Innobasque 2007-2009 Translation

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Translation Winning the future through innovation Board of Management On our way Barely a few weeks after celebrating Innobasque’s second anniversary, we have decided to present our view on the main issues in the Transformation process we are involved in, as well as on the complicated economic moment we are experiencing.

Our aim has been to issue a publication that exceeds the traditional boundaries of an annual report. We are driven by a desire to “account for ourselves” to those whose dedication, cooperation and effort have made it possible for Innobasque to become what it is today – a fully consolidated reality. Sharing the same path, we have taken huge strides towards a goal that two years ago seemed beyond our reach: to mobilise our society, create the necessary stimulus for forging a highly ambitious vision of the future, with the key being a demanding process of self-betterment, readying ourselves to ensure that Euskadi, the Basque Country, achieves it: to one day become “the” European benchmark in innovation.

On 5 July 2007, with the carefully thought out and disinterested transformation of Saretek into the Basque Innovation Agency, we began hoisting the flag of innovation. The call to arms has been a success, and in less than two years we have managed to marshal the involvement of 1,029 partners, with the cooperation in 45 i-Talde, i-Groups, of more than 1,103 leaders from all social, economic, higher educational, scientific-technological, institutional and cultural spheres, involving both the public and private sectors.

The results already achieved far exceed even the wildest expectations of those who played a part in setting up Innobasque, which is firmly rooted in the enormous effort made beforehand by public institutions and private organisations. We should like to express our gratitude to these people who had the vision and determination to set in motion something so necessary, namely, cooperation between the public and private sectors. We should most especially like to thank the Basque president, the Lehendakari, Juan José Ibarretxe, who had the vision to back this project and support it at all times, as did other members of his government.

In short, this prosperous and developed Basque society has responded to the call and opened the door to a new social reality in terms of cooperation, consistent with the complex challenges of the future that all societies like ours will have to face sooner than later. The road travelled so far is conducive to optimism, although the fruits will be harvested when we overcome the impact of the severe global recession we are suffering.

There are those who accused Innobasque of spreading an alarmist message when the current crisis was no more than a vague threat on the horizon. Others considered us to be visionaries when we called for the immediate scrambling of resources for the transformation of our society. Those who placed their trust

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in this team and set up Innobasque had sufficient vision to pre-empt a situation of profound and serious crisis. Thanks to this we are now more prepared than ever to consider and build a Basque Country that is different and, of course, better.

people; about people who go about their daily business with their skills, knowledge and enthusiasm.

Passing with flying colours in these three subjects (means, knowledge and wanting) will be vital for our future.

Within this context, any suggestion of complacency would be out of place. At Innobasque, we have adopted a realistic approach to our work, facing up to the current scenario, analysing it thoroughly and in depth to keep one step ahead and provide alternatives that will enable us to emerge in the right competitive position for guaranteeing our future.

In short, we have to be mindful of the fact that innovation is the main source for creating value added that will enable us to set ourselves apart, reinforce our skills and urge us on to continue challenging for pole position amongst the most developed societies.

This will not be an easy task, for we are facing wholly unprecedented economic and social circumstances of global crisis, whose impact and extent require decisive joint action.

Within the field of innovation, we have already begun to record some promising results, as published at the end of March by Eustat. Thanks to the effort made in recent times by institutions, businesses, scientific-technological agents and all nature of organisations, the Basque Autonomous Community is on the verge of entering Europe’s “top ten” in Innovation, a goal that we had set ourselves to achieve by 2012.

According to the “European Innovation Scoreboard EIS 2008”, the Basque Country, with a score of 0.49 in 2008, records a level of innovation that would place us in eleventh position amongst the countries in EU-27, surpassing the European average in innovation (0.48). This makes us one of the countries rated as “advanced in innovation”, alongside Austria, Ireland, Luxemburg, Belgium, France and the Netherlands.

This position, which would have been unthinkable with the approach and programmes in place just a few years ago, cannot be attributed to chance, but rather to the huge amount of work that has been undertaken in recent years.

Innovation will be the light that guides us through the tunnel we will have to traverse to overcome this crisis. My own personal and professional experience has taught me that the sun always shines after a storm, but it also true that it does not come out everywhere at the same time. The Basque Country is in a position to be one of the first to weather the storm and bathe in the sun’s new rays. We have no other goal.

This crisis is an excellent opportunity, guided by necessity and knowledge, to address a profound change in our model of production and growth, which under the circumstances of “comfort” and “ease” in which we have lived in recent years would have been more difficult to undertake.

In order to realise this essential change in model, Innobasque’s experience reveals that the knock-on potential of the public-private partnership is a fundamental platform for reinforcing the work of all stakeholders, in all areas. Reinforcing this partnership and operating it to full capacity is the main goal we have set ourselves for the coming months. Furthermore, we are going to make inroads in social mobilisation and in the orchestration of a powerful and efficient network of networks, with nodes that, each on its own particular wavelength,“vibrate” to the same frequency, in pursuit of our Basque Innovation Agency’s foundational goal: to make the Basque Country “the” European benchmark in innovation in 2030.

When we refer to innovation, we are talking about

In order to make the Basque Country a benchmark for innovation in Europe, we have set ourselves a series of short, medium and long-term objectives, with determination and a high level of exigency, to fulfil that goal in the still distant year of 2030. To achieve it, we have the vision, the strategy, the commitment and the right people to face the huge challenge of transforming ourselves into a positively innovative society.

Today, this is no more than a dream. Yet only dreamers change things. Innobasque seeks to bring about a far-reaching transformation for the better of Basque social and economic reality. We are striving to do this with the confidence of the support provided by our partners, by the people representing them who apply their considerable leadership skills in our Governing Bodies, and backed by the brilliant and dedicated work of the Innobasque team. To them all, my congratulations and gratitude.

We face a daunting challenge: to mobilise the entire country, awakening it from the complacency inherent to a long period of plenty, and use the will to innovate to deploy the vast capacities we have. We need an innovative society because we have the highest aspirations, to be sure of a better future.

Pedro Luis Uriarte Chairperson of Innobasque

Innovating for social cohesion No society is fully democratic unless it is socially cohesive. Hence, the recognition and unfettered exercise of individual political rights have to be compounded by public policies and private schemes that orchestrate society with a view to upholding the equal opportunities of all those people that are part of it.

There is no doubt that the Basque Country has achieved levels of cohesion and human development that are on a par with the most advanced nations in the developed world. Accordingly, when at Innobasque we consider the second major transformation of Euskadi, the Basque Country, through innovation, we must not lose sight of that key component of our mission, namely, innovating for social cohesion.

This is not a matter that is exclusive to the public domain, but also applies, and especially so, to the private sector. I cannot see it possible, in the necessary transformation that we are undertaking in these first years of the new century, to address transformation processes whose sole purpose is the creation of economic value. I do not consider it feasible to apply innovative strategies in our companies if they are not focused on value creation for all stakeholders and for society at large. This inevitably leads us to consider human beings and their needs as the ultimate goal for the community activities of institutions, business-

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es and individuals and, consequently, for their innovation processes.

This innovative understanding of the mission of business is what makes it an agent of social cohesion, along with the public institutions and in cooperation with the entire fabric of organisations whose raison d’être is to cater for people’s needs, which have also been included in the innovation processes undertaken within the heart of Innobasque.

Xabier de Irala Treasurer to the Board of Management Chairman of BBK

Public-private platform Innobasque is a unique arrangement. Although it ran a serious risk of not being properly understood at first, it has proven to be a successful formula that is now being copied in other countries and regions.

It was essential for society as a whole to embrace what has come to be known as the Basque Country’s “Second Transformation” as a challenge that had to be successfully met. This required social leadership on the part of the private sector, as the one to marshal society overall, stressing the fact that this was not just another Government programme.

Public cooperation in this arrangement is – should be – more than just providing the players with funding for their innovation projects. The Public Administrations also need to become innovative agents within their own field, accepting the challenge and setting an example to society in matters of innovation, with their sights set high and overcoming sectorial criteria or the desire to concentrate on one or other specific sphere. This should be a project with a nationwide calling.

Within the current recession scenario, it is more important than ever to ensure that haste does not blind us to what truly matters.

Mario Fernández Secretary to the Board of Management Senior Partner of Uría y Menéndez Norte Abogados, S.L.

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mark for innovation. The success recorded so far leads one to believe that it is a sound model for other possible schemes that require the cooperation of the whole of Basque society, as well as for similar projects that may be organised in other regions or countries.

José María Aldecoa Vice-Chairperson of the Board of Management Divisional Manager for the MCC Cooperative Centre

It is an attitude Knowledge in general and scientific and technological knowledge in particular are the raw materials of tomorrow’s economy. Their capacity to transform the economy by generating permanent added value is constrained only by the limits of our imagination.

Euskadi’s future intellectual health and material prosperity will depend on us knowing how to integrate an innovating culture into our education system, our businesses and our society. Innovation is not only science and technology, innovation and development. It is an attitude, being open to different ways of doing things. Being excellent in knowledge creation and innovation requires time, long-term commitment. Hence what Innobasque is successfully undertaking is particularly important: raising society’s awareness of the importance of innovation based on a public-private partnership with a strategic view of the future.

Impregnating the social fabric so that it becomes aware of how important it is that innovation should be accompanied by specific actions with means that are appropriate to the purpose being pursued. Otherwise, we run the risk of marking ambitious and unquestionable targets yet unattainable ones. Something similar happened with the Lisbon Declaration.

There is more to innovating than science and technology, but without science and technology we lack two of the basic pillars of the future. One’s own sound base is required, even to creatively adapt another person’s ideas.

To do so, it is necessary for society as a whole to share this aim. We will need society’s support. And Innobasque, and the leadership of its Chairperson Pedro Luis Uriarte, are making a decisive contribution in this field.

Pedro Miguel Etxenike

A project of common interest Innobasque is a practical and promising example of what can be achieved by joining forces and fostering cooperation between all those players with a stake in innovation. Its integrating nature, based on public-private cooperation, has proven in a very short period of time to be capable of bringing together business interests and aspirations, representatives from the scientific-technological sphere, public-private organisations, associations and labour, being now made up of more than 1,000 members.

This inter-cooperation has led to the subscription of 71 agreements, with another 34 currently in the pipeline. It has also facilitated international contacts at the highest level, helped to channel the opinion of MPs from different parties and enthusiastically supported high-profile projects for the future of science and innovation in Euskadi – the Basque Country, such as the European Spallation Source (ESS-Bilbao).

Innobasque is a project of common interest, designed to transform Basque society through innovation, with the aim being to make Euskadi the European bench-

Vice-Chairperson of the Board of Management Chairperson of the Donostia International Physics Center

Innobasque in industry To be successful and to have a future in such a competitive world as ours, and at such a complicated time as the present, we must capitalise on this opportunity we are being offered; to this end, we need to be continually innovating our products, our production processes and our services, transforming them into much more added value. The great contribution INNOBASQUE has made has been and still is the great social movement it has created, and which has led us to see innovation as our lever to transformation for building a better future. Through innovation, we will be differentiated from our competitors and we will offer our customers and markets a better service.

Alvaro Videgain

Awakening existing consciences and talents Innobasque’s contribution to the field of Talent lies in the important work it has done in raising awareness in the Basque society about the importance of Innovation as a strategic factor in today’s world, where competition is high and still rising.

During this time, Innobasque has managed to mobilise a significant number of people with high capacity potential, thus making itself the appropriate tool for attracting members of this group, creating a common view and setting clear targets in this line.

This mobilisation has given rise to a grouping of people and organisations to whom Innobasque has been constantly passing on initiatives and interests in the field of Innovation as a factor of clear strategic value to all, and this awakens already existing consciences and talents, to hence spearhead a shift by the whole of society towards a culture and commitment to Innovation. The challenge now is to translate that mobilisation into specific projects and actions, whereby these capacities feed and feed off Innobasque in a virtuous circle, to eventually convert Euskadi into a benchmark in terms of modernity and competitiveness.

Miguel Lazpiur Lamariano Vice-Chairperson of the Board of Management Chairman of Confebask

Making a shared dream come true In the late 1980s, markets in Europe and the United States saw an influx of goods of excellent quality at very reasonable prices from the Far East. These were the fruit of applying innovative management methodologies in manufacturing and other sectors. The methods, devised in Japan, included Just in Time, Kaizen, Quality Circles, 5S, etc. and were known generically in the West as “Total Quality Management”. The common denominator was that they all sought efficiency through harnessing resources and developing the full potential of personnel and their involvement in the business project. To disseminate these ideas in the Basque Country, a group of public and private organisations created EUSKALIT – the Basque Foundation for Excellence, in 1992.

Total Quality, Excellence in Management and Innovation in Management all ultimately mean the same thing, although new and more advanced methodologies are constantly emerging. In November 2007, EUSKALIT signed a federation agreement with Innobasque to collaborate closely on the 2nd Great Transformation of the country being led by InnobasqueE. Having jointly developed initiatives in 2008 such as KnowInn for the introduction of management methodologies and the PROPEX forum for exchange of best practices amongst advanced service companies, in 2009 and subsequent years we will be reinforcing our alliance to make our shared dream a reality.

Txema Gisasola Member of the Board of Management Chairperson of EUSKALIT Basque Quality Foundation

Vice-Chairperson of the Board of Management Chairman and CEO of Tubacex, S.A.

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Executive Management Boards Our aim is to further entrepreneurship The Council began its operations in April 2008. Our first challenge was to agree upon the concept of Entrepreneurship, and more specifically Advanced Entrepreneurship. The next step involved defining our mission and applying it to the work of the i-Groups, or i-Talde.

From within the sphere of the council’s coordination (chair, leaders and co-leaders) there emerged a clear strategy for fulfilling the mission set forth.This same body planned the work of the i-Talde.

Consequently, the first asset that Entrepreneurship now provides for its members is an excellent relational platform for addressing strategies and projects that revitalise the Entrepreneurship Ecosystem in Euskadi, the Basque Country. Accordingly, an inventory has just been made of the Basque Entrepreneurship Ecosystem as a whole with its players and programmes, thereby enabling it to act in the future as a helpdesk for the business of entrepreneurship.

The strategy of the Entrepreneurship Department is based on the following formula: Spirit of Entrepreneurship + Entrepreneurship Capital = Entrepreneurship (Want + Knowledge)+ (Means)= (Action) Our aim is to significantly increase the business of entrepreneurship, relying at all times on a scoreboard to measure progress (as well as the reasons for it).

A key component of this project is the coordination with the current Basque Entrepreneurship Ecosystem. We have learnt to pool our resources and cooperate through our strengths. There is still a lot of work to be done.

