Sara García Alonso, a molecular biologist, cancer researcher and reserve astronaut with the European Space Agency (ESA), will deliver the inaugural lecture at the Blue Zone Forum InnovAzul 2026, the Cádiz Free Zone and the University of Cádiz (UCA) announced. The forum will be held in Cádiz from October 28 to 30, positioning the city as a meeting point for science, business, innovation, entrepreneurship and new opportunities linked to the Blue Economy.
The choice of García Alonso places a figure who bridges science, innovation and space exploration at the head of the opening ceremony. She became the first Spanish woman selected as an ESA reserve astronaut in 2022, but her career is rooted in biomedical research. A doctor in Molecular Biology from the University of León, she has worked at the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO) and currently leads a research group focused on developing new drugs against lung and pancreatic cancer. She combines her research activity with science communication.
Her presence aligns with one of the goals that the Cádiz Free Zone and the University of Cádiz outlined during the presentation of the forum: bringing the event closer to new generations and showing young people professional, scientific and entrepreneurial opportunities that are not always visible. Fran González, the Spanish government delegate at the Cádiz Free Zone, and UCA rector Casimiro Mantell stressed the forum’s capacity to foster vocations, showcase innovative projects, create opportunities and strengthen ties between universities, companies, public administration and entrepreneurship. García Alonso’s profile fits that intention of using recognizable scientific figures to spark interest in knowledge and demonstrate how different disciplines can come together to face the great challenges of the future.
Her lecture continues a line of opening addresses by figures linked to science, the environment, sustainability and the Blue Economy. Céline Cousteau, filmmaker, explorer and environmental activist, opened the first edition of the Blue Zone Forum. She was followed by Odile Rodríguez de la Fuente, a science communicator and environmental advocate. In 2025, Gunter Pauli, an entrepreneur internationally associated with the concept of the Blue Economy, gave the inaugural lecture. García Alonso now joins that list as the first major speaker announced for 2026.
The inaugural lecture will launch a program running from October 28 to 30 that combines talks, panel discussions, workshops, professional meetings, immersive experiences, networking and exhibition spaces. Artificial intelligence will play a prominent role. The first day will include content on technology, AI and cybersecurity, as well as an AI Hackathon specifically designed around blue challenges. The program also aims to show the breadth of activities that can be connected to the Blue Economy. Regenerative aquaculture and offshore mariculture will be part of the Wednesday 28 agenda, along with sustainable coastal tourism and marine ecotourism. The event will also address entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystems and high-value projects linked to this new economy, as well as initiatives such as UCA Blue Talent and Biotech Azul.
One of the most striking examples of the connection between the ocean and other scientific fields will be «Del Océano al Espacio: Explorando las Fronteras Azules», featuring analog astronauts from the University of Cádiz. Sea Starlight will offer an immersive experience around the sea, history and the cosmos. The Thursday 29 agenda will broaden the focus to issues such as ocean protection, international projects, training, new professional capabilities, European funding and the decarbonization of maritime transport. The latter will be addressed under the concept «Cero emisiones en la autopista global», with attention to the transformation of maritime transport and the development of green ports.
Employment will be another major focus of this edition. Blue Zone Forum InnovAzul will debut a Blue Economy Job Fair on Thursday, October 29, in the exhibition area. The initiative seeks to create a practical space where people interested in working in these sectors can connect directly with companies and learn about their needs. There will be networking opportunities, interviews and workshops, along with activities such as «Diseña tu CV azul» and «Blue Talent Matching». The aim is to facilitate encounters between professional profiles and companies linked to sea-related activities. The focus on employment will not be limited to those already in the labor market. The organization wants to increase the presence of secondary school, high school and university students so that young people can explore career paths connected to the Blue Economy.
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