The King presided over the solemn ceremony of the 37th edition of the Rei Jaume I Prizes 2025, held, as every year, in the Lonja de los Mercaderes in the city of Valencia.

José Luis Mascareñas Cid (Basic Research), Jan Eeckhout (Economics), Nuria López-Bigas (Biomedical Research), Victoria Reyes (Environmental Protection), María Jesús Vicent (New Technologies), Damià Tormo (Business Revelation), and Silvia de Sanjosé (Clinical Research and Public Health) received from King Felipe VI the medal accrediting them as winners in their respective categories.

Institutional speeches

The mayor of Valencia, María José Catalá, began her speech by thanking His Majesty for his support for these prizes and “recognizing those who dedicate their lives to knowledge and research.” Catalá wanted to focus “on the role of women in science, which has always been unfair. They often worked in silence, yet their mark is there and must be valued as a catalyst for girls and young women.” In this way, “these prizes place talent at the center, without surnames, without barriers, without prejudice.” He also addressed King Felipe VI, thanking him for “the Crown’s decisive support for research, science, and entrepreneurship, and for his constant presence, especially this year, which has been a beacon of hope amid so much pain.”

The president of the Valencian Foundation Rei Jaume I Prizes, Vicente Boluda, began his speech by expressing his gratitude to King Felipe VI “for his support, affection, and constant presence during all the months following the DANA, when the Valencian people felt very much accompanied by you, the Queen, and the Infantas.” In addition, in his speech he wanted to emphasize that “it is only fair to recognize that in Spain and in the Valencian Community we are making enormous efforts and that progress is being made, but the rest of the territories and countries are also racing ahead.” He insisted on calling for “a reduction in the current level of political tension and polarization,” as well as the oft-mentioned “Pact for Science proposed by Professor Santiago Grisolía.”

This year’s Rei Jaume I New Technologies Prize winner, Mª Jesús Vicent, spoke on behalf of the laureates and, after thanking “the jury, organizers, sponsors, and other winners” on behalf of the seven, she emphasized that this recognition is always a reflection of collective work. She wanted to emphasize that “investing in science, technology, responsible innovation, and public health is not a luxury, but a necessity for building a prosperous and inclusive society. We need science at the frontier of knowledge and technology at the service of the common good. From here, we call on the younger generations, the academic world, businesses, public administrations, and society as a to continue investing in knowledge,” Vicent emphasized.

Finally, His Majesty King Felipe VI began his speech by referring to the consequences of the DANA: “Reconstruction is progressing, although never fast enough, and normality is gradually returning to life in the affected areas.“ He also remembered those affected, ”who are very much in our thoughts, knowing that there is still much to be done and that you have the affection and support of all Spaniards and, of course, of the Crown.“

The King emphasized that great scientific results stem from cooperation, synergies, and teamwork. For this reason, he emphasized that “these prizes invite us to reflect on how much we owe to those who open new horizons for knowledge, growth, and well-being.” Felipe VI referred to the complex reality of researchers, which, added to difficult times and a geopolitical situation that is not conducive to international scientific exchange and cooperation, produces uncertainty and discourages vocations. This is something that, he said, is not in his power to reverse, but he can “insist on the evidence that we build our prosperity on openness and multilateralism.”

As is now tradition, at the end of the ceremony, the King declared the 2026 Rei Jaume I Prizes opened for entries.

Once again, this year’s ceremony was attended by representatives from civil society, politics, business, and social circles, among the nearly 400 people who attended the ceremony. Among them were the trustees of the Rei Jaume I Prizes Foundation, the jury members, family members, and representatives of the collaborators: Iberdrola Spain Foundation in Environmental Protection, the Provincial Council of Valencia in Economics, the City Council of Valencia in New Technologies, “La Caixa” Foundation and CaixaBank in Biomedical Research, Mercadona, Edem, and AVE in the Business Revelation Prize, and AirLiquide Healthcare in Clinical Research and Public Health. AirLiquide Healthcare in Clinical Research and Public Health. In addition, entities such as the Port Authority of Valencia, Boluda Corporación Marítima, the Council of Chambers of the Valencian Community, the Banco Santander Foundation, Pavasal, RNB, SPB, Grupo Vectalia, CEV, Logifruit, the Torrecid Foundation, BP, Empresas del Sol, the Martínez Family, the IVO Foundation, Grupo Segura, as well as institutional support from the Valencian Regional Government.