Mikel Urizarbarrena Chairperson of the Executive Management Council for Advanced Entrepreneurship President of Panda Security.

The individual as the target and focus of innovation I have recently become the President of the Basque Studies Society - Eusko Ikaskuntza and, therefore, of Innobasque’s Social Innovation Department. I freely admit that I have had little time to make a detailed analysis of the work undertaken throughout this year under the presidency of my predecessor Xabier Retegi.

I can see that its business has focused on the following goals: a) The mobilisation, starting from scratch, of around 200 organisations that make up the current Executive Management Board b) The integration of a wide-range of different agents, from business through to the administration, and including higher education, trade unions and the services sector c) The selection of the priority focal points for action and the marshalling of the different i-Groups, the i-Talde d) The conceptualisation of both social innovation itself and its spheres of action I understand that Innobasque has set an example in Innovation by stressing Social Innovation and creating its own model of innovation in which it places the individual

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and its community actions based on human values as the target and focus of innovation.

nomic and Social Transformation. And the following question arises: Will we be able to successfully achieve it?

I believe that Basque society should acknowledge this accordingly.

Let us remember that 30 years ago, with unemployment approaching 30% and a GDP per capita at only 80% of the European average, we overcame our 1st Great Economic and Social Transformation with notable success.

Thanks, amongst other things, to a Basque society, to social players (companies and trade unions) and Public Authorities all working shoulder to shoulder to achieve this aim.

José María Muñoa Chairperson of the Executive Management Council for Social Innovation and President of the Basque Studies Society Eusko Ikaskuntza

Innobasque – a catalysing agent Over the past two years, Euskadi – the Basque Country has managed to converge with Europe, as well as move into pole position in Spain, in terms of the crucial indicators of Technological Innovation: R&D expenditure and the number of companies that pursue activities in this field.

It has also made progress in the European Innovation Scoreboard, in which Technological Innovation is a key component.

These achievements are the result of the excellent work undertaken by our institutions, businesses and public and private initiatives (which over the past 30 years have boosted the field of Science and Technology), as referents for Innobasque’s Technological Innovation Council.

Our present goal is to climb above the European average and become the European leaders, which means that Innobasque will have to play the role of catalyst within the sphere of cooperation between public and private players.

Andres Arizkorreta Chairperson of the Executive Management Council for Technological Innovation CEO Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarril

If this model is repeated today and we are conscious that our survival depends on it, I am convinced that this 2nd Great Transformation will also be a success.

Hence, all the members of Executive Management Council for Promotion and Communication, which I am honoured to chair, have taken up the part of this exciting challenge pertaining to us with enthusiasm and dedication.

It is evident that innovation (R&D&i), which lies at the heart of Euskadi’s 2nd Great Transformation, is going to demand great effort and the participation of each and every one of the social and economic players it affects.

But if there is a critical factor for success, I am convinced that it is the socialisation of innovation.

Each and every one of us, irrespective of the size of our organisation, of our specific responsibility, of whether we are public or private entities, can and must be active players before the gauntlet laid down by innovation.

We are all necessary and we all can and must make some positive contribution. What we leave undone will be a space that someone else will find it difficult to fill on our behalf.

Achieving this is the key remit of our Promotion and Communication Council.

José Ignacio Arrieta Heras

To raise presence in European projects to the maximum In the Innobasque Internationalisation Department, activities have focused on the aim of trying to resolve and address the correct incorporation of Eurobulegoa (the Basque Agency for RD&I internationalisation), and likewise to resolve the organisational changes and subsequent leadership problems resulting from the Department Manager’s departure and the arrival of the new Manager in mid October.This situation was successfully overcome through the exceptional work undertaken by the departmental staff who have managed to continue fulfilling their obligations throughout this complicated situation.

The Internationalisation Department currently has three primary objectives: To raise the presence of Basque companies in European projects to the maximum Consolidation of a network to favour and foster defence of our companies and their interests on an international level The raising of awareness and boosting of a suitable external alliance strategy Mikel Barandiarán Chairperson of the Executive Management Council for Internationalisation of the Global Innovation System CEO of Dominion Access

Innovation needs to be socialised Euskadi is today facing the most important challenge in its history. It is what we have termed the 2nd Great Eco-

Chairperson of the Executive Management Council for Promotion and Communication Chairperson of Estrategia Empresarial

A long-distance marathon After over one year has elapsed since the birth of Innobasque, I have been asked to make an appraisal of what has been achieved from the Business Transformation Department. In view of the present situation, it is a suitable moment to stop and reflect on this matter and to review our commitments.

It has been a period in which work has been intense and activity frantic, undoubtedly due to the size of the challenge. It is no sprint, but rather a long-distance marathon that therefore requires perseverance and a clear view of our goals. If we want to transform our society and convert it into a benchmark in terms of innovation, we must firstly change its underpinning values and principles, which will require time, and above all consensus based on our shared desire for change.

Although this need for a transformation has been increasingly evident for several years now, the current crisis has been a sharp reminder of the urgency with which changes are needed. And it is precisely in these difficult times that we want to acknowledge the effort that the 200+ people under our Council are making through their participation in the different dynamics, work groups or iTaldes, projects or workshops. We have held over 90 inhouse meetings and received over 120 articles and contributions on topics covered in this publication.

In short, we are moving from the first phase of conceptu-

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alising ideas, to their deployment through mobilisation, thus embodying the Public-Private Partnership in favour of the 2nd Economic and Social Transformation. This is our challenge today and that on which we shall carry on working.

Txomin García Chairperson of the Executive Management Council for Business Transformation Chairperson of Caja Laboral

A global perspective on innovation Gipuzkoa Berritzen presented its reflection process in the year 2005. Since then, we have been collaborating through this transformational network to make Gipuzkoa an innovating territory.

In 2007, we decided to join the Innobasque Executive Management Councils, because in our opinion, in addition to retaining our original features, this offered us the possibility of sharing and enhancing the aims we have in common with Innobasque: A Gipuzkoa that looks ahead, the wellbeing of Euskadi, innovation and teamwork.

Over these 18 months we have progressed in terms of teamwork and we believe the best results are yet to come.

There are now 198 people and 80 organisations taking part in work groups.Yes, we say people, because for us, it is people (as well as organisations) that are the linchpin and the key to this transformation project.

And we want to continue under the same model, looking ahead, taking Gipuzkoa’s singular features into account, undertaking innovation-based projects, horizontal projects aimed at action, and always working shoulder to shoulder with Innobasque, without doubling up efforts and offering experiences that may prove valuable for our travelling companions.

Indeed, GIPUZKOA BERRITZEN is a simple, sound network of people whose aim is to transform GIPUZKOA by driving and carrying out innovative projects and actions.

Juan Mª Uzkudun Chairperson of Gipuzkoa Berritzen

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capacity for change.

Coherence between our team's values and attitudes and the collective values (knowledge, cooperation, change and globalisation) which the Council for Social Innovation considers key as a leading edge required to become a benchmark society in innovation terms by 2030.

They are the foundations of our work, the essential values underpinning our contribution to the public-private partnership Innobasque represents.They are likewise the guidelines along which we wish to move on, in a cohesive manner towards a shared and inspirational goal.The challenge is colossal: it involves mobilising the entire region and deploying its huge capacities. We aspire to crowning the very highest summit.

José Mª Villate General Director of Innobasque

Innobasque in the media

In these almost two years we have been operating, we have managed to bring together a human resources team for the Innobasque Project which is frankly special, powerful, flexible and highly committed. We trust we are up to the enormous challenge we have set ourselves: to transform the Basque Country into an innovative society, open to change, tolerant of failure, creative, enterprising, underpinned by values and which is constantly in search of new economic or social value generation opportunities.

The professionals on our team share our organisation's core values outlined below, which were defined through an open and participative process: Personal commitment to the project, to fellow colleagues, to the partners, to the governing bodies, and to the entire Basque society.

Trust in people, in the team, in our responsive organisation and in ongoing learning and in our society's

Meeting Point Rethinking the Public-Private Partnership for Innovation The formula of Public-Private Partnership has played a vital role in driving key initiatives in recent decades.

As an example, mention could be made of, amongst others, the strategy of competitiveness, which is based mainly on Cluster Associations and the Competitiveness Forum 2015, the quality strategy in the Euskalit Foundation, the strategy in science and technology, rooted in the Saretek and Eurobulegoa associations, lifelong training in the Hobetuz Foundation…

Communication and innovation go hand in hand. Bringing innovation to public opinion in the past two years has entailed making the actions taken and the players with whom we have worked newsworthy. The data show that Innobasque has become a proactive player in the world of the media both online and offline, and a top provider of content and news about innovation. We have paid special attention to developing in-house tools and specific strategies in the 2.0 environment. We share the opinion that a new definition of the concept of communication is needed, based on relationships with society, the Internet and the entry of new players, if we are to meet the challenge of the Second Transformation.

Initially, Innovation was associated with Science and Technology (according to the R&D&i model), but in recent years it has substantially extended its boundaries, bringing numerous other fields into its range of action: competitiveness, education, culture and values, sustainability and healthcare.

PRESS, RADIO, TV HITS

Through two basic references in the spheres of competitiveness and science and technology (PCEIS 2006-2009 and PCTI 2010), Innobasque has formulated a new vision of the Basque Innovation System, with three major milestones:

2007 JULY AUGUST SEPTEMBER OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER TOTAL

12 3 9 36 30 37 127

2008 JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH APRIL MAY JUNE JULY AUGUST SEPTEMBER OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER TOTAL

161 66 58 89 58 70 83 13 56 132 180 73 1.039

Management Team Commitment, trust and cohesion

Innobasque values

2009 JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH APRIL MAY TOTAL * Estimates

67 93 198 85 220 663*

Over these first two years in the life of Innobasque, one of the main challenges has precisely been to address this broad definition of Innovation, to find the right way of orchestrating the combined work of public and private players in all areas. They are all linked by the common nexus of innovation, yet they have their own dynamics in their specific fields of action.

On the one hand, on 5 July 2007 Innobasque proposed a new Vision: to make Euskadi - the Basque Country into THE European benchmark in innovation within a generation (2030).

On the other hand, at the presentation of its Government Bodies, on 31 January 2008, Innobasque proposed a project based on 6 Aims, 6 Levers and 6 Principles, whose deployment in the first year requires the mobilisation of 1,001 leaders in the Board of Management, Executive Management Council and iGroups, the i-Talde, and 101 entities in the Basque Innovation Alliance. The diverse make-up of these Governing Bodies, which include leaders from all walks of life, is a vital step forward in this new approach.

Finally, at the General Assembly held on 26 June 2008, Innobasque completed the conceptual definition of its project with 6 Challenges, 6 Stages and 6 Benefits. When defining these items, an essential link was made between the transformation project and education, culture, social and health policies, thereby superseding the traditional perception that linked innovation to science, technology or competitiveness.

These changes made to the Vision, to the mobilisation structure and to the design of new operating spheres serve a single purpose: transformation through the marshalling of society as a whole. Based

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on the irrational goal of turning the Basque Country into THE European benchmark in innovation within a single lifetime, and on the consideration and development of the “Six Sixes” (Principles, Levers, Aims, Challenges, Stages on the Path to Innovation and Benefits), a new conceptualisation of the Basque Innovation System has been thrown up.

This “rethinking of the partnership” has been structured as a broad process of participation, which will conclude with a conceptual contribution, through a new editorial line in Innobasque’s reporting to Society, which begins with the publication of this 2007 – 2009 Report and will end in January 2011 with the release of its vision for the Basque Country: Visión Euskadi 20.30.

How has Innobasque addressed Conceptualisation over the period 2007-2009?

Seeking a common language, certain basic shared concepts, in key aspects of the Second Transformation: What is Innovation?

How is the importance of the Individual materialised?

What values underpin it?

How are the dynamics of Innovation generated in the business/SME/hospital/school/ institution…?

Who is part of the Innovation System? What forums are used by its stakeholders?

What role does each stakeholder play in the Innovation System? …

Building on prior references (Competitiveness Forum, PCEIS, PCTI, Manifesto on Innovation…)

Working with multidisciplinary teams (i-Talde) Validating conclusions in a far-reaching process of participation (i-Talde/Wiki – Executive Management Councils – Board of Management – Basque Council for Science, Technology and Innovation) Documenting and disclosing conclusions: Basque Innovation System Values of Innovation Education Competitiveness Sustainability and the realm of Innovation Innovation in Organisations Science and Technology The Basque entrepreneurship ecosystem Innovation Networks Talent Society Basque Global, International Positioning Visión Euskadi 20:30 Competitiveness and Social Innovation Scheme Science, Technology and Innovation Plan

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Science, Technology and Innovation (Consejo Vasco de Ciencia, Tecnología e Inovación), as the supreme body for participation, guidance and leadership on policy in science, technology, research and innovation within the sphere of the Basque Autonomous Community. In addition, this Decree stipulates that the Council is the maximum authority for cooperation, observation, coordination and promotion in matters of research, development and innovation.

The Basque Council for Science, Technology and Innovation has the following mandate: The definition of the basic strategic lines of public policies in matters of science, technology, research and innovation and the setting of the strategic goals to be achieved through operations within this sphere.

The establishment of the overall figures for the financial framework in support of science, technology, research and innovation and, in particular, the analysis and consideration of the resources set aside for the funding of actions in these fields.

The determination, upon prior consultation with the Scientific Advisory Committee, of the priority areas or preferential topics for research given their strategic interest for the Basque Country.

The development of scientific-technological infrastructures of strategic interest that will give a greater boost to the Basque science and technology system.

The proposal of measures that will favour the coordinated actions of players in the Basque system of science, technology, research and innovation, the involvement of Basque projects in European research programmes and in European science and technology networks and the link between university research and the manufacturing sector, and inform policy on the attraction and training of researchers at all levels.

The approval of an annual appraisal on the degree of progress and development of the targets set forth in the process of transformation and technological harmonisation, with a view to assessing public policies in matters of science, technology, research and innovation.

The coordination of the network of observers in the Basque system of science, technology, research and innovation dedicated to collecting information on the state of science and technology in the Basque Country, disclosing the information gathered to all the other stakeholders in the system, analysing technological supply and demand, encouraging the sharing of knowledge, experiences and best practices and analysing the task of prospecting for future trends.

Furthermore, the Basque Council for Science, Technology and Innovation will also be asked to consider the planning instruments and projects that are rolled out in these fields by Basque public institutions.

The following are members of the Basque Council for Science, Technology and Innovation: - The President, Lehendakari, of the Basque Government, who will also be its chair.

