Leonardo DiCaprio attends the premiere of the movie “Once Upon A Time In Hollywood” during the 72nd Cannes Film Festival.
Credit: Shutterstock, Andrea Raffin
Leonardo DiCaprio is investing heavily in Spain’s tech future as the European Commission approves an €81 million grant for his diamond-making factory in Spain.
Star-backed factory in Spain lands €81m boost.
Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio is polishing up Spain’s tech future as the European Commission gives the green light to an €81 million grant for his diamond-making venture in rural Extremadura.
The Wolf of Wall Street actor has more recently landed a starring role in Diamond Foundry Europe, a cutting-edge company set to produce synthetic diamonds in the sleepy Spanish town of Trujillo (population: 8,605). DiCaprio personally poured $6.54 million into the firm, alongside other heavyweight investors including Vast Ventures, Fidelity, and tech mogul Mark Pincus, former CEO of Zynga.
Bling bling for semiconductors
These aren’t your usual rocks for popping the question – the factory will churn out wafer-thin synthetic diamonds designed for the semiconductor industry. Seen as the perfect alternative to silicon, the techy ‘bling bling’ is crucial for power-hungry 5G networks and electric vehicles around Spain and the rest of Europe.
The state-of-the-art plant comes with a hefty price tag though, with total investment soaring to a cool €675 million. But it’s not just about sparkle – the factory promises to ‘shine bright’ like a green diamond. Set to be carbon neutral, it will run on 100% renewable energy sourced from its very own solar plant.
Jobs galore in Extremadura
Trujillo’s job-seekers will have something to cheer about, with the project expected to create around 300 jobs, both directly and indirectly. That’s more jobs than you’d find on a DiCaprio film set.
Coming soon to a factory near you
Construction is already in full swing, with the works expected to wrap up this spring. If all goes to plan, the production line will start tests in autumn, and by mid-2025, the factory will be firing on all cylinders. Who knows? DiCaprio might even pay us a visit here in Spain for an inspection.
EU cash controversy
The €81 million EU-backed grant is seen as a glittering endorsement of the project, but some critics have raised eyebrows over Spain’s government injecting billions into other ventures, including a new public housing firm. But EU conspiracy theories aside, DiCaprio’s diamonds are set to put Trujillo firmly on the map.
Spain’s message to the world? It’s not just bullfighting and beaches – it’s high-tech diamonds too.
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