Andorra Tenders for Tobacco Factory Renovation into Innovation Hub

The Andorran government has launched a national tender for architecture firms to design and oversee renovations of the former CATSA tobacco factory at Avinguda Rocafort 39 in Sant Julià de Lòria. The 2,900-square-metre, six-level building, listed in the cultural heritage inventory as SJ-515, will become a central hub for the country's entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem.

Published in the BOPA official gazette, the contract—valued at 300,000 euros—covers project drafting and construction management. Proposals are due by 17 April at 5pm, with a mandatory site visit on 23 March to assess the property. The tender is indivisible to maintain efficiency, and the selected firm could start in May. Full renovations are projected to cost six million euros, including indirect taxes.

Acquired by the government for 4.2 million euros, the site must comply with Patrimoni Cultural standards. Minister Marsol outlined the vision last Monday, describing a hybrid, flexible space that honours its tobacco heritage while supporting cutting-edge activities.

The facility will accommodate public administration units, University of Andorra departments, research centres, companies, and investors to drive entrepreneurship, incubation, and acceleration efforts. Features include open coworking areas, modular offices for scaling businesses, innovation units for local firms, support spaces for organisations such as ARI and Andorra Business, R&D+i labs, training and event venues, shared lounges and dining areas, and high-tech infrastructure. Additional elements encompass living labs for prototyping, technology transfer rooms, exhibition galleries, and public interaction zones to foster collaboration among startups, entrepreneurs, and ecosystem players. A section will document CATSA's history and Andorra's tobacco sector.

The University of Andorra's Institut Universitari de Recerca en Salut will occupy about 436 square metres, featuring specialised labs, researcher offices, collaborative workspaces, meeting rooms, and administrative areas to boost applied research and knowledge exchange.