- The incumbent person at the Department of the Treasury and Public Administration.

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- The incumbent person at the Department of Industry, Trade and Tourism.

On 17 April, publication was made of Decree 1/2007 by the President (Lehendakari) of the Basque Government, on the creation of the Basque Council for

- The incumbent person at the Department of Education, Universities and Research.

- The incumbent person at the Department of

Health.

- The Members of the Provincial Councils of the three territories that make up the Basque Autonomous Community.

- The Vice-Chancellor of each one of the universities belonging to the Basque System of Higher Education.

- The person responsible for the Basque Foundation for Science (Ikerbasque) and for Innobasque - Basque Innovation Agency.

- The delegate for Science, Technology and Innovation.

Innobasque’s Chairperson, Pedro Luis Uriarte, has represented the Association on the Council since its first meeting, held on 13 July 2007. At this meeting, the position of Secretary was assigned to Innobasque, which has held it since then.

Over the period covered by this report, a total of 10 meetings have been held, in which Innobasque has presented twenty papers on: - The Innobasque Project - The Science, Technology and Innovation Week - 2008: Year of Innovation - 2009: European Year of Creativity and Innovation - New European Innovation Scoreboard (EIS) - System of indicators for the 2nd Transformation - R&D Index - Best industrial firms in R&D

Alliance for Innovation With a view to transforming Basque society and its economy Innobasque, a major long-term project, is acting as a catalyst for the efforts made by the Key Economic and Social Players that have been mobilised, networking and sharing a joint vision. Our target for 2012 is to ensure that Basque society as a whole has embraced the challenge of the 2nd Great Transformation and has the necessary structure for addressing it.

We perceive that structure to be a network on different levels that is based on what we have referred as the “Levers of Transformation” whose purpose is to efficiently orchestrate the mobilisation of Basque society.

Mobilisation is a vital step towards awakening attitudes inherent to people and which we consider to be essential for an innovative society and economy.

This task requires everyone to throw their weight: institutions, businesses, economic and social actors, working together, cooperating between partners in pursuit of the achievement of common goals.

Coordination is the process where people who have the same view of the world achieve similar goals.

Cooperation is the process where people who have different views of the world achieve similar goals.

In order to achieve this cooperation between partners, the Basque Innovation Alliance was formed as one of Innobasque’s six “Levers of Transformation”.

The Alliance is an area in which to consolidate opportunities for cooperation and develop strategies for creating synergies both within and outside Innobasque.

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Its overriding purpose is to roll out different strategies on agreements and partnerships that lead to the multiplication of capacities, the coordination of programmes and the alignment of goals between the different stakeholders that pursue schemes related to innovation.

Over this period 07-09, the Innovation Alliance has developed under the guise of bilateral agreements subscribed with over 106 Basque organisations that are actively involved as catalysts for innovation in different sectors of activity; from basic research into technological development, culture, the dissemination of innovative activities, entrepreneurship, education, the promotion of and support for R&D&i activities and creativity, through to business transformation.

The Alliance therefore becomes an instrument capable of combining: - commitment, expressed by the quest for the same shared goals, - effort, through the work performed in joint programmes (more than 120 programmes of activities) involving partner organisations - and Innobasque, and joint results.

Basque community of innovators Goals The aim of the Basque Community of Innovators is to set itself up as a key lever for the second transformation, through the incorporation of value by people.

In today’s knowledge society, value is evolving from the possession of knowledge to that of skills, expertise, attitudes and experience, without forgetting the importance of interpersonal relations. Productive capacity as a strategic value of social growth necessarily needs to be complemented by creative, relational and innovation potential. It is therefore crucial for any organisation to highlight the network of people with whom it does or can deal.

Specifically, the Community has the following aims: 1. To develop/mobilise innovation, awakening people’s interest and concern for it, and thereby engaging them 2. To be a meeting place for innovators, from people in the Basque Country to anyone wherever they might be who shares our enthusiasm for innovation 3. To create an innovative society, making innovation part of our identity Innobasque’s role:“middle ground” and “key lever for mobilisation” Using an environmental analogy, we could say that Basque society is a natural environment in which organisations and the people that form them are the trees that provide it with the oxygen it requires to survive.

This “breathing apparatus”, the tree, has its crown, which we refer to as the “upper ground” or “establishment” of top companies and governmental organisations [Companies & Establishment]. This is the visible part, where today’s GDP is generated and where Basque society’s problems [problems], chal-

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lenges [challenges] and needs [needs] are resolved (just as leaves absorb CO2) by providing solutions [solutions] (resulting O2 emitted into the environment – Basque society).

The ROOTS would represent all those organisations and people who are “under ground”, without being particularly visible, as may be innovators, entrepreneurs, research teams, those who in the future might manage to “rise” to the “establishment” and top companies: the tree’s nutrients [Talent Network]. Continuing with our tree analogy, we believe that Innobasque’s contribution should be that of the trunk: linking in the present the two “worlds”: the “upper ground” and the “under ground” (becoming the “middle ground”), and feeding the “establishment” with the contributions made by this emerging world that may provide the freshest and most innovative ideas, and which, in short, may help to produce the oxygen (the solutions) required by a Basque society that is looking to the future.

The tool for connecting these two worlds will be the Basque Community of Innovators Innobasque Network.

All Communities should have an ideological referent.

In this case the referent is the Manifesto for Innovation, so the first step for joining the community is to adhere to it, with the second being to define and state a commitment to Innovation.

The main focus of the Basque Community of Innovators is the furthering of valuable ideas and the generation of challenges as stimuli for their resolution by those involved in the Basque Community of Innovators.

Organisation The Community is made up of the following: • I-KIDE, people who want to lend their skills to the project for the transformation of Euskadi – the Basque Country. In order to realise this goal, they interact with each other, promoting and implementing innovative schemes, sharing common ground. These i-kides may also belong to other COMMUNITIES, as the idea is not to replace what already exists, but incorporate the work that is already being done and achieve greater synergies by providing visibility and inter-connection.

• DYNAMISING AGENTS, i-kides that VOLUNTARILY assume an active role for dynamising and mobilising, forming a team whose mission is to disseminate and drive the Basque Community of Innovators in their corresponding spheres of influence and act as a channel, mirror and support for the actions proposed by Innobasque for the Community.

Operation The basic remit of Innobasque’s Community is to bring active people into contact with each other to facilitate their value contribution.

The relationship has two mainstays: • The virtual platform • Face-to-face encounters The virtual platform has been developed in Open Source and enables the members of the Community to create areas of participation through projects or discussion fora, generate and organise events, present and work on projects, pose challenges and provide solutions or opinions.

Furthermore, over this time a progressive strategy of contacts has been developed, that is, an initial choice has been made for quasi-personal transmission, going on to spread to a viral transmission and ending, during the launch period, with the organisation of a presentation event. This strategy stems from the selfimposed requirement of attaining a suitable critical mass before being introduced to society.

In addition, the concept of Community has been shared with pre-existing communities (online and offline), seeking to coordinate with them and discover the needs, expectations and modus operandi etc. of their component members, as the Community wants to respond to the needs and expectations of its own members.

In parallel with this first stage of transmission, and making the most of these inputs, the first steps have been taken for building a shared identity for the Community.

Thus, once we have “sown”, we shall be ready for its launch, and the symbol of the TREE will cease to be a rhetorical image to become a reality, with its roots providing a firm foothold for the second transformation.

Just Do It Mobilising all areas of Society The implementation and development of the Innobasque Project has generated a significant dynamics of participation and enormous expectation.

We have made a great effort in terms of conceptualisation and reporting, involving all kinds of players and professional groups. Over these first two years of activity, there has been a sharp rise in the calls made upon Innobasque to disclose its message, which has been delivered directly to 17,000 people at 180 events held throughout the length and breadth of the Basque Country. We have visited all nature of venues, explaining our proposal in schools and hospitals, to associations of town planners, architects, engineers and economists; to SMEs, local authorities, undergraduates at universities or students at occupational training colleges or on summer courses; to working professionals, students, pensioners…

This effort in mobilisation is a clear example of the excellent reception the message has had, being reflected in the surge in the number of members of Innobasque. In July 2007, the SARETEK Association had 100, and in June 2009 there will be more than a 1.000 in our General Assembly. As can be seen in the table that shows the provenance of Innobasque’s members, the origin of the organisations that have signed up to this Transformation project is a further example of the new vision of innovation that we are proposing.

With these solid foundations we are addressing the process of mobilising the Public-Private Partnership for Innovation, with four key pillars of action: 1. Driving the public-private partnership, whereby a balanced perspective is provided of the public, private and joint spheres.

2. Prioritising key areas. All areas need a boost in matters of innovation, but being effective requires

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focusing attention on those that are key.

3. Linking up with the prior definitions of the Innovation System (centred on the sphere of public policies, and on the R&D&i paradigm: policies on science-technology and on competitiveness).

4. Entering into contact with the different territorial spheres within the Innovation System: local, regional/autonomous, national, European and global. Just as important as the public-private partnership is the public-public partnership.

During these months of definition, we have managed to make headway in a shared strategy, which aligns these pillars, whereby we have already embarked upon the dynamics of transformation within the key areas that the Innovation System should reinforce and consolidate over the coming years.

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similar remit that decided to join the Agency in July 2007.

• The work of the leaders on the Board and in the Executive Management Councils is arranged through the i-Talde. These are voluntary work groups of a varied nature, which pursue their business in an "interactive learning environment", being formed by economic, social and education players, researchers, scientists, technologists and users. Together, all these people learn to suggest innovative solutions (projects) and resolve problems through interaction, creating value, not only with their results but through a long process involving the search for and sharing of information using the new knowledge they generate.

Key areas of the innovation system

This work methodology has allowed a channel to be set up for the involvement of public and private agents in the key areas for driving Innovation:

• Science and Technology, as key features in driving Innovation

• Discussing, analysing, studying and developing ideas

• Innovation as the basis for Competitiveness in all sectors of economic activity

• Propounding and planning the deployment of programmes and projects

• Innovation within the field of education, furthering new training models

• Mobilising and disseminating the concepts and projects being developed

• Innovation as a key component within the social and cultural spheres, as well as in terms of Values

• Implementing innovation actions (disclosure, guidance, motivational, instructional, etc.)

• Innovation within the field of Quality of Life and Health, facing the challenge of an ageing population

• Drafting protocols on the different issues addressed, delimiting the content of the activity and its main challenges

• Innovation and Sustainability, focusing specifically on the Environment and Infrastructures

• Identifying existing and emerging leaderships

A place for meeting and participating The Second Great Transformation has been undertaken under the conviction that collective and multifaceted engagement is essential for mobilising society. At the time of writing, more than 1,100 recognised leaders in our society make up Innobasque’s Board of Management and its Executive Management Councils, and as members of this vast network, they participate in 45 i-Groups, the i-Talde. The design of these work groups-cum-think tanks has also enabled us to adopt a multi-angled approach to innovation, and comprehensively address issues of an economic and social nature: from social innovation (education, values, migration…), through to the promotion of new technologically-advanced companies focused on the global market.

• The Board of Management is made up of the more representative leaders from a total of 40 organisations: companies, social organisations, business associations, universities, public institutions, etc.

The Board’s mandate is to steer the main line of work and marshal society towards innovation, with its sights set on the short, medium and long terms.

• The development of Innobasque’s strategies in the various fields of action is orchestrated through the Executive Management Councils: Technological Innovation, Social Innovation, Business Transformation, Internationalisation of the Innovation System, Advanced Entrepreneurship and Promotion and Communication. Innobasque also has a similar governance structure for the Gipuzkoa Berritzen territorial development, an associated council with a

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• Singling out each programme’s weak and strong points • Proposing illustrated case studies (through knowledge of local experiences) • Building a Bank of Best Practices as forthcoming in their specific field in the Basque Autonomous Community and nationwide • Assessing results

Mobilising the social players The implementation of the Innobasque Project has given a major boost to the mobilisation of social players in favour of the necessary change that our society requires to successfully deal with the major challenges that lie ahead. Mobilisation and awareness are the main pillars of the joint strategy in this public-private partnership, which is materialised through Innobasque.

After nearly two years of endeavour, we have provided a channel for joint work that has reinforced the important task of dissemination that used to be funnelled through organisations such as Saretek.

By extending the focus of action to a broad spectrum of scientific-technological, social, cultural, economic and business players, we have laid the foundations for the development of a setting for cooperation that is open to all initiatives. Accordingly, the mobilisation and recognition of the work of hundreds of stakeholders may be seen as one of the great achievements over this time.

2008, Year of Innovation in Euskadi – The Basque Country “The best way to predict the future is to invent it”.

Nicholas Negroponte repeated this famous adage by Alan Kay at one of the more significant events in what has without doubt been a very busy year. It was towards the end of the year and the creator of the One Laptop per Child project accompanied us at the formal opening of the Science, Technology and Innovation Week. He was one of the first people to walk through the “Gateway to Innovation”.

2008 is the year in which we have begun to invent our future on the basis of a prediction: we will be THE European benchmark in innovation in 2030, if we can manage to continue to marshal social mobilisation. Over this past year we have put a great deal of effort into achieving this goal.

More than 2,018 actions centred on innovation: lectures, workshops, meetings of all kinds, discussion fora… Hundreds of stakeholders have taken part in the implementation of a joint project, sponsored by the Basque Council for Science, Technology and Innovation.

Innobasque has been responsible for the Technical Secretariat for this ambitious programme of events, and over the course of these months we have travelled the length and breadth of the Basque Country, accompanied by our own brand image (which we have affectionately referred to as “el gusanito”, or little worm). It is quite stunning to witness the enthusiasm generated by a joint and engaged project.

2009, European Year of Creativity and Innovation Around the middle of 2008 we found out that the European Commission had decided to declare this as the “European Year of Creativity and Innovation”. The work group that lent its support to the programme of actions in the Basque Country has knuckled down to the job of giving continuity to the task of mobilisation and dissemination undertaken at the time. We have replaced our little worm with a pattern of interconnected stars that reminds us of the power of networking. Sometimes, all you need is the will to start inventing the future. We’re working on it.

2008, Year of Innovation in Euskadi – The Basque Country • Sponsored by: Basque Council for Science, Technology and Innovation • Technical Secretariat: Innobasque • Participating players: over 450 • Activities undertaken: more than 2,018 • Estimated audience: 142,000 people Science, Technology and Innovation Week 2008 • Dates: 10 – 16 November • Technical Secretariat: Innobasque • Participating players: over 50 • Activities undertaken: more than 200 • Estimated no. visitors: 42,000 people

For You At the service of the Innovation System and its Stakeholders Given our position in the Innovation System, we provide institutions with a series of services linked to the

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System’s proper working and international positioning and consistent with the approaches of the first Science, Technology and Innovation Plan (PCTI) 2010.

