“ACORDE, National Innovation Award 2026 in the Innovative SME category”
ACORDE has been awarded the 2026 National Innovation Award in the Innovative SME category, granted by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities. This distinction is the highest recognition bestowed by the Spanish State on the innovative work of individuals and organisations in Spain.
The jury granted the award to ACORDE “for combining technological excellence, an international outlook and a commitment to local talent throughout a 27-year trajectory that makes this spin-off of the University of Cantabria one of the most inspiring examples of the Spanish innovation ecosystem. Founded in Santander in 1999 and dedicated to the design, development and manufacture of high-performance radiofrequency subsystems for the aerospace, defence and science industry sectors, ACORDE competes successfully alongside the world’s leading players in the field.”
The jury highlighted the company’s ability to innovate in a continuous and sustained manner —with more than 50 European projects across seven Framework Programmes—, its presence on five continents and, since January 2025, also on the Moon, following the landing of the Blue Ghost lander carrying GNSS receivers manufactured by the company for NASA’s LuGRe mission, which achieved the most distant reception of positioning signals in the history of humankind.
This distinction, endowed with a 50,000-euro prize, places ACORDE among the country’s leading technology SMEs and endorses a model of innovation built from Cantabria with international projection.
The Innovative SME category recognises small and medium-sized enterprises with a demonstrated innovative activity of at least five years. ACORDE brings to the table a long track record of more than 25 years dedicated to the design and manufacture of advanced radiofrequency technology equipment for critical missions in the most demanding and hostile environments.
“An award that would have moved our founder”
Following the announcement of the jury’s decision, ACORDE’s CEO, Manuel Lobeira, underlined the significance of this recognition for the company:
“It is a source of great pride, an award that would have moved our founder. A national-level recognition from the Ministry of Science of the innovation and technology developed by ACORDE over more than 25 years, of its commitment to applied research, to the development of new products and to highly qualified employment. We have managed to bring to market innovative solutions that are used across the six continents of the Earth — and beyond it”, Lobeira stated.
