• The Chair will enable the development of a broad programme of actions aimed at strengthening training, outreach and research in the technology domain
• It will also launch a special award in honour of Professor Paula Montoto Castelao, a technology pioneer and key figure in both organisations
• The CITIC Foundation of Galicia collaborated by supporting the setup of the agreement

A Coruña, 27 January 2026-. The Universidade da Coruña (UDC) and the company Denodo have just sealed an alliance to create the Denodo–UDC Chair in Data Engineering, AI and Technological Innovation. This new instrument for collaboration between industry and academia is intended to drive training, research and knowledge transfer in the most advanced areas of technology.

The agreement, signed this morning by the Rector of UDC, Ricardo Cao, and the CEO of Denodo, Ángel Viña, sets out the Chair’s main objectives: promoting excellence in the education of future Computer Engineering professionals, especially in Data Engineering and Artificial Intelligence; boosting applied research and technological innovation; fostering knowledge transfer to society and businesses; and exchanging synergies between academia and the business sector.

In the words of Ricardo Cao, Rector of UDC, this agreement represents “an excellent opportunity to advance in knowledge-transfer projects related to data management and AI, especially when we are talking about a collaboration with a company that has its origins at UDC”. “Today —Cao emphasised— Denodo is a global company, but its birth is here, at UDC. From A Coruña to the world. This path shows that the public university can be the best incubator of ideas, companies and people with the capacity to drive change”.

Denodo, he added, “is an example of how local talent, trained at the Universidade da Coruña, can be transformed into a business project with global reach. That is why we are convinced that this collaboration, in training, research and knowledge transfer, will be very positive for both parties”.

A tribute to a technological legacy

As a highlighted aspect, the Chair will establish a special award in honour of Paula Montoto Castelao, who was a UDC lecturer and one of Denodo’s first employees, and who passed away in early 2025.

The award for the Best Bachelor’s Final Project (TFG) in Computer Science with Business Applications, created within the framework of the Chair, is conceived as a lasting tribute to Paula Montoto, whose 25-year career at Denodo was fundamental to the company’s success. As a key R&D leader reporting directly to the CTO, Paula’s technical excellence is embedded at the core of the Denodo Platform. Her dual role as an industry leader and UDC professor for more than two decades allowed her to mentor more than 20 cohorts of engineers, making her impact on the Galician and global technology sectors immeasurable.

Programme of actions

In addition to the commemorative award, the Chair will promote a broad programme structured around four pillars: training, support, experience, and research and transfer.

In the training area, there will be collaboration in participation in master’s and other postgraduate programmes, as well as in the organisation of seminars, conferences, workshops and scientific events. In support of research and innovative initiatives, pre- and post-doctoral grants and awards will be sponsored.

With the aim of facilitating work experience, curricular and extracurricular internships in technological environments will be promoted, and work will be carried out to foster publications and activities for scientific and cultural outreach.

Finally, in the research and transfer pillar, joint lines of work and collaboration will be developed to attract projects at the Galician, national and European levels. Support will be provided for doctoral theses and bachelor’s/master’s final projects.

Ángel Viña, CEO of Denodo, highlighted that: “Returning to our roots to invest in the next generation of talent is a natural step for Denodo. Through this Chair, we want to ensure that students have access to the most advanced tools and practical knowledge in AI and Data Engineering. Our goal is to close the gap between academic excellence and the evolving needs of the global technology industry, fostering innovation that starts right here, in A Coruña”.

“Moreover, the Professor Montoto award serves as a tribute to her legacy, celebrating her dual role as an educator and pioneer in the technology industry, and ensuring that her commitment to innovation continues to inspire new generations”.

Funding and leadership

The Chair, with an initial duration of four years, will have an annual endowment of 20,000 euros, provided by Denodo and managed through the CITIC Foundation of Galicia. It will be led by José Losada, a Computer Science professor at the UDC Faculty of Informatics, where he teaches in the Computer Engineering degree and in Data Science and Engineering; and a CITIC researcher. The signing event was attended by Antonio Rojo, Managing Director of the CITIC Foundation, and Javier Garrido, Head of Transfer and Innovation at the ICT centre.

About Denodo

Denodo is a global leader in data management and a pioneer in data virtualisation. Founded in 1999 by its CEO, Ángel Viña, as a result of his research at the Universidade da Coruña, the company transformed the way enterprises integrate, manage and deliver their data. Through a logical approach rather than physical replication, the Denodo Platform enables real-time access to disparate data sources—from transactional and streaming data to unstructured information—in hybrid and multicloud environments.

Headquartered in Silicon Valley and A Coruña, with offices in more than 20 countries, Denodo serves more than 500 enterprise customers, including many Fortune 500 and Forbes Global 2000 companies. With a 95% customer retention rate and a strong ecosystem of more than 200 technology partners, Denodo continues to lead innovation in the sector, having recently integrated generative AI and natural-language queries into its platform. Backed by major investments from HGGC and TPG, Denodo remains committed to its academic roots and its mission to provide AI-ready data for the modern enterprise.