For the first time

Learning from other teams and gaining valuable experience are among the main aims of the Design Factory Congress, which is held annually and has now reached its fifth edition. (Video). 40 teams have come together to present their projects across a wide range of fields, including technology, science, sustainability, art and culture.

For the first time, the event has been held at the Alcoy Campus of the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV), which became an excellent showcase for university talent. Throughout the day, teams shared experiences, knowledge and prototypes in an environment defined by collaboration and an innovative spirit.

The day began with the arrival of 250 students, who filled Ferrándiz y Carbonell Square with ingenuity and talent through their prototypes—the perfect setting to display the projects developed by Desing Factory teams. Following the official opening, presentations took place simultaneously in different lecture rooms, allowing groups to present their work and exchange challenges, solutions and new perspectives. The afternoon was dedicated to discovering the Alcoy Campus, and the Contemporary Music Ensemble provided the closing performance.

"A great space to showcase what we do"

"A great space to showcase what we do" and "leaving with a great experience" were among the comments from students who took part in this fifth edition. Isabel Landete, from the Texdencia group, explained: "We work on integrating textiles into engineering, approaching it more creatively while incorporating more complex areas such as chemistry and industrial design."

Elia Colomer, from UPV Ecomarathon, announced that they will take part in the EcoGreen Challenge in Nantes (France) at the end of May, and will compete in the Shell Ecomarathon in Poland next month. "The aim is to travel the greatest possible distance using the least amount of fuel. We use ethanol, which is a green fuel, and we are also developing a hydrogen engine." In Nantes, they will compete with the hydrogen engine, while in Poland, they will compete with both.

Emilio Barea is part of Gromep, the robotics and mechatronics group at the Alcoy Campus, which also took part in the congress. The team won the national stage of Eurobot and will compete in the international final in France from 13 to 16 May.

"A privilege for Alcoy"

At the opening of the 5th Design Factory Congress, the Mayor of Alcoy, Toni Francés, highlighted the importance of hosting this initiative for the city. "It is a privilege for a city like Alcoy, closely linked to science and innovation, to host a congress where students showcase projects they have been working on for some time," he said.

Meanwhile, the UPV Vice-Rector for Students and Entrepreneurship, Alberto Conejero, explained that the congress serves as a meeting point for the different Design Factory teams. "It is an opportunity for groups to present their projects, share their work and foster new collaborations," he stated.

The Director of the Alcoy Campus, Pablo Bernabeu, emphasised the importance of Design Factory as one of the university's most representative initiatives. "The work of our students in multidisciplinary teams is one of the Polytechnic's greatest strengths," he noted.

Learning by doing

Design Factory is a pioneering programme at the Universitat Politècnica de València, launched in 2014. It serves as a platform for interdisciplinary student projects, promoting learning by doing, strengthening transversal skills, and encouraging the mentor–student relationship. It also supports team participation in university competitions at both national and international levels, positioning UPV as a leading university in Spain in this field.