These services likewise help us to specify our individual value proposal for our members.

Over the period we are reviewing here, the services we have provided basically have their origin in the former activities of SARETEK and EUROBULEGOA, which in turn rendered support services to the Technology Directorate at the Department of Industry, Trade and Tourism, revolving around a series of schemes:

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€47m in the first call for the EU’s 7th Framework Programme for R&D (FP7) and the Competitiveness and Innovation Programme (CIP). In 2008, the figure for the overall return on these programmes stood at around €35m. These data have been provided by the Observatory for Basque involvement in European R&D&i projects that is managed by Innobasque.

According to these data, the Basque Country is the autonomous community with the third largest share in FP7, behind Madrid and Catalonia. The three regions account for over 75% of the funds obtained through to June 2008 (€340.5m).

• Basque node of the Euraxess Network (formerly Eramore)

A snapshot of the involvement of the Players in the Basque Innovation System in European R&D&i projects reveals an upward trend, hence the reason that at Innobasque, with the backing of the Basque Government’s Directorate for Technology, we shall continue to provide the following services:

• Basque node of the Enterprise Europe Network

• Information and dissemination

• Observatory of Basque involvement in the 7th Framework Programme

• Consultancy: bilateral diagnosis meetings

• Iñaki Goenaga Foundation for Technology Centres

• ERA-NET Programmes

• Basque Contact Points: work groups for identifying opportunities for taking part in FP7 subject areas

• Network of Basque Contact Points, and training and support actions for businesses in FP7

• Training for the preparation and management of European R&D&i projects

• Activities organised as part of the Science, Technology and Innovation Week

Over the past two years, we have rendered these support services to over 50 entities, mainly SMEs, to furnish them with knowledge on operating mechanisms, content, funding and the adaptation of viable project ideas in European R&D&i programmes.

• Stand of the Basque Science, Technology and Innovation Network at the CITA Fair (biannual) Regarding the value proposal for members, over these months we have worked on mapping out a series of services that will be finally consolidated over the course of the Transformation Plan 2008 – 2012, and which can be summarily grouped into the following: • Relational Platform: Innobasque forms the largest network of relations in the Basque Country, being a privileged meeting place for different social strata and stakeholders, for forging new personal relationships and contacts and sharing know-how.

• Prospecting Channel, for identifying and comparing socio-economic trends, on the basis of providing a multidisciplinary vision • Contribution of new keys to organisations and Society (Innovation, creative value of people, need for collaboration and cooperation…), which likewise serve for the sharing of best practices and for fostering the values of innovation in each partner, providing the advantages of an innovation culture, cooperation and networking.

• Involvement in Projects. Transparent access to the involvement in and monitoring of projects and public-private schemes. Accordingly, we act as a laboratory of ideas that gives shape to initiatives that would be difficult to deal with in other fora.

• Association with the Innobasque brand, which helps to convey an image of commitment to transformation • Dissemination of partners’ ideas • Access to information of interest

7th Framework Programme (FP7) The international projection of the R&D&i of the players in the Basque Innovation System is a key aspect of our country’s future competitiveness.

In 2007, Euskadi –The Basque Country was awarded

Likewise, we have organised more than 20 events around the promotion of international cooperation in R&D&i, providing information on the possibilities of taking part in European programmes.

In addition, we have used the so-called Basque Contact Points (BCPs) to help new companies join European consortia, and we are contributing to the gradual integration of the concept of international cooperation as a new business strategy. There are currently 21 BCPs in fields such as Health, Food, Information Technologies, Nano Sciences, Nanomaterials, Manufacturing, Energy, Transport, Environment, Safety and Security and Socioeconomic Sciences. The short-term aim is to merge some of these groups in order to reinforce and drive their business.

Finally, Innobasque is drawing up a training plan for enabling the senior managers of different organisations, mainly businesses, to take part in international R&D&i programmes and, furthermore, improve the quality of the services provided by intermediary bodies.

The extensive catalogue of services provided by Innobasque complements other actions undertaken by entities at both regional and national level. They are all coordinated through networks and partnerships, such as the Basque node of the “Enterprise Europe Network” (with the involvement of SPRI, the three Chambers of Commerce and the Provincial Council of Bizkaia), or the “PymERA” national network for promoting the involvement of SMEs in European Framework Programmes, backed by the Ministry of Innovation and the Centre for Industrial Technological Development (CDTI).

Industry, Trade and Tourism on the internationalisation of funding programmes for companies and players in the Basque Science, Technology and Innovation Network, through its involvement in ERA-NET programmes.

The ERA-NET project was introduced in 2002 as one of the schemes promoted and financed by the EU’s Sixth Framework Programme for R&D (FP6), with a view to improving the coordination of non-community (national and regional) research programmes. The EU’s Seventh Framework Programme for R&D (20072013) continues to support and finance the coordination of national and regional programmes through the ERA-NET scheme and the new ERA-NET Plus initiative.

ERA-NET supports the creation of networks of national and regional organisations (Ministries, innovation agencies, etc.) throughout Europe with the capacity to finance activities and projects related to science, technology and innovation, mainly seeking the mutual undertaking of research programmes. ERANET’s objective is to coordinate these programmes and projects, both in specific areas of research and in initiatives of a horizontal nature.

Innobasque is actively involved in ERA-NET programmes in those fields of strategic interest to the Basque Country, such as Biosciences, Micro and Nano Sciences, or Manufacturing, and we likewise promote the involvement of the Basque Innovation System in R&D projects financed through joint calls.

Within this modus operandi, Innobasque coordinates the ERA-NET MANUNET programme, headed by the Basque Government's Department of Industry, dealing with manufacturing technologies. The 20 regions and 10 countries in Europe involved in this network share a vision that manufacturing, comprising mainly SMEs, is and should continue to be one of the mainstays of the economy and of knowledge. Accordingly, their governments undertake to coordinate their programmes for funding R&D in order to respond to short and medium-term industrial needs, thereby also complementing the long-term approach of other national and European programmes.

It is the most successful ERA-NET in Europe. For the past 2 years over 120 SMEs in Europe, 32 of them Basque, have taken part in transnational industrial research projects on manufacturing. Thanks to the commitment of the regions and countries taking part, in its first two years of activity it has seen a total of 54 projects accepted, with a turnover in funding of €60m and accounting for an investment of €29m on the part of the industrial sector.

About ERA-NET

Elsewhere, Innobasque is a founding member of ERANET EUROTRANS-BIO and sits on the programme’s steering committee. It is a scheme in which 7 countries and 5 regions in Europe come together to coordinate their R&D funding programmes to benefit companies, especially SMEs, in the Biotechnology sector. Its core purpose is to encourage the economic and academic players to share risks, costs and experiences in innovation in order to efficiently develop new products and technologies that can be marketed within the short to medium term. In the last three years this project has funded 60 R&D projects, receiving €59m in public funds and €45m in private capital.

Innobasque is liaising with the Directorate for Technology at the Basque Government’s Department of

Finally, Innobasque is also a hands-on participant in the ERA-NET MNT programmes, on Micro and Nan-

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otechnologies, MATERA Plus, on Materials, SMARTGRIDS, on Smart Power Grids, EURONANOMED, on Nano Medicine, COMPERA, on Competition Research Centres and ERNEST, on Sustainable Tourism.

Thanks to this intense involvement in European networks, the European Commission acknowledges Euskadi, the Basque Country, to be a benchmark region in the arrangement of programmes in support of R&D&i in sectors of strategic interest to the country.

It has also enabled us to strike up partnerships with innovation agencies of considerable prestige in Europe, such as Tekes (Finland), Oseo Innovation (France) or SenterNovem (The Netherlands).

Business transformation services Emotional Intelligence Consortium

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manent contact throughout the project’s development with those people within the organisation that are not involved in the team.

In order to foster the development of these dynamics, a research-action project has been implemented with two different focuses: business and higher education.

“Action” geared towards the companies involved: “Creation of the figure Innovation Teams Facilitator in firms” and launching of innovation projects in their respective organisations; “Research” conducted by the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU): A line of study is established for verifying the following general hypothesis: “There is a positive relationship between the competencies acquired by the members of the teams (management and improvement) and the firm’s intellectual capital“.

Promoting and driving actions to encourage the development of people’s socio-emotional competencies in organisations in order to facilitate the deployment of their creative and relational abilities to favour the processes of innovation and transformation in organisations. We understand Emotional Intelligence (EI) to be the ability to accept and channel one’s own and other people’s emotions. The model of emotional competencies proposed is as follows:

Members

INTRAPERSONAL

Creativity Industries

Self-awareness

The definition of creative industry was coined in the United Kingdom (1998) by the Government Department for Culture, Media and Sport: “Those industries which have their origin in individual creativity, skill and talent and which have a potential for wealth and job creation through the generation and exploitation of intellectual property. It includes the following sectors: Advertising, Architecture, Art and Antiques Markets, Design, Designer Fashion, Film & Video, Interactive Leisure Software, Music, Performing Arts, Publishing, Software & Computer Services, Television and Radio.”

Emotion management Emotional independence INTERPERSONAL Social awareness Relationship management Empathy for life and wellbeing Three lines of work have been pursued accordingly: - Quarterly meeting of the Emotional Intelligence Consortium - Awareness schemes - Development of specific projects Members of the Consortium: Founding organisations (14): Asle-Soprecs, Banpro, Fondo Formación Euskadi, Grupo MB45, Guk Consultores, Human Management Systems, Imh-Incress, LKS, Mas Innovación Organizacional, PMP, Praxis Consultores, Sycom Training Systems, TTI Tecnología para la Transformación Interior and Zubizarreta Consulting Cooperating organisations (9): Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa; Eitb.Net; University of Deusto: Faculty of Humanities; University of Mondragón: Mondragón Eskola Politeknikoa; University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU): Faculty of Psychology; Network of Technology Parks; Farapi and Prevencilan Innovation Teams Open working parties have been set up to encourage cultural and organisational changes. Open working parties are understood to be teams whose goals are aligned with the organisation’s strategy, with the backing of management, with a self-managed operating approach and which remain open and in per-

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Expert organisations (2): UPV/EHU. Faculty of Psychology and Belbin Associates Participating organisations (11): Vitoria City Council, Banpro, Basque Association of Economists, EMUN, Fondo Formación Euskadi, Fundación Novia Salcedo, Grupo Mas, Innobasque, Mutualia, Robotiker-Tecnalia and Vicinay Cadenas

The creative industry involves a new understanding of work, characterised by working conditions that provide greater independence and flexibility. The professionals involved in creative industries have three or four professions in their lives and five or six contracts of employment at the same time. They are the new nomads of the employment world. They are also referred to as mobile professionals or just-in-time employees, as they are hired to undertake specific projects. They work from home, in their clients’ facilities or in ready-to-use offices – premises rented for a short period of time by companies for conducting displaced business. They also organise projects with international teams in administrative units (belonging to global office providers), far from their companies’ headquarters. They may be engineers, consultants, creators or IT specialists or a mix of several specialities.

Value Contribution of Creativity Industries - They are seen as a source of economic growth and employment - They are a major source of wealth - They help to draw services to the region that attract and retain workers’ knowledge - They play an important role in the development of quality of life and social sustainability

Innobasque seeks to promote an environment that facilitates the development of creativity industries in partnership with other players. The initial stage of the process will focus on large cities.

Cases of advanced management So far, 86 cases of advanced management - Casos de Gestión Avanzada – have been published since 1997 in partnership with Basque universities (with contributions from over 96 experts from the different universities involved in the project). They have been used to disseminate the value of knowledge in management, giving rise to a catalogue of experiences of companies that are remarkable for their competitiveness and best practices. There is a specific section on Innobasque’s website for consulting the documented cases.

The aim of this Higher Education-Business partnership is: - To specify and disclose the advanced management experiences and approaches of companies that act as driving-forces and as disseminators of knowledge - To provide universities and business schools with case studies for teaching purposes - To improve Higher Education-Business relationships and foster cooperation Cooperating organisations University of the Basque Country (Faculty of Business Sciences and Higher Technical College for Industrial Engineers), University of Deusto (Comercial, Este and Faculty of Business Humanities), University of Mondragón (Faculty of Business Sciences and School of Management) and University of Navarre (Higher Technical College for Industrial Engineers), Cluster of Sociolinguistics and 20 companies.

International networks Our presence in several international networks allows us: - To update our resources regarding trends in business transformation, the management of innovation, applied creativity and organisational learning; - To measure ourselves against an international yardstick; - To develop continuous benchmarking; - To disseminate the image of the Basque Country as an innovative node of reference.

Our main operating networks: 1. Society for Organizational Learning (SOL): Organisation created as a continuation of the work performed by the "Center of Organizational Learning" at the MIT Sloan School of Management. Network of specialists in organisational learning made up of organisations, independent individuals and different SOL communities worldwide in which we have been involved since 2003 (previously through the Knowledge Cluster).

2. The International Society for Professional Innovation Management (ISPIM) International network made up of academics, senior managers, consultants and experts in the Management of Innovation in which we have played an active

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role since 1997 (previously through the Knowledge Cluster).

Its main objective is to create a global network of excellence in innovation management in order to forge partnerships between its members and be at the forefront of research into innovation.

3. World Café Foundation - World Café Europe A creative process that leads to a supportive dialogue for sharing knowledge and the creation of options for action in groups of varying sizes.

The World Café methodology provides valuable support for organisational learning. Society has grown aware of the power of conversation networks and their importance as a core process for large-scale collective learning and transformational change.

Through our involvement in World Café we have managed to discover shared meanings, build values and imagine the futures our organisations want.

We have been actively involved in the network since 2005 (previously through the Knowledge Cluster) and we are currently members of the design committee and sit on the network’s international governing bodies.

Corporate Social Responsibility At Innobasque, we work to pool initiatives, raise awareness and forge alliances around Corporate Social Responsibility with a view to: • Fostering innovation and a business approach to sustainable technologies • Contributing to the development of CSR in SMEs • Helping companies to include social and environmental considerations in their business operations • Improving and developing qualifications for employability

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Provincial Council of Bizkaia (DFB), in which Innobasque is responsible for the duties of coordination and organisation.

Centred on the concept of “stakeholder company”, the forum works to stimulate the desire for change and contribute to the transformation of our business reality to a new paradigm of innovative and stakeholder company, in which people develop and deploy all their potential.

