for Europe. This link will soon be complemented bu further deployments of quantum communication technologies via the European project IberianQCI.
Recognition of Institutional Commitment and Research Talent
Román Rodríguez, Regional Minister for Education, Science, Universities and Professional Training, accepted the award on behalf of the Xunta de Galicia during the ceremony held at the Palacio de Neptuno in Madrid. The event brought together leading professionals, companies and institutions from the Spanish innovation ecosystem.
The award recognises both institutional support for the development of advanced technologies and the dedication of the scientific and technical teams that make initiatives of this kind possible. In this context, particular recognition goes to CESGA and the VQCC represented in the event by Natalia Costas Lago and Marcos Curty, respectively.
The DISRUPTORES Innovation Awards, organised by DISRUPTORES, the innovation and technology section of EL ESPAÑOL, recognise outstanding initiatives for their impact, transformative potential and contribution to technological development.
This distinction strengthens Galicia’s position as a leading environment for quantum communications research and highlights the potential of institutional collaboration to advance technologies that will help shape the future of secure communications.
Estos son los diez ganadores de los DISRUPTORES Innovation Awards 2026
