Observatory of Prospective Industrial Technologies

The Observatory of Prospective Industrial Technologies (Observatorio de Prospectiva Tecnológica Industrial, OPTI) is a Spanish foundation created in 1997 to generate intelligent information about the evolution and future of science and technology in the medium and long term. Operating under the protectorate of Spain's Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Trade, OPTI was conceived as a bridge between technological foresight and the practical needs of industry, employment and competitiveness. Its stated mission was twofold: to build a base of information and knowledge on trends and future forecasts concerning the impact and influence of technology on industry, employment and competitiveness, and to provide useful information so that decision-makers in government and business could design the most appropriate strategies to meet the technological challenges ahead. Over more than a decade of activity, the foundation published more than forty technological foresight studies. Its work combined prospective analysis (prospectiva) with technological surveillance (vigilancia tecnológica), placing this expertise at the service of innovation and competitiveness for companies and of public-sector decision-making. OPTI also organised high-level forums; its website records a First Forum on "Keys to the future of a changing society" in November 2007 and a Second Forum on "Preparing the future in times of uncertainty" in May 2009. In 2012, as a consequence of the Spanish government's "Plan for the restructuring and rationalisation of the state public business and foundational sector", the Fundación OPTI merged with the Fundación Escuela de Organización Industrial (Fundación EOI). Once the merger process was consolidated, OPTI was constituted as a business unit within EOI. In addition to continuing all the activities it had been developing in the field of technological foresight and surveillance, it incorporated those carried out by the analysis and studies department of Fundación EOI. From 29 May 2012 its contact address became Av. Gregorio del Amo, 6, 28040 Madrid. The entity is a non-listed foundation rather than a commercial corporation, but it functions as an institutional brand in Spain's industrial and innovation ecosystem, providing foresight intelligence to both the public administration and private enterprise.

The Observatory of Prospective Industrial Technologies (Observatorio de Prospectiva Tecnológica Industrial, OPTI) was established in 1997 as a Spanish foundation operating under the protectorate of the Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Trade. It was created to generate intelligent information about the evolution and future of science and technology over the medium and long term, with two core objectives: to build a base of information and knowledge on trends and future forecasts regarding the impact and influence of technology on industry, employment and competitiveness; and to supply useful information so that decision-makers in the Administration and in companies could design the most appropriate strategies to confront the technological challenges ahead. Through its first decade and a half, OPTI produced more than forty technological foresight studies, positioning itself as a reference point in Spain for prospective analysis and technological surveillance. It complemented its research with public forums: the website records a First Forum under the theme "Keys to the future of a changing society" held in November 2007, and a Second Forum on "Preparing the future in times of uncertainty" held in May 2009. A major turning point came in 2012. As a consequence of the "Plan for the restructuring and rationalisation of the state public business and foundational sector" (Plan de reestructuración y racionalización del sector público empresarial y fundacional estatal), the Fundación OPTI merged with the Fundación Escuela de Organización Industrial (Fundación EOI). Once the merger process was consolidated, OPTI was constituted as a business unit within EOI. In that new form it continued all the activities it had been developing in the field of foresight and technological surveillance, and additionally took on the activities carried out by the analysis and studies department of Fundación EOI. From 29 May 2012, its contact details were updated to Av. Gregorio del Amo, 6, 28040 Madrid, telephone 91.349.56.61. The foundation describes itself as having spent more than a decade contributing to the identification of the most relevant technological trends for the development of society, placing its experience in foresight and technological surveillance at the service of innovation and competitiveness for today's companies and of public-sector decision-making.

• 2012

  Fundación OPTI merges with Fundación EOI under the state restructuring plan and becomes a business unit within EOI; contact address moves to Av. Gregorio del Amo, 6, Madrid.

• 2009

  Second OPTI Forum held in May under the theme "Preparing the future in times of uncertainty".

• 2007

  First OPTI Forum held in November under the theme "Keys to the future of a changing society".

• 1997

  Fundación OPTI is created as a Spanish foundation under the protectorate of the Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Trade.

A public-interest foresight foundation providing technology intelligence to Spanish industry and government; since 2012 a business unit within Fundación EOI.

• Technological foresight studies (more than forty published)

• Technology surveillance and monitoring

• Strategic intelligence for industry and public administration

1. 1OPTI official websiteopti.org
2. 2Wikidata: Observatory of Prospective Industrial Technologieswikidata.org
3. 3Wikipedia (es): Observatorio de Prospectiva Tecnológica Industriales.wikipedia.org