This involves encouraging networking, creating, experimenting, sharing and driving sustainable projects and schemes for change that favour and facilitate this new environment for businesses and people alike.

Iñaki Goenaga Foundation of Technology Centres The Foundation’s history The Iñaki Goenaga Foundation of Technology Centres is a private non-profit organisation comprising Basque Technology Centres and the Official Associations of Industrial Engineers of the three Basque provinces of Álava, Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa. Its mission is to promote and disseminate a culture of innovation through the specialisation of young graduates and the training of professionals with an interest in research for their incorporation into the world of employment.

This Foundation began its journey in the early 1980s, when Basque Technology Centres assumed one of their goals to be the training of young graduates fresh from university, completing their technical knowledge and paving the way for their recruitment by companies through bursaries for placements undertaken in the Technology Centres themselves and awarded by the two official associations of industrial engineers: one in Bizkaia and the other covering Álava, Guipúzcoa and Navarre.

• Improving working conditions

Considering the lack of legal definition regarding the arrangement of a bursary placement, a legal query was submitted in the mid 90s that gave rise to the recommendation that a Foundation should be set up to support the bursary scheme, whereby the award would be made by this Foundation.

• Innovating in the environmental sector, integrating eco-efficiency and energy saving in the process of creating products and services

Thus, 23 March 1995 saw the establishment of the FUNDACIÓN CENTROS TECNOLÓGICOS PARA EL FOMENTO DE LA TECNOLOGÍA , whose trustees were:

• Responding better to diversity and to the challenge of equal opportunities bearing in mind demographic changes and the rapid ageing of the population in Europe

• Consolidating a pre-active dialogue and commitment with all parties • Addressing the challenges of transparency and communication so that the non-financial results of companies and organisations are more readily understandable for all their stakeholders and more consistent with their financial results • Operating beyond our frontiers with the same social and environmental responsibility as at home in the Basque Country This will enable us to extend the benefits of innovation, above all in social spheres, through a more intense interaction with other stakeholders and the creation of a more stimulating environment for innovation.

Foro Ítaca – Ithaca Forum This forum is a project instigated by the Department of Innovation and Economic Development at the

• CEIT • GAIKER • IKERLAN

Furthermore, following the creation of the Basque Science, Technology and Innovation Network in 1997, the Foundation opened its doors to its members, thereby enabling them to take part in the Foundation’s schemes.

In December 2002, the Foundation’s governing board agreed to change its name in memory of Mr Iñaki Goenaga Lumbier, whereupon it became the FUNDACIÓN CENTROS TECNOLÓGICOS – IÑAKI GOENAGA (FCT-IG).

Since 5 July 2007 the Basque Innovation Agency – Innobasque has occupied the Technical Secretariat of FCT-IG, taking over from Saretek, and before it EITE (Basque Association of Technology Research Centres).

The Foundation’s mission The Foundation’s core purpose involves creating and managing bursary schemes designed for the scientific and technological instruction of young researchers in the Basque Country, for their incorporation into employment, thereby fostering a culture of innovation.

Over the course of the 29 calls made, 4,240 bursaries have been awarded (considering each bursary to be a one-year placement), enabling a large number of new graduates to first extend their training and then embark upon their professional careers.

From the start, the Foundation’s bursary schemes have received the support of the Basque Government’s Department of Industry, Trade and Tourism, which has provided public funds, financing the bursaries included as part of projects in general research (bursaries for research, innovation and PhDs) and strategic research (Etortek bursaries).

The Foundation considers that the work undertaken over these years is clearly beneficial to Society for several reasons: • The scientific and technical training received means that around 90% of the bursary holders gain direct access to jobs.

• These bursaries are also designed to reinforce the “Science-Technology-Business-Society System” in the Basque Country, as when they complete their placement most of the recipients are hired by one of the members of the Basque Science, Technology and Innovation Network.

• The dissemination of a Culture of Innovation in Society. Many of the people awarded bursaries reach positions of responsibility in the companies in which they subsequently pursue their professional careers.

• INASMET • LABEIN

Figures

• ROBOTIKER

Since the first call for bursaries that was held in 1981 and involved 2 Centres (Inasmet and Ikerlan), with the award of 6 bursaries, their number has steadily grown and includes other Degrees, now amounting to more than 20.

• TEKNIKER • Official Association of Industrial Engineers of BIZKAIA • Official Association of Industrial Engineers of ALAVA, GIPUZKOA and NAVARRE. The list of trustees subsequently grew to include the Technology Centres ESI and LEIA. In addition, the Official Association of Industrial Engineers of ALAVA, GIPUZKOA and NAVARRE broke up into three separate ones, with those of ALAVA and GIPUZKOA becoming trustees of the Foundation.

Since 1992, the year for which the Foundation’s Secretariat has figures, the following bursaries have been awarded: • 1,965 bursaries for Technological Specialisation and Development • 101 bursaries for Innovation, in the active period for this field 1999-2005

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• 159 PhD bursaries since 2003 • 31 Etortek bursaries since 2005

Higher Education for Project Management The main topics in the specific education for innovation include the knowledge, skills, subject matter and tools for fostering creativity, resolving problems and driving excellence in project management. Regarding instruction in techniques for creativity and problem solving, we are still way behind our peers in the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Ireland, the UK, Malaysia and Singapore, where their study is already compulsory in school curricula.

As a contribution to the specific education for innovation in our country, since November 2008 and through to March 2009 Innobasque has organised the first education scheme taught in the Basque Country for obtaining PMP® certification, targeting 41 professionals in project management.

PMP® (Project Management Professional) certification from the Project Management Institute provides global recognition of professional expertise in project management. In recent years it has become the basic qualification that governments, institutions and companies all over the world require for the supervisors of projects undertaken for them.

Through this programme, Innobasque, with the cooperation of the University of Mondragon, has set out to redress the shortfall in the number of project managers with this certificate in the Basque Country, as this is a situation that is beginning to pose a serious handicap for local firms, limiting their chances of taking part in international projects or in those commissioned by leading companies, institutions and organisations.

In addition, and as a result of the cooperation between Innobasque and the University of Mondragon, the last quarter of 2009 will see the start of the “Master’s Degree in Business Innovation and Project Management”, endorsed by the Spanish accreditation agency ANECA as an Official University Master’s Degree within the European Space for Higher Education. The aim of this Master’s Degree is to educate business leaders in the New Economy of Innovation.

Major projects These months of intense work have contributed to the creation of an extensive network of hubs, which are supplemented both by the schemes implemented by Innobasque and by those of all the other nodes. The major challenge of transforming our society should encourage us to activate this network so that all the players “dance” to the same tune, whilst upholding and reinforcing their own individual projects.

This means that besides involving all the players in the design and implementation of consistent proposals in all the areas that boost innovation, it is essential to identify and launch a reduced number of high impact schemes, looking to the best for inspiration: In 1996, Germany invested 1.84% of its GDP in R&D,

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with the private sector accounting for 59.6%. Ten years later, in 2006, expenditure on R&D had risen to 2.51% and the private sector’s share was 66.7% In 1997, Finland spent 2.52% of its GDP on R&D (62.9% private), whereas in 2006 it invested 3.45% (66.6% private) A central role in this development has been played by certain high-profile strategic projects, which require a significant critical mass for their implementation. A strong current of participation gives rise to far-reaching strategic initiatives, which require public-private cooperation for their design and implementation. The role that Innobasque plays in them is that of a catalyst: our position in the Innovation System makes us a natural agent as facilitator, at the service of interinstitutional and inter-departmental schemes and policies.

The necessary maturing process that these initiatives require makes it difficult to provide data on the value Innobasque has contributed over these first two years. Besides using all the means available to support schemes that were already under way, under the leadership of the institutions (such as the ESS-Bilbao candidature, the attraction of an Arcelor R&D centre or the boost for the Creativity Zentrum), Innobasque has enjoyed the support of its i-Groups, the i-Talde, as it has begun the necessary tasks for identifying, seeking consensus and analysing the preliminary feasibility of a reduced number of schemes. We trust that some of them will materialise over the coming months.

As an accelerator for this process, and within the territorial sphere of Gipuzkoa Berritzen, introduction has been made of the scheme “The 10 Million Project” for the purpose of recognising, supporting and rewarding the best innovative project for Gipuzkoa. It provides an area in which society can present innovative projects whose launch, implementation or processing is complex and requires counting on certain competencies and support. An initial funding threshold of €10m is set for the launch of this project.

Nonetheless, Innobasque’s consolidation in these major projects involves its own strength as a project and also requires a maturing process and an understanding and acceptance of this role.

ESS Bilbao: a step forward The European Spallation Source (ESS) is a facility that is considered to be unique in its field, given its differentiated characteristics in terms of both its design and construction and its use and applications.

The ESS renders a service to the international scientific and technological community and is seen as an essential tool for conducting scientific and technological research that is both competitive and an assurance of quality.

This kind of science facility produces neutrons that penetrate matter, providing accurate data on its atomic structure. The spallation of neutrons is a technique used by researchers in a number of scientific fields, such as molecular biology, the physics of materials and medicine. There are numerous scientific applications arising from neutron-based experiments, as indeed are their industrial applications in sectors such as pharmaceuticals, automotive, aeronautics and electronics, amongst others.

How would it operate?

Using a source to produce hydrogen ions, these are

shot through a linear accelerator to bombard a nucleus of heavy material, the spallation target that emits neutrons after the impact. The neutrons emitted are channelled through to different instrumental stations, where experiments are conducted on the study of the matter’s atomic structure.

What impact would it have?

The ESS-Bilbao project foresees that the facility will be used to its full capacity, with a resident staff of 600 people and another 4,000 on annual sojourns.

Which institutions are behind this scheme?

The candidature for siting this facility on the Zamudio Technology Park is the result of a partnership agreement between Spain’s Ministry of Science and Innovation and the Basque Government, with the aim being to promote cooperation and collaboration between the different public administrations, universities and public and private institutions within the field of scientific research and technological development.

What support has Innobasque contributed to the ESS-Bilbao project?

Presentation of the Project to the Board of Management (March 2008) and to the Executive Management Council for Technological Innovation (June 2008) Actions for identifying and fostering the presence of Basque scientific-technological firms and players in the advanced science facilities considered in the road map put forward by ESFRI (European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures) and particularly in the European Spallation Source. These actions were initiated on a pilot basis within the operating boundaries of Gipuzkoa Berritzen in 2008, spreading to all three Basque provinces in 2009.

Keys to the future Visión 20.30: Leaders in innovation We have set ourselves an extremely ambitious goal: to make the Basque Country THE European benchmark for innovation in 2030. The proposal itself poses a key question regarding this transformation process: what will that leadership entail?

Today there are several metrics for Innovation that, on the basis of the statistical data available, provide rankings of the most advanced countries in innovation. In order to embark upon the transformation process, these metrics may be a sufficient guideline and, specifically, we have adopted one of them, the European Innovation Scoreboard, EIS, as a reference for setting goals for immediate improvement in the Transformation Plan 2008 – 2012.

These metrics change over time, as noted in the latest version of the Oslo Manual, the current basis for statistical measurement: “Innovation can occur in any sector of the economy, including government services such as health

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or education. The guidelines in this Manual, however, are essentially designed to deal only with innovations in the business enterprise sector. This includes manufacturing, primary industries, and the service sector.Innovation is also important for the public sector. However, less is known about innovation processes in non-market oriented sectors. Much work remains in examining innovation and developing a framework for innovation data collection in the public sector. If undertaken, this work could form the basis for a separate manual”.

Within this context, we have developed a benchmarking study with the regions and countries that currently top these rankings, so as to identify those schemes that have had a significant impact on the consolidation of innovation in these countries.

Euskadi – the Basque Country needs to join the group of pioneering countries and regions that are at the forefront in the development of these advanced measuring systems, and to do so we first have to reach a consensus on which aspects we consider to be essential in Innovation. The system of indicators should be linked to our own model and strategy for innovation, designed according to our relative strengths and weaknesses, as well as our historical legacy, and in turn aligned with a global strategy as a region. Aspects such as productive structure, positioning as a region and administrative structure are the elements that mould the innovation strategy and, therefore, the choice of the most suitable indicators for its measurement.

This reference model is called Visión Euskadi 20.30: a vision shared by the economic and social partners on key aspects that will make us the most innovative region in Europe. Applying the participatory approach that is common to all the schemes fostered by Innobasque, and within the context of the i-Talde group for the “Design and Implementation of the System of Indicators for the Second Economic and Social Transformation”, over 40 senior figures from the administrations, business fabric and centres of research and learning in the Basque Country, experts in the field of measuring Innovation, have begun the task of proposing an initial formulation of this Visión, which will be presented to society at large in January 2011, being the culmination of Innobasque’s process of conceptualisation.

Global recession and Visión 20.30: an opportunity to act through Innovation and Cooperation The global recession that is battering the economy and society as a whole in 2009 presents an opportunity to adopt a more radical perspective when addressing the generation of Visión 20.30.

Indeed, innovation is one of the keys most often mentioned by all kinds of experts when they are quizzed about possible ways out of this recession. In a situation that is undeniably complex, such as the one unfolding at the beginning of 2009, and which is forecasted to become even more difficult and painful over the coming months, we are facing an historic opportunity to “rethink” our society and improve it.

During the first half of 2009 Innobasque has convened a multidisciplinary and cooperative discussion forum, with the purpose being to collectively highlight a raft of specific proposals on this vision for change.

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The discussion process kicked off on 30 March with the submission of a working paper to the Board of Management’s Coordinating Committee, as the point of departure for a more far-reaching and multifarious debate.

Subsequently, and with the contributions made by this Committee, on 7 May 2009 it was presented to Innobasque’s Board of Management, which supplemented the initial vision with a more detailed and enriched study on the different visions and proposals.

With all this prior work completed, WOKA EUSKADI was held on 18 May. This is an application of the World Café methodology with 101 simultaneous encounters in highly diverse organisational environments and with three central hubs, addressing a basic question: what is or should be our contribution, both as people and as organisations, to progress towards the second transformation within the current context?

The sum of contributions is contained in a document of conclusions presented to Innobasque’s General Assembly. And it will continue to grow and be enriched, thanks to the dynamics of joint work upon which this project is based.

This entire process, and particularly the WOKA initiative’s vision of joint work, has had a major social impact, helping to convey to society and public opinion the graphic depiction of the partnership between business, people and institutions: the potential of our transformation project. We believe that this has been an extremely significant milestone in the generation of a collective vision of the Basque Country that Basque society wants. Our Visión 20.30.

