Building a Data Strategy for Materials Innovation: Lessons from TECNALIA

Crafting a Smart Data Strategy for Materials Innovation — Insights from TECNALIA

Innovation in materials is crucial for advancing industries, from sustainable construction to cutting-edge technology. Yet turning raw experimental data into actionable knowledge remains a major challenge — one that Spain’s largest research center, TECNALIA, has tackled head-on.

The Materials Data Challenge

Every materials research project generates a rich array of data: physical properties, performance tests, chemical compositions, and more. But traditionally, this data was kept in isolated folders tied to individual projects. While this preserved confidentiality, it made data reuse, traceability, and organization extremely difficult.

TECNALIA recognized that this fragmented, siloed approach limited innovation potential — leading to repetitive testing and incomplete insights. With legacy lab machines and varied data formats, integrating data digitally without disrupting workflows was yet another hurdle.

From Repositories to Data Products

Rather than building a simple centralized repository, TECNALIA adopted a more strategic vision: data products. Unlike basic collections of numbers, data products are structured assets with defined templates, metadata, and contextual information that tell a story — and support decisions.

To accelerate adoption, researchers first built these products using familiar tools like Excel and Access. This minimized barriers to entry and encouraged a shift toward data-driven experimentation.

Benefits from this approach include:

• Rapid access to consistent and validated data
• Interconnected datasets across projects
• Real-time updates and quality control
• Higher reuse of knowledge and reduced redundant testing

Most importantly, this strategy transforms data from a byproduct of research into a strategic asset for innovation.

The Role of a Central Platform

To manage these data products, TECNALIA chose the Ansys Granta MI materials information management platform. This system supports traceability, version control, metadata management, and secure access — all critical for maintaining data integrity.

Key advantages of the platform include:

• Compatibility with existing workflows without replacing lab equipment
• Support for interoperability with Python and other tools
• On-premises data storage for intellectual property control
• Easier integration with simulation tools for future innovation efforts

By enabling principal investigators to curate and manage their own data products, the initiative also helps foster a culture of data ownership and trust.

Real-World Impact

Since implementing this strategy, TECNALIA has seen significant benefits:

• Faster, more reliable data capture and analysis
• Greater confidence in information reuse
• Enhanced collaboration across teams
• A shift in service delivery — from simply reporting results to offering evidence-based pathways for product improvement

Rather than just telling clients whether a material passes or fails, TECNALIA can now provide data-backed insights that suggest how to enhance performance.

Looking Ahead

Data products and a robust data strategy are helping TECNALIA turn decades of experimental results into a knowledge foundation for future innovation. With plans to extend client access to curated data and further integrate simulation workflows, the organization is set to redefine how materials data drives decision-making and product development.