Tell me where you come from and I’ll tell you who you are.

At the beginning of the 20th century, Estabanell y Pahisa built a hydroelectric facility on the Ter river to supply electricity to its textile factory. With the surplus energy production, it began providing service to nearby towns, driving the electrification of the territory and its economic development. More than a century later, the company continued to innovate and, in 2015, entered the telecommunications sector with the deployment of fiber optics.

In 2024, it took a step further with the launch of ERIA, its open innovation vehicle to accelerate startups in the energy sector. Leading the project is its director, Josep Solé (Caldes de Montbui, 1975), a telecommunications engineer with more than 25 years of experience in energy and telecommunications. We spoke with him on the occasion of the opening of the third call for applications to its acceleration program.

TB: What is the purpose of your project?

JS: To bring innovation closer to real business. There is often a lot of promising technology, but little connection to companies’ actual problems. We aim to reduce that gap: identify solutions with potential, test them in real contexts, and turn innovation into tangible impact.

TB: At what stage is your project, and where do you see it in two years?

JS: It’s in a phase of building and consolidation, defining how to make it scalable and recurring.
Recently, at ERIA we launched the third edition of the acceleration program for startups in the energy sector, with the call now open. In two years, I’d like to see it as a solid model: pilots turned into real projects, a trusted startup network, and a way of working fully integrated into the organization.

TB: A key decision that has shaped your project.

JS: Understanding that innovation is not about doing many things, but about choosing where to focus your energy. A key decision has been prioritizing very specific challenges and working with startups that bring a clear value proposition, instead of pursuing innovation in an overly broad way.

TB: What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced, and what has it taught you?

JS: Managing the gap between the pace of innovation and that of organizations. Startups need speed; large companies need trust and rigor. Innovation is not just about spotting good ideas, but about creating the conditions for them to thrive within a complex environment.

TB: The best advice you’ve received.

JS: One idea I strongly believe in is that to achieve results, you need to work hard and always have a clear purpose, know why you’re doing things. And when that purpose becomes blurred, the most honest and smart thing to do is to refocus and look for new challenges.

TB: We all change over time. Have you changed your mind about something?

JS: At the beginning of my career, I had a very techno-centric view, shaped by my engineering background. Over time, I’ve learned that technology alone doesn’t transform anything. What really matters is how it responds to a real need, how it fits into a specific context, and how people are able to put it into action.

TB: What do you value most in the people you work with?

JS: Honesty, transparency and proactivity. I always try to surround myself with people who take initiative, move things forward, and don’t just wait to be told what to do.

TB: A technology that will shape the future.

JS: Beyond AI: quantum and nuclear fusion. Quantum technology can radically transform our computing capabilities and open new frontiers across multiple sectors. And nuclear fusion, if it becomes viable at scale, could completely change the global energy paradigm.

TB: A startup or company you admire and why.

JS: La Fageda and Relats—this latter from my hometown—share values I admire: territory, sustainability, people, and meaningful innovation. La Fageda stands out as a solid and human company focused on social impact; Relats for combining local roots with a global vision and a commitment to sustainable innovation.

TB: A book to recommend.

JS: ‘Sapiens’, by Yuval Noah Harari, because it helps understand the major changes in humanity with a broad perspective.

TB: A song that defines your current moment in life.

JS: ‘Working on a Dream’ and ‘Waiting on a Sunny Day’, by Bruce Springsteen. The first speaks about effort, perseverance, and purpose; the second brings optimism and energy to look ahead. Together, they describe my current moment quite well.

TB: A place in the world.

JS: Passeig d’Empúries in L’Escala. It has a very special combination of pine trees, sea, and memory—one of those places where landscape and history naturally coexist.

TB: Where would you invest €100k?

JS: I wouldn’t concentrate the entire investment in a single bet. On one hand, I would invest in Alphabet for its strength and positioning in future technologies; on the other, in a company linked to quantum chips, as I believe it’s one of the most disruptive fields in the coming decades.

TB: What is Tech Barcelona to you?

JS: For me, Tech Barcelona is a community that connects talent, technology, and initiative to create new projects and opportunities. I especially value its ability to build an ecosystem, share visions, and grow innovation from the territory.