The System of Indicators for the Second Transformation To supplement the Visión 20.30 and taking as its starting point a prior study analysing the main systems for measuring innovation, in September 2008 a specific i-Group, or i-Talde, was set up for “The Design and Implementation of a Joint System of Indicators for the Public and Private Sectors and Civil Society regarding the Basque Economic and Social Transformation into an innovative society, which will contribute to its diagnosis, the assessment of results and provide an international yardstick”.

4th Stage: Dissemination • Definition and implementation of the necessary mechanisms for disseminating the System of Indicators drawn up and its associated objectives.

This task of socialisation is aimed largely at the main business, social and institutional players in the Basque Country, and seeks to provide a reference framework for helping to formulate future strategies within the field of innovation.

• International dissemination of the System Indicators, to act both as a yardstick and as a tool enabling the Basque Country to make its own specific contribution to the EIS, bearing in mind that this scoreboard is constantly being revised.

Together with the tasks undertaken by this group, we have another four i-Talde that specifically analyse the question of the Indicators within the different spheres of Innovation (Technological Innovation, Social Innovation, Business Transformation and Entrepreneurship).

In total, over 100 leaders from a wide range of backgrounds are involved in this effort to share the indicators that, as a society, we want to apply to this process of Second Transformation.

The Basque Country in the European Innovation Scoreboard (EIS): The score for the new EIS 2008 in the Basque Autonomous Community is 0.49, according to data provided by Eustat (The Basque Statistics Institute).

Thank to this improvement, we have now climbed to what would be 11th position in EU-27 and we have bettered its average of 0.48.

Depending on the score obtained, EU-27 countries can be grouped into four categories. The first one contains the leading countries in innovation, which are Sweden (0.64), Finland (0.61), Germany (0.58), Denmark (0.57) and the United Kingdom (0.55), although the top country in Europe as regards innovation is Switzerland (0.68), which does not belong to the EU. The Basque Country would be in the second group of countries with high innovation, which contains Austria, Ireland, Luxemburg, Belgium, France and the Netherlands, with scores that exceed the European average, between 0.49 and 0.53.

Human resources, Business ties and initiatives and Economic impacts are the three mainstays of Basque innovation.

This project has been undertaken in four stages: 1st Stage: Definition of the Conceptual Framework • Conceptualisation of the 2nd Economic and Social Transformation, specifying the goals pursued, the main levers of change it requires and the key catalysts for its achievement.

• Design of the Conceptual Model of the System of Indicators.

Departments’ achievements

• Identification of the main measuring factors.

2nd Stage: Selection or Drafting of Indicators • Selection of the indicators that best suit the factors defined, according to their feasibility and availability.

• Drafting of ad-hoc indicators, as appropriate.

3rd Stage: Implementation • Construction of the indicators defined and of their associated operating mechanisms.

Technological Innovation Innobasque’s Technological Innovation Department addresses the innovations forthcoming from Science and Technology, mainly those that refer to changes in product or process.

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In spite of the success of the R&D&i model, the process of Technological Innovation is not a linear one: investing in Science and Technology is no guarantee of an innovative socio-economic fabric. Nevertheless, the ordered development of an advanced scientific-technological system with high levels of excellence and productivity is a common feature of those countries that head the rankings in innovation, and it is undoubtedly one of the key factors in the drive for a new Knowledge-based economy.

Aims:

In Euskadi, the Basque Country, the latest data on levels of investment in R&D or the number of firms that incorporate technological innovations in product or process confirm the validity of the public-private partnership strategy and the investment in the Basque R&D&i system. Thanks to this strategic focus, Euskadi managed to overcome dramatic circumstances of recession and industrial restructuring in the early 1980s, when technological research and development were practically unknown in the Basque Country.

• Proposal and discussion of the methodology for monitoring key Areas

Recording the average for European countries in these indicators is not enough: we need to substantially improve the excellence and productivity of our Science and Technology system (publications, patents…), and increase the resources earmarked for technological research and development. We should not forget that our target is not the middle ground, but rather placing ourselves on a par with those countries that are global leaders in innovation.

Within this context, and as part of Innobasque’s 2008 – 2012 Transformation Plan, the business of the Technological Innovation Department has focused on three basic fronts. On the one hand, we have sought to advance in key aspects of the conceptualisation of the role of Science and Technology in the Basque Innovation System: the methodology for the definition and monitoring of areas of scientific-technological interest (bio, nano, alternative energies…), the map of stakeholders in the Innovation System and their interrelations, or the indicators that we should use to gauge this System’s excellence and productivity. On the other hand, we have embarked upon schemes that unreservedly foster the transformation of the Basque science and technology system, setting goals in key indicators and proposing ways of achieving them. This work has so far focused on six areas, which coincide with the indicators used on the European Innovation Scoreboard: human resources dedicated to R&D, people (research talent), European patents, public-private publications, corporate access to broadband and the number of firms with technological innovation activities. Finally, work has continued in the task of mobilisation, centring the Department’s interest on the players in the Basque Science, Technology and Innovation Network: Universities, Basque Excellence Research Centres (BERCs), Science Research Centres, Technology Corporations, Corporate R&D Units…

The main aims of this i-Talde (i-Group) are to propose the methodology for identifying and monitoring key Scientific-Technological Areas and the initial proposal of key Areas Number of meetings: 6 Projects in progress: • Proposed methodology for identifying key Scientific-Technological Areas

• First approach to the Areas in the Science, Technology and Innovation Plan (PCTI)

The Departmental Executive Management Council for Technological Innovation has held two meetings: - 2 April 2009 - 10 June 2009 Methodology for identifying and monitoring key scientific-technological areas

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Accordingly, a scoreboard for R&D&i is used in the Basque Autonomous Community with a consolidated forum for the surveillance of its indicators, which analyses the information and identifies those deviations that require some action to be taken.

Number of meetings: 4

Map of Stakeholders in the Basque Innovation System

Attaining a figure close to the average for EU Member states in the production of European patents

Aims:

Aims:

Proposal of the Map of Stakeholders in the Innovation System. An initial definition has been made of the focal points for the Innovation System, based on the proposal of six major fields: Science and Technology/Competitiveness/Education/Culture and Values/Quality of Life/Sustainability. In addition, and on the basis of this first classification of focal points, consideration has been given to the links between them. For example, Science and Technology is more readily understood insofar as it supports Competitiveness, Education, Sustainability, etc. Taken the other way round, innovation in these fields should not be approached in isolation from Science and Technology.

Number of meetings: 5 Implementation of processes for generating, attracting, retaining and circulating talent within the Basque Innovation System Aims: Creation and operation of a Mobility Portal that will muster all the public and private stakeholders working within the field of mobility in the Basque Autonomous Community (CAPV), and drafting of an Action Plan for improving the Mobility of Talent in the CAPV. Number of meetings: 7 Projects in progress • Mobility Portal • Action Plan The purpose of the Action Plan is to pursue schemes for recovering talent in cities and more advanced regions within the field of innovation, as well as others for colonising global knowledge centres (seconding people who will later return to the Basque Country). A further aim is to improve the infrastructure and hosting services for people from abroad.

Executive Management Council Details of the business pursued

ison with the EU15 to single out areas of improvement that contribute to technological harmonisation with the EU (PCEIS and PCTI goals), an analysis of the performance of the players involved in the RVCTI and the monitoring of the main scientific-technological focal points (bio, nano…)

Implementation of the indicators to be used for evaluating R&D&i activity Aims: The idea is to set up a surveillance forum for R&D&i indicators in order to gain an overall perception of the technological innovation system and improve the monitoring of its players and the strategies rolled out, with the purpose being to cater for different perspectives, such as a compar-

Draft Plan of Action for increasing the production of European patents in the Basque Autonomous Community (CAPV).

Number of meetings: 7 Projects in progress • Design and organisation of a course on Training European Patent Agents • Implementation of specific actions for driving the Basque Science, Technology and Innovation Network • Implementation of specific actions for driving the group of entities active in the 7th Framework Programme • Use of the Enterprise European Network (EEN) as a means for driving and disseminating European patents amongst businesses • Action focusing on the group of entities that already have EPO patents/similar entities Strategic initiatives designed to increase the resources earmarked for R&D&i in the Basque Autonomous Community (CAPV) Aims: To increase the resources allocated to R&D&i in the CAPV. Number of meetings: 5 Projects in progress • FIK Creation of a large-scale private grouping for funding research and the exploitation of results based on the FIK initiative.

• i-FONDO (i-FUND) Increase in the investment in new business schemes through the allocation to them of a percentage of the assets of Basque Voluntary Community Welfare Entities (EPSVs).

• Promotion of the European Spallation Source (ESS) • KIC (Knowledge Innovation Community) • Active involvement in the preparatory tasks for the Science and Technology Development Act • Introduction of a community of supervisors of technological innovation in medium-large companies • Analysis of business opportunities for Basque firms in major science facilities in Europe (ESFRI Roadmap)

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Increase in the number of ISI publications shared by the public and private sectors Aims: Proposal of schemes for increasing the number of ISI publications shared by the public and private sectors.

Number of meetings: 2 Projects in progress: • Analysis of successful experiences in public-private joint-publications • Proposal of innovate incentive schemes for these publications • Assessment of their potential application to the case of the CAPV Improving corporate access to broadband infrastructures in the Basque Autonomous Community (CAPV) Aims: Proposal of schemes for extending broadband access in the CAPV Number of meetings: 2 Projects in progress: • Analysis of experiences in expanding broadband infrastructures and applications • Proposal of innovative schemes in broadband access • Assessment of their potential application to the case of the CAPV Spreading the culture of Technological Innovation amongst SMEs in the Basque Autonomous Community (CAPV) Aims: Proposal of schemes for spreading the culture of Technological Innovation to SMEs Number of meetings: 2

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With the hands-on cooperation of a broad spectrum of civil society, we work on eight main operating areas: the concept and applications of social innovation; the values that favour innovation; governance; education; employment; migration; ageing; and culture.

Each one of these focal points for innovation is being addressed by an i-Talde, an i-Group whose members have devoted a large part of their voluntary time to focusing, conceptualising and sharing their visions, before considering decisions on some innovative project that will help to transform the mainstay of their activity. The path followed has also meant an exploration of the knowledge area itself, of public private partnerships, of the actual working method and of a certain systemisation of the same.

At the same time, we have backed the arrangement of partnership agreements with around twenty organisations from different social, economic and cultural spheres.

The challenges we face over this coming period involve the consolidation of this form of cooperation and voluntary participation (not necessarily in person), in terms of efficacy, of replicable and measurable results, whilst upholding the commitment and active cooperation of the members of the Executive Council.

Our aim is to create value for society at large and for those taking part in our i-Talde, as well as to furnish the various partnership agreements subscribed with meaningful content. We are going to organise new iTalde with a coordinated vision, and with the ultimate objective being to achieve tangible results in those key, mainstream areas with the greatest knock-on effect.

Although this department has performed an intense amount of work, opening horizons, combining the spreading of the perception of Innovation with a broad mobilisation of differing collectives and institutions, we are mindful of the need to focus approaches and encourage discussion on the prioritisation and organisation of our activity.

Projects in progress: • Analysis of experiences in extending Technological Innovation activities to SMEs

Conceptualisation and indicators

• Proposal of innovative schemes for access by SMEs (i.e. cooperation with financial institutions in the CAPV: financing of innovative SMEs, etc.)

The initial aim of this i-Talde has been to define Social Innovation and present the first suggestions for indicators. Based on this, the next step has been to conduct case studies (Observation, highlighting known experiences as a contribution to conceptualisation and methodology and to identify “restrictors” of Innovation) and compare and validate the mainstays of social innovation and the activities of the department’s groups, the i-Talde.

• Assessment of their potential application to the case of the CAPV.

Social Innovation The 2nd Economic and Social Transformation in which we are involved has necessarily to incorporate the “social” component as a condition for its success.

Along these lines, Innobasque’s approach is clear, bold and imaginative, setting itself apart from the focus of other reference agencies in Europe and placing the different spheres of social innovation as the launch pad and, in many cases, the condition for other types of innovation that are no less important At Innobasque we understand social innovations to be the processes of creative engagement of people who seek to improve social circumstances and provide untried and tested proposals that end up being accepted by society at large.

Aims:

Number of meetings: 7 Projects in progress: • Publication on Social Innovation OBLAEVA The remit of this project team is the creation and commissioning of an Observatory, Laboratory, and “Testing Ground” for Practices and R&D&i in Social Innovation.

Values Aims: The group i-Talde Valores has begun its work on values by discussing and drawing conclusions on key aspects, such as: What specific values should guide Basque society as it seeks to become THE BENCHMARK COUNTRY IN EUROPE IN TERMS OF INNOVATION? How to interweave the instrumental values proposed with the ultimate meaning of Innovation? In the wake of these reflections, the next step has been to differentiate and describe the main and ultimate instrumental values that will pave the way for the development of Innovation within the new context of globalisation. All this is to be based on the Major Core Value: THE INDIVIDUAL, the full and free development of knowledge, skills and attitudes that are receptive to innovation.

Number of meetings: 7 Projects in progress: • Definition The first task has involved the definition of 4 instrumental values for an innovative society: Knowledge, Cooperation, Change and Globalisation • Thematic Symposium A thematic symposium has been held under the heading of "Values", which has consisted of the verification of the work performed by the i-Talde with a total of 60 outside players.

• Green Paper on Values for an Innovative Society Governance: Engagement and Territory Aims: A highlight amongst the objectives of this i-Talde is its contribution to the development of the current approach to Governance through a project that drives democracy towards realms that place us in the era of knowledge and connectivity, which in turn serves for the greater socio-economic promotion of youth and will have a positive impact on the wellbeing of the Basque population. This is based on three premises: engagement is crucial – a pre-requisite for achieving the Innovative Society in 2030 – because of its contribution to the culture of cooperation and networking; engagement requires knowing how, wanting and being able to act, that is, training, awareness and resources-action. Then, there is the decisive interaction with another four i-Talde in the Social Innovation Department: values, education, migration and culture. The lines of work are centred on the analysis of the situation as regards community involvement in “public matters” and the study of the reasons for a certain discrediting of “public matters” and the lack of engagement with matters of general interest.

Number of meetings: 7 Projects in progress: • The perception amongst Basque youth of the Innovative Governance of the future through engagement

Partnering other European Agencies

• Publication on Governance

Under the leadership of Innobasque, the purpose of this project is to define and standardise concepts on Social Innovation.

Education

Register of Best Practices in Social Innovation

Aims: The Education i-Talde has addressed the analysis

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of the changes required in formal non-university education (infant, primary and secondary) to provide children with the necessary skills for their personal, social and professional development in a society in constant change. What is being done?

What is missing? What should be done? Who should be responsible? What can we do? After this discussion, it was agreed to create a “Bank of relevant experiences” and develop a working programme with lines of action in Non-university education (Consideration of children’s fresh needs and necessary changes, Promotion of the use of the latest developments in neurosciences, intelligences, learning, methodology, etc.), Occupational Training (Transformation of occupational training centres into Agents of Innovation; Specific Plan for improving associated EIS indicators, Instruction in methodologies for Innovation in product, process, organisation, market, business model, people…) and University (Promotion of the effective link Higher Education – TCs - Business, Explanation to society at large of the social role of higher education and fostering collaboration between teaching staff and the use of interdisciplinary teams).

Number of meetings: 8

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Integrated Career Guidance System, focusing on personal development and social cohesion.

Migration Aims: The i-Talde on Migration has begun giving shape to two programmes of work: active policies on reception and integration and qualification of migrants and the accreditation of competencies, for the subsequent analysis of referents and the identification of best practices in the two scheduled programmes and, thirdly, the proposal of specific actions with possible experiments linked to regularisation, housing, employment, languages, culture, which may lead to changes in terms of Innovation.

Number of meetings: 9 Projects in progress • Research centre and support networks for integration within the sphere of migrations The purpose of this project is to uncover the needs of migrants, as well as the requirements of society as a whole in matters of migration, integration and coexistence.

Projects in progress: • CREANOVA CREANOVA’s objective is to conduct research into the specific conditions and competencies present in creative learning environments that are a gateway to innovation.

• HEZIBERRI This is a joint project involving four Basque institutions (European Forum on Educational Administration, the Basque Government’s Department of Education, Universities and Research, Innobasque and Jakiunde) with a view to rethinking education in the Basque Country. It involves the development of a public website that provides an environment for reflection, debate and opinion on the education our country requires in order to respond to the challenge of becoming a European benchmark in innovation.

• System of technology-based Lifelong Learning The purpose of the lifelong learning system is to further involvement in learning activities and, therefore, improve the EIS innovation indicator.

Employment Aims: The aims of the Employment i-Talde are to define the conditions that give rise to personal satisfaction with employment and develop two lines of work (list of conditions of satisfaction and prioritisation-assessment according to their impact) on the basis of the following focal points: possession of the skills for professional development, the reconciliation of work and family life, sharing in management and profits, the search for win-win situations in industrial relations,“Flexisecurity” and proactive ageing.

Aims: The i-Talde for Culture has analysed the consideration and content that culture should have in the community, thereby enabling the Basque Autonomous Community (CAPV) to become a benchmark region in Innovation in Europe. Following this exercise, a reflection has been made on the link between this approach and the educational system and primary schooling in particular. The next objectives have involved considering a mainstream approach between education, values and consumerism, and organising a debate centred on these two possible ways of tackling the subject: Sectorial-specialised and Integral. (practices with a comprehensive approach) Number of meetings: 2

A highlight amongst the department’s own duties is our support for the promotion and empowerment of Basque firms as they take part in European R&D&i projects, and more specifically in the 7th Framework Programme and ERANet Programmes, as well as the training of company workforces, all in cooperation with the Basque Government.

In addition, we head the Observatorio de Participación Vasca en Proyectos Europeos, with a view to monitoring in real time the results of Basque involvement in international R&D&i projects and extracting results that will lead to an increase in R&D activities at European level.

A final remit, and not for that any less important, is to encourage close ties with the Basque community living all over the world, as this is a vital way of both disseminating the Basque model of innovation and detecting innovative schemes that may be attracted.

Creating a network of cooperation with this collective is therefore one of the main challenges for our department.

Executive Management Council Details of business The Executive Management Council for Internationalisation has held one meeting: - 4 November 2008

• Promotion of intercultural associations

The Council’s Coordinating Committee

• Open network of leisure-culture-tourism that interconnects current initiatives

This group has held two meetings, the first on 12 February 2009 and the second on 27 April 2009.

• Study of acculturation through the media

International Projection

Ageing

Aims:

Aims: An essential aspect of this i-Talde has been to identify innovative fields within active ageing, as well as create a register of technological innovations to favour the enhancement of the quality of the environment for elderly people. The overall aim is to further explore the interrelations between ageing and the main determinants of quality of life.

Number of meetings: 2 Projects in progress: • Care and attention for elderly people

Projects in progress

• Self-sufficiency in old age

The purpose of this project is to define a lifelong

In view of the above, one of our underlying remits is to help to promote the image of the Basque Country, whereby an image is projected of this land that is based on its own particular identity and on a series of values associated with innovation .

Projects in progress

Number of meetings: 10 • Integrated system for effective and efficient Career Guidance

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terising the transition from the 20th to 21st centuries, Euskadi – the Basque Country should seek to present itself to the world as a receptive country in which businesses and organisations make the most of the opportunities forthcoming from its dealings with other countries. There is a need to boost operations abroad, identifying opportunities in all spheres. Likewise, there is a need to bolster the presence of Basque businesses and organisations in international R&D&i projects, as well as their integration within the main worldwide innovation networks.

Internationalisation Within a globalised setting, such as the one charac-

The aims of this i-Talde, or i-Group, for International Projection are the survey, analysis and monitoring of countries, regions, entities, leading figures, experiences and key trends; the coordination of international relationships and partnerships in innovation: trade delegations, the monitoring of cooperation projects and relations, the management of invitations, joint actions, liaising, etc.; the international promotion of Basque innovation schemes and the coordination of the creation and development of a Senior Basque Worldwide Community.

Number of meetings: 1 European and International Projects Aims: Our aim in European and International Projects is to identify criteria for taking part in the internation-

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al projects of benchmark organisations: European Commission and other agencies. In addition, emerging fields of interest are monitored.

Projects in progress • ERA-NET (European Union) The aim of this project, undertaken in partnership with the Basque Government, is to promote the involvement of SMEs in international R&D&i schemes.

Strategic Internationalisation Aims: Strategic Internationalisation has two main goals: the support for Basque Internationalisation policies/strategies, through a study of those areas in which 3rd generation innovation creates value, and the attraction of international investments. By capitalising on its contacts with the main engines of the Basque economy, the idea is to attract investment from abroad for generating new centres of knowledge, R&D and technological development, etc. It also includes the drafting of a “Dossier” containing the package of measures and actions that would be required, as well as bring about partnering in international projects.

International R&D&i Unit Aims: The first goal of this i-Group for the Internationalisation department is the commissioning of an Observatory dedicated to recording and analysing data on Basque involvement in European R&D&i projects. The second goal is to inform, train, drive and support Basque players in the internationalisation of their R&D&i and provide services for increasing business participation in European R&D&i projects.

This latter task is undertaken though a consultancy, which includes bilateral meetings with firms, Basque Contact Points (groups that work on issues related to the EU’s 7th Framework Programme for R&D, created to encourage Basque participation in such programmes) and training in the management of European R&D&i projects.

Business Transformation In Innobasque we are aware of the current whirlwind process of change that our economic and social environments are going through, where technological advances have fostered an ever more globalised and interconnected world, with a product and service supply that has multiplied many fold in recent decades.

This complex, global reality requires a thorough transformation of our business fabric. Our companies have, for a long time, competed through improving their operating and management processes, optimising costs, increasing quality levels, strengthening investments in production and so on. In short, excellent processes have been achieved for managing repetitive, standard production, the outcome of the so-called First Transformation (where the efforts made in the form of investment, in seeking added value and in internationalisation have borne their fruits).

But the differential advantages of the aforementioned have gradually disappeared before the competition coming from emerging countries and their costs. In

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view of this new situation, the need to differentiate ourselves through innovation and advanced knowledge is ever more evident. All of this leads to a decided commitment towards talent, creativity and innovation (R&D&i, in general terms) as part of what we call the Basque Country’s Second Economic and Social Transformation, where the leading role is no longer played by the business but rather by the people comprising it, who, beyond their physical and management capacities in repetitive tasks, offer their creativity, their relational capacity, their ideas, their wishes and their commitment.

From the Business Transformation Department, we are working to forge an alliance between the main business representatives (clusters, business associations, chambers of commerce. Employers’ associations, chartered institutes, etc.) and the government bodies and entities responsible for promoting innovation and competitiveness (Basque Government, the Basque development agency SPRI, Provincial Authorities, Local development Agencies, Euskalit, etc.) in order to mobilise resources and capacities and to focus the drafting of policies and programmes in line with our economic and social reality. The transformation and mobilisation drive is, in our sphere, underpinned by the agreements signed with these entities and their subsequent execution via specific cooperation activities, the basis of the great Public-Private Partnership.

Executive Management Council Details of the business pursued The Departmental Executive Management Council for Business Transformation has held three meetings.

Council Coordination Committee The Coordination Committee, which is made up of the board members, has held a total of two meetings, added to a further three held by leaders and co-leaders.

People-based management models Aims This i-Talde or i-Group’s top priority is to conceptualise people-based management models that enhance creative and relational capacities, in order to increase the competitiveness of the business fabric with a view to the 2nd Economic and Social Transformation. The starting point is a Work Plan reached by consensus agreement, structured into two stages: the first refers to the design and development of the conceptual framework based on diagnosis, guiding concepts and comparison with business experiences, whereas the second deals with the dissemination of the guiding concepts and organisation mobilisation.

The i-Talde’s seven guiding concepts are: Cooperation and Interdependent Talent, which enable communication and the generation and exchange of knowledge between people; Collaborative Leadership; the development of Creative Environments; the concept of Power with positive implications, such as the power to decide my own future, breaking the monolithic and exclusive concepts surrounding it: the concept of Desire in the sense of wanting to be involved and committed to an organisation and helping to build a joint project; and the concept of Property, in as much as the knowl-

edge a person possesses becomes a key factor for competitiveness.

Number of meetings: 9 Projects in progress: • The conceptualisation and development of the 7 guiding concepts implicit in people-based organisations • Development of the 7 guiding concepts taking the Emotional Intelligence approach • Comparison of the 7 guiding concepts with companies Managing the internationalisation of businesses Aims The aim of this i-Talde is to design strategies and products to improve Basque companies’ access to the global market.

The following have been defined as top priority areas of action: raising awareness towards internationalisation, defining guidelines for internationalisation, seeking cooperation formulas for internationalisation, fostering and boosting driver businesses, designing multi-location corporations and identifying and disseminating best practices in internationalised HR management.

Two projects have been put under way: The first, through a pooling of experience and knowledge from multiple-location corporations, aims to identify the factors leading to their success and which enable the transformation of their management model, the development of different management capacities and the promotion of models which accommodate diversity, multi-culturality and effective coordination. It focuses on companies that have already broached the first stage of internationalisation and are currently at the second stage, designing international-scope corporations.

The second project aims to identify, analyse and understand the practical experiences our SMEs have had in “Cooperation in Internationalisation” through drafting case studies in order to exploit these experiences by sharing them among all the interested parties.

This study is being performed by a group of lecturers and researchers: 19 people from various centres and universities such as ESTE, Mondragon Unibertsitatea, the San Sebastian Polytechnic School (UPV/EHU), the Bilbao Engineering School (UPV/EHU), the San Sebastian School of Business Studies (UPV/EHU), the Sarriko Faculty of Business Studies and Economics (UPV/EHU), who are trained in the methodology (Themed Case Studies) and in the aim of the study (Cooperation for Internationalisation).

Number of meetings: 7 Projects in progress: • Corporation design. Identification of the key success factors in the management of multi-location corporations.

• Themed Cases Studies of Basque Businesses: cooperation in internationalisation.

The environment of maximum public-private cooperation for innovation Aims

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This i-Talde aims to foster public-private cooperation with a view to the 2nd Economic and Social Transformation, for which four environments have been defined in which to analyse public-private cooperation: - The productive businesses’ environment: 7 initiatives have been proposed of which two have been approved for implementation: “Talent management in complex situations: prospective professional requirements in the business world and comparison with the university sphere”; and “The Public Support Framework for Innovation”.

- The advanced services businesses’ environment: the proposals submitted have led to the launch of a new i-Talde, in connection with i-Talde V, with the aim of reaching consensus agreements and launching projects to enhance specialisation and internationalisation among companies in this sector.

- The University environment: the 8 initiatives submitted by i-Talde members, are currently at the prioritisation stage.

- The Authorities as organisations environment: two of the three initiatives submitted by i-Talde members have been chosen to be put in action: Governance Models and Public-Private Participation.

Projects in progress • Managing talent in complex situations. Prospective professional requirements in the business world and comparison with the university sphere.

• Advanced services. Criteria for boosting specialisation and internationalisation among companies in this sector.

A Tax Framework favourable to innovation.

R&D&i certification Aims The definition of a tax scheme that can foster innovation and the design of a common innovation certification system.

The i-Talde’s lines of action have comprised: - Follow-up and updating of the advances in the three work groups that have broached the tax regulations supporting innovation in the Basque Country.

- SEA/ Álava Provincial Government - Gipuzkoa Provincial Government / Gipuzkoa Berritzen - Euskadi 2015 Competitiveness Forum.

- An analysis of the international benchmarking survey that assesses the tax policies supporting innovation in the main countries in Europe and the Americas.

- Development by the i-Talde of recommendations on tax regulations supporting innovation, including the setting of criteria for defining non-technological innovation, as well as the procedure for certifying innovation or drawing up the reasoned report.

- A survey of the possible alternatives for funding innovation.

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• Drafting of recommendations on tax incentives

1. Follow-up and presentation of the transversal work group on macro indicators for the Basque Country and their dissemination at micro (organisational) level from the viewpoint of Economic Competitiveness, Social Cohesion and Environmental Sustainability.

Innovation networks, competitiveness and cooperation amongst firms. Clusters

2. Design of an open innovation system in organisations (paths to innovation).

Aims

3. Design of an Evolutive Innovation System (known as the SEI project, after its initials in Spanish), which aims to draw up basic guidelines for application in firms, specifically at management levels. Back-up information has been drawn up to guide managerial activity towards direct action in generating innovative initiatives.

centives for innovation • Assessment of the regulations in the Basque Autonomous Community (CAPV): “Benchmarking and tax incentives for innovation”

This i-Talde aims to promote inter-company cooperation to foster innovation and networking in order to take on the demands of a globalised market. After an intense debate and review of different project proposals by the i-Talde members, the content of the various work-lines can be classified as follows: - Clusters and the “Innova Cooperación” programme: a follow-up has been made of the “Innova Cooperación” survey, an initiative by the Basque Government and Innobasque, which contains a strategic review of Clusters, sector agendas and strategic watchdogs; a line of support is proposed (through subsidies) from the Basque Government for the collective projects launched through Cluster structures.

