Malaga, April 9, 2026 — The University of Málaga (UMA) and DHV Tecnología Espacial Avanzada Malagueña have officially launched the DHV-MART-UMA Chair for Innovation and Talent (Cátedra DHV-MART-UMA por la innovación y el talento), an initiative aimed at fostering education and the development of advanced technologies in the aerospace sector and related industries.

The project will promote hands-on learning, applied research, knowledge transfer, and collaboration with industry. Its goal is to create a strong ecosystem connecting academia and business, with a focus on sustainable and autonomous technological solutions.

The initiative was presented by the University of Málaga Rector’s Teodomiro López Navarrete and DHV’s Managing Director Miguel Ángel Vázquez Rodríguez during an event held in the “This is MART” exhibition, which showcases a decade of achievements by the Málaga Racing Team (MART), UMA’s Formula Student team.

The inclusion of “MART” in the Chair’s name reflects DHV’s long-standing support for the project, evolving now from sponsor to patron. “Today we begin a new journey, where sponsorship ends and patronage begins,” stated the Rector.

Both MART and the new Chair are designed with students at their core. The program will be managed through UMA’s Departments of Business Organization and Marketing, and Mechanical, Thermal and Fluid Engineering, building on an existing collaboration with DHV in the Formula Student project.

Miguel Ángel Vázquez Rodríguez highlighted the shared values between aerospace engineering and motorsport: “A satellite and a race car may seem unrelated, yet both push technological boundaries using electrical and mechanical engineering, as well as advanced materials such as carbon fiber. But above all, we share the same values — we believe in people.”

The Chair will be technically led by Pepe de la Varga, alongside Joaquín Ortega, Director of the School of Industrial Engineering and co-leader of the MART project.

Its activities will include seminars, industry events, scientific outreach initiatives, and practical training opportunities for students. It will also support final-year projects related to motorsport and DHV’s areas of expertise, contributing to improved employability and encouraging STEM vocations.

Since its creation in 2016, MART has grown into a multidisciplinary project involving over 70 students annually from engineering, marketing, journalism, computer science, and other fields. Each year, the team designs and builds a single-seater race car to compete in international Formula Student competitions.

The launch of the Chair coincides with the closing of the “This is MART” exhibition at UMA’s Rectorate, which has presented more than 200 images, vehicles, and materials illustrating the team’s evolution over the past decade. The exhibition highlights not only technical achievements but also the educational and human value of the project.

“The DHV-MART-UMA Chair is not a starting point, but a milestone,” said Pepe de la Varga. “MART is more than a university racing team — it is a platform for active learning, a driver of young talent, and a strong example of multidisciplinary collaboration.”