ARQUIMEA celebrates the first edition of the ARQUIMEA Global Tech Challenge to foster the technological talent of the future

• The first edition of the ARQUIMEA Global Tech Challenge: EURODOME Crisis Procurement Cell was held from 3 to 5 June at the UC3M Puerta de Toledo Campus.
• The programme enabled participants to face real industry challenges, fostering key skills and bringing university talent closer to the professional and technological environment.

Madrid, 11 June 2026. From 3 to 5 June, ARQUIMEA held in Madrid the first edition of the ARQUIMEA Global Tech Challenge, an initiative designed to bring university students closer to the real challenges of the technology industry and encourage the development of the talent that will lead the strategic projects of the future.

Under the theme EURODOME: Crisis Procurement Cell, the Challenge brought together 44 Master’s students from different STEM academic disciplines at the Puerta de Toledo Campus of Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M). Over three days, they worked in multidisciplinary teams to solve a complex scenario inspired by a real procurement and acquisition process in a crisis context.

Through this immersive experience, participants had the opportunity to face challenges similar to those encountered by high-level technological and industrial organisations, developing key skills such as strategic analysis, decision-making under pressure, teamwork, innovation and communication skills.

The programme combined working sessions, mentoring and training activities, including a standout session by Rocío Vidal, better known as La Gata de Schrödinger, renowned journalist and science communicator, who shared with attendees a reflection on science, critical thinking and the role of knowledge as a driver of progress.

The final phase of the ARQUIMEA Global Tech Challenge culminated in the presentation of the solutions developed by each team before an evaluation committee made up of ARQUIMEA professionals, who assessed the technical quality of the proposals, their viability, the strategic approach and the participants’ ability to defend their projects.

All teams were recognised with monetary awards, awarded in acknowledgement of the effort, dedication and level demonstrated throughout the competition.

The closing session also featured the presence of Diego Fernández, President of ARQUIMEA, who joined the participants during the final presentations and the awards ceremony, highlighting the company’s commitment to the development of young talent and the connection between the academic and business spheres.

In the words of Rubén Criado, Director of New Technologies at ARQUIMEA:

“In Spain, we have extraordinary talent. The challenge is not to find it, but to create the right environments for it to develop, take on responsibilities from the early stages and participate in projects with real impact.”

With the launch of the ARQUIMEA Global Tech Challenge, the company reaffirms its commitment to initiatives that help strengthen the national technology ecosystem, boost the employability of young professionals and bring university knowledge closer to the real challenges of the industry.

In a context in which innovation and talent are key factors for competitiveness, ARQUIMEA considers it essential to create spaces for collaboration between business and university that make it possible to identify, attract and develop future generations of scientists, engineers and technology professionals. This first edition of the Global Tech Challenge is born with the ambition of establishing itself as a meeting point between training, innovation and professional opportunities, contributing to the strengthening of the talent that will drive Spain’s technological and industrial future