- Innovative Public Procurement: an instrument that drives competitiveness and innovation among Basque companies, by their adopting best practices in procurement requirements and the negotiation of improvements in the products and services under procurement. To do so a project has been put under way to introduce innovative public procurement, in which world-level best practices have been benchmarked.

- Analysis of SME cooperation experiences: in terms of number, job creation and innovation capacity, small companies play a fundamental role in innovation development; yet, similarly, it is difficult to generate cooperation and transformation dynamics between them, due to their size and their dynamics being constrained to their day-to-day activities. Hence, an in-depth analysis is proposed of SME business cooperation cases, which may serve as an example and illustrate different cooperation mechanisms that exist between smaller sized companies.

- Advanced Service Companies: given the importance of this sector in itself and as an industry and public authority transformation lever, the idea is being assessed, in connection with i-Talde III, of setting up a specific i-Talde to analyse the current situation of advanced services in the Basque Country vis-à-vis their enhancement.

Number of meetings: 6 Projects in progress: • Innova-Cooperación • An approach to innovative public procurement Innovation evaluation system and business transformation indicators Aims

Projects in progress:

The main aim of this i-Talde is to define a common system of indicators to measure the degree of business transformation and innovation, as well as their trends over time.

• Analysis of international benchmarking on tax in-

The lines of action are:

Number of meetings: 7

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Number of meetings: 7 Projects in progress: • Evolutive Innovation System (SEI)

Entrepreneurship The Business Competitiveness and Social Innovation Plan 2006-2009 provides the keys to the model for promoting entrepreneurial activities in Euskadi: fostering entrepreneurial culture, catalysing and forging stronger connections between firms and the main players generating business ideas, and developing all the potential of the infrastructures that exist in order to cover insufficiencies in the seed capital, business angels, etc., to eventually become more competitive and to assure sustainable development over time.

At Innobasque, we understand Entrepreneurship as a broad concept; it is also the action of putting new ideas, processes, projects, products and services under way within organisations (companies or any kind of organisation that offers value). It thus increases the business fabric and makes our economy more competitive. The desire to undertake new enterprises may appear at different stages in people’s lives, depending on their intrinsic characteristics, their life experiences and the medium in which they move. The Entrepreneurship Department directs its endeavours transversally across the value chain with the different players and throughout all the stages in people’s lives, in order to raise the number of entrepreneurs in Euskadi to hence generate a more integrated and prosperous society.

From our broad concept of Entrepreneurship, we can define entrepreneurs as people capable of complicating their lives and in many cases taking risks, for new things that offer unprecedented added value. For the Entrepreneurship Council, the entrepreneur is the key element for attaining sustainable economic and social development in Euskadi.

Among the main challenges facing the Advanced Entrepreneurship Department, the most outstanding are working on Entrepreneurship Capital (Being Able to be an Entrepreneur), working on the Entrepreneurial Spirit (Wanting and Knowing how to be an Entrepreneur) and increasing Entrepreneurial Activity (Doing).

Executive Management Council Details of the business pursued The Advanced Entrepreneurship Executive Management Council has held three meetings:

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- 14 April 2008 - 18 June 2008 - 5 November 2008 Council Coordination Committee This coordination and monitoring group, comprising board members, has held a total of seven meetings up to 30 June 2009.

Advanced Entrepreneurship Aims The main aim of the Advanced Entrepreneurship iTalde (i-Group) is to promote solutions and instruments favouring the creation and development of EIPGs. Its remit also includes galvanising the present Basque entrepreneurial ecosystem to enable it to offer higher efficiency levels for all the stakeholders.

Number of meetings: 12 Projects in progress: • EIPG Accelerator The aim of this project is to fill the gap existing in the current entrepreneurship ecosystem, via an entity that boosts companies with growth potential through support or funding. One of its main functions is to identify this kind of companies and to do so it employs a network of expert assessors.

This unit will be incorporated as a private company that will evolve towards a Start-up Promotion Company, with a minimal operating structure and the target of creating 3 or 4 EIPGs a year.

Intra-entrepreneurship Aims The target of this i-Talde is to inject intra-entrepreneurship into the business fabric and to set up SME action and booster schemes.

Number of meetings: 5 Projects in progress: • Intra-entrepreneurship Case Studies Its aim is to systematically analyse “intra-entrepreneurship” experiences to model and disseminate them. To do so, an awareness raising scheme has been designed for SMEs, which, in its initial phases, will be undertaken through Gipuzkoa Berritzen.

• Intra-entrepreneurship High Performance Centre (Ebi Gune) The purpose of this centre is to endow recently qualified people and people from private companies and public authorities with intra-entrepreneurial skills. It is based on a dual system of classroom and workplace experiences.

Indicators Aims The aim is to design the Entrepreneurship Indicators Control Panel in consonance with the Innobasque Innovation Indicators.

Number of meetings: 8 Projects in progress: • Indicators Scoreboard:

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The aim of this scoreboard is to conceptualise entrepreneurship through specific indicators.

Entrepreneurship Culture and Mobilisation Aims This i-Talde aims to drive and mobilise entrepreneurship, spreading its application to all spheres of society, fostering the creation of an Entrepreneurship Community as a specialised environment with the Community of Innovators.

Number of meetings: 7 Projects in progress • Design of a mobilisation campaign This initiative, which is already under way, is going to fan the flames of entrepreneurship among vocational training and university students, through a participative and innovative action model that aims to foster the entrepreneurial spirit, to study young people’s perception of entrepreneurship and to mobilise them towards the Entrepreneurship Community.

EIPG: Innovative Business with Global Presence

Lastly, in this area, we undertake the development and implementation of Innobasque’s corporate media relations. We design and coordinate the media relations strategy and dissemination of the project, external reporting of all areas, as well as communications with our associate base, through the various corporate support media and tools.

Executive Management Council Details of business pursued The Executive Management Council Promotion and Communication has held three meetings.

- 16 April 2008 - 19 June 2008 - 6 November 2008 Council Coordination Committee This coordination and monitoring group, comprising council members, meets approximately every three months.

Dissemination and mobilisation in the sphere of SOCIETY Aims

Promotion and Communication At Innobasque, we understand Promotion and Communication to be a central element in the Transformation process, because in net terms, the latter is a social phenomenon. Hence, it is essential to have a committed society, which, though its actions and attitudes, supports the necessary cultural changes that will drive values to do with innovation.

In view of this, we are working on projects and services aimed at social mobilisation, in order to contribute to giving the role of innovation its correct weight and to likewise help to raise the profile of the work the various players are undertaking to consolidate this Transformation.

Hence, the mobilisation projects we coordinate with all of the social, economic and cultural players in Euskadi come under this heading, under the supervision and responsibility of the Basque Council for Science, Technology and Innovation, for which we operate as a Technical Secretariat. Among these projects with great social impact, we should underline the following: Coordination of the Science, Technology and Innovation Week (function taken over from Saretek); technical secretariat for the “2008 Euskadi Year of Innovation” an initiative sponsored by the Basque Council for Science, Technology and Innovation; and lastly, coordination and development of action plans for the “2009 European Year of Creativity and Innovation”, an initiative sponsored by the European Commission, in which all the member states and European regions are taking part.

Social mobilisation is an essential function of the Promotion and Communication i-Taldes (i-Groups).

More specifically, the groups that are currently operational are focusing their contributions on the different spheres of social action: Education, the business fabric, the institutional fabric and society in general.

Specific projects, in which the different leaders associated to the Departmental Executive Management Council for Promotion and Communication are taking part, are already on-going in each of these spheres.

In line with the objectives of the department itself, this i-Talde is responsible for developing initiatives aimed at generating a high social stimulus and general mobilisation in favour of the Transformation Project. Likewise, its functions include followup of the programmes and projects proposed and the supervision of others Innobasque undertakes using its own means. This group is also in charge of aligning strategies in the field of communication and promotion.

Projects in progress: • The Community of Basque Innovators A delegate group of this i-Talde is responsible for monitoring communication and promotion aspects of the launch of the Community of Basque Innovators, scheduled for September 2009. To date, the team’s focus and functionality has been defined for the task of lending support to the Community, to assure there is coordination between this team and the other groups involved in the project.

Scheduled actions: - Drafting of the action plan for the launch phase of the Community of Basque Innovators.

- Definition of the functions and aims of this group in the post-launch phases of the Community.

• Social Mobilisation The purpose of this project group is to develop, monitor and propose mass social actions, which encourage social adhesion to the innovation concept. This year, to celebrate the European Year of Creativity and Innovation, all the actions scheduled are directly linked to the Dissemination and Mobilisation Plan which Innobasque has been commissioned to undertake by the Basque Council for Science, Technology and Innovation.

Actions carried out: - Drafting of the action plan for the European Year of Creativity and Innovation, approved by the Basque Council for Science, Technology and Innovation, the objective of which is social mobilisation.

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Scheduled actions: - Pursuit of the actions defined in the plan proposed.

- Support in the promotion and communication of the actions planned within the framework of the European Year of Creativity and Innovation.

- Proposals of other actions that address the targets defined.

Dissemination and mobilisation in the BUSINESS FABRIC Aims To promote initiatives, programmes and projects that foster the dissemination of best practices in matters of innovation, synergies between players, alignment of their communication and promotion strategies and the launch of joint initiatives. These measures should contribute to catalysing and supporting the successful conclusion of innovation strategies in the business fabric, rendering a positive impact on society’s levels of knowledge and recognition.

Projects in progress: • Innovation Award A feasibility study and, if applicable, development of a system for acknowledging innovating attitudes and practices in the Basque business fabric. An analysis is being made of the possibility of using these acknowledgement-based tools to publicise the best innovative experiences in a broader context with greater social repercussion.

• Dissemination of innovation in the various sectors Design of dissemination media focusing on different publics. Among the tools assessed, one of the most interesting is the possibility of fostering an annual business event of the highest standing, which is initially defined as an, “Annual Innovation Conference”.

Actions carried out: - The two programmes being undertaken in this iTalde are at their first stage of analysing the experiences under way, as the point prior to making decisions on the organisation of new initiatives.

To this end, a professional survey has been commissioned to provide a detailed report on the innovation events with greatest impact in the Basque Country and of the acknowledgements to do with innovation (both in and outside Euskadi).

In view of the data gathered in this survey, it is concluded that there is an interesting sphere of activity for undertaking far-reaching initiatives, it is proposed that collaboration be fostered with other European regions (considered a basic element), whereby the impact and prestige of Innobasque’s activities would develop in an international environment.

- More specifically, it is proposed that a large event of an international nature be organised with three advanced European regions in innovation matters, with which a strategic collaboration relationship will be forged. The event and the acknowledgement of best practices in innovation would be held each year in one of the regions belonging to the consortium.

Scheduled actions: - To enrich the proposal with contributions from the

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team and to submit it to the Innobasque Board of Management for approval, if appropriate.

Dissemination and mobilisation in the INSTITUTIONAL Sphere Aims To foster coordination and better alignment of communication initiatives from institutions, encouraging cooperation and the launch of joint dissemination and public information schemes.

- To notify the institutions on the positioning (data) - To work on how the institutions report this to the public (tools) The project would be wholly targeted at public institutions in the Basque Country. However, regarding its start-up and subsequent development, three levels of implementation have been developed: 1. The Basque Government, provincial and local authorities

Projects in progress:

2. Public companies and autonomous community entities

• Social Dissemination on topics associated with Euskadi’s 2nd Economic and Social Transformation.

3. Cross-reference with state and European level institutions

To design and undertake actions that foster the social dissemination of the 2nd Transformation.

Actions carried out: - A project has been proposed that will enable dissemination of Euskadi’s achievements in the field of innovation, through messages addressed at public authorities, in order for these, in turn, to pass them on to society through their various communications channels.

The project would be entirely addressed at public institutions in the Basque Country. However, regarding its start-up and subsequent development, three levels of implementation have been developed: 1. The Basque Government, provincial and local authorities 2. Public companies and autonomous community entities 3. Cross-reference with state and European level institutions Scheduled actions: - The first stage would involve broaching the project at local authority level, due to their higher degree of accessibility. The next stages proposed are as follows: - Definition of what values should be transmitted to the public concerning innovation, in collaboration with the Innobasque i-Taldes that are working on this subject.

- Identification of best practices in the Basque institutional fabric.

- Analysis of the communication tools or infrastructures available to local authorities and the creation of new ones, if this is considered appropriate.

- To contribute in publicising innovative approaches that are being undertaken in many municipalities, in order to achieve a “knock-on” effect.

- To create a validation and quality control framework for these practices to assure they are publicised coherently.

• International Positioning To design and undertake actions to contribute to positioning Innobasque and Euskadi on the European innovation map.

Actions carried out: A project is proposed to encourage institutions to report to society on the situation and positioning of the Basque Country on the international innovation scene. It would be necessary to focus essentially on two aspects:

Scheduled actions: - In the pre-project stage, it is proposed that a basic guide be drawn up defining three specific aspects: What to report, how to report it and using which media.

- This guide will act as the document for presenting the project to the institutions, initiating contacts, firstly at local authority level.

Dissemination and mobilisation in the EDUCATIONAL Sphere Aims To foster the view of an innovative educational system, based on knowledge and networking with the players in the education sphere (students, teaching staff, etc.), placing emphasis on undertaking dissemination, publicising and mobilisation programmes, as well as promoting values associated with innovation (creativity, entrepreneurship …), in order to drive and support the successful conclusion of innovation strategies in the educational community.

Projects in progress: • Innovators in schools Fostering innovation values and scientific vocations among boys and girls, through a programme for dissemination in schools, involving in-house participation of people from the world of science, technology and innovation.

Actions carried out: - A reflection has been made on the methodology for this initiative, thanks to which critical points have been identified for bringing it to a successful conclusion: identification of the profiles of suitable communicators for the target public and the importance of making use of new technologies.

Scheduled actions: - Creation of a map including agents and existing programmes in the sphere of educational innovation.

- According to this group’s forecasts, the next academic year could begin with a series of dissemination activities, in which outstanding personalities from the world of science and technology visit a variety of schools to interact with their students.

• Zientziaz blai A pilot scheme undertaken by Ikastola Zurriola in Donostia-San Sebastian, which, in 2009, is holding the Kilometroak. The project consists of defining a methodology and specific applications for under-

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