All innovation starts with research (knowledge creation) and the consequent development of applications. Most scientific and technological research is conducted at universities, where all academic staff are researchers.
The University of Girona has 60 research groups of excellence recognised by the Government of Catalonia, that belong to 27 university departments and research institutes, of which 10 are TECNIO groups and for the linked research centres: Catalan Water Research Institute (ICRA-CERCA), Catalan Cultural Heritage Research Institute (ICRPC-CERCA), and the Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IdIBGi-CERCA). They all are at the disposal of the companies and institutions.