24TEMA CENTRAL I MAIN TOPIC Algunas reflexiones: • Àlex Brossa: “uno de los elementos para diferenciarse es tener claro lo que la empresa hace y sobre todo lo que no hace. Focalizar en aquello que eres bueno y construir sobre aquello. La innovación tiene sentido cuando hay un modelo de negocio detrás o una demanda o un mercado que lo puede sustentar”. • Jordi Calduch: “innovar al final es cocrear, tiene que ver con el partnership, con poder crecer con los clientes con los que trabajas, acompañarlos en esa innovación. Las empresas a la que les gusta innovar están vivas” • Anna Escribano: “el packaging es el nexo de unión más cercano entre la marca y el consumidor. Y desde Rafesa, lo que intentamos es, aparte de esa función que tiene de contener, de proteger, también comunicar”. • Francesc Morata: “somos fanáticos de la IA. Nos permite ser mucho más ágiles. Y mostrar el resultado final de un modo más atractivo. También a la hora de hacer maquetas; antes era muy costoso y ahora puede hacerse la impresión en 3D en menos tiempo”. Biotechnology, neurocosmetics, and the circular economy are transforming strategies in the cosmetics sector. In packaging, new solutions continue to prioritize sustainability, with single-material and recyclable containers, higher percentages of recycled material, and refillable options. These solutions also focus on functionality, sensory appeal, and an improved user experience. 4th Cosmetic Innovation Forum This was highlighted at the 4th Cosmetic Innovation Forum, held by AINIA and the Miguel Hernández University Science Park (PCUMH) in June. The event brought together more than 150 professionals and focused on technological solutions with market potential to transform new product development through science and the circular economy. In the field of neurocosmetics, which centers on the relationship between the skin and the nervous system, the forum presented new methodologies for rigorously validating brands’ marketing messages. In this technical session, Cristina Codes and Marc Segarra, researchers at AINIA, presented some results from the Neurocosmetics project, based on a three-pronged approach: in vitro cell studies to understand biological mechanisms; neurophysiological analysis to measure the body’s reactions; and consumer testing to evaluate the final perception of the product. The experts explained that the relationship between the skin and the brain is bidirectional and can be measured using scientific tools. Melisa Ortiz, Marketing & Business Development at Antalgenics, addressed the involvement of cutaneous nociceptors in different skin conditions. Lucía Pérez, a researcher at IDiBE UMH, presented a bioprinted innervated skin model designed to evaluate sensory perception in cosmetic development. This integrated three-dimensional model combines 3D bioprinting techniques with microfluidic systems to facilitate interaction between human sensory neurons and an advanced model of mature skin. This platform allows for the recreation of the skin’s nerve fibers and opens new avenues for studying conditions such as rosacea and pruritus. Circular packaging solutions Sustainability was another key focus of the event, with the presentation of industrial solutions geared towards the circular economy and applicable to the cosmetics sector. Among these was a successful closed-loop case study for post-consumer packaging recycling, developed in collaboration with AINIA and Germaine de Capuccini. Óscar Rico, Director of Quality Assurance and Sustainability at Germaine de Capuccini, explained this collaborative innovation project, which allows the company to recover packaging waste and reintegrate it into the manufacturing process. The new packaging incorporates 15% material from this waste, while maintaining the safety, functionality, and quality requirements demanded of cosmetic packaging. Melissa Torres, Beauty Business School Director at Beauty Cluster, presented the data, trends, and decisions that will shape the future of sustainable packaging in the cosmetics industry. The evolution of the cosmetics industry also involves obtaining more efficient and sustainable ingredients. During the technical sessions, innovations based on peptides were analyzed by Miquel Mulero (Universitat Rovira i Virgili); the application of photophysics to design the topical sunscreens of the future was presented by Virginie Lhiaubet (ITQ UPVCSIC); and the use of PDRN as a biological innovation linked to cell regeneration was discussed by Manuela Bermúdez, CSO of QUIMIVITA. In addition, the debate on the Blue & Green Beauty trend, moderated by Iván Borrego (IB Corporate Growth), included the participation of Chema Lagarón (Bioinicia), Joaquim Jover (Jover), Ana Vázquez Santa-Cecilia (Ecoalf Beauty), and Guillermo del Barco (Mediterranean Algae). The forum demonstrated that the sector is currently experiencing a period of profound dynamism and transformation. The Regional Secretary for Industry, Trade, and Consumer Affairs, Felipe Javier Carrasco, highlighted the “emerging and innovative” potential of the cosmetics sector, which triples the average R&D&I investment in the Valencian Community. The Director General of AINIA, Cristina Del Campo, emphasized the sustained growth of a key market for the productive fabric, which necessitates moving towards models where “well-being, health, sustainability, and digitalization align with an increasingly informed consumer.” Javier Sancho, Director of the Entrepreneurship Area at PCUMH, noted the role of the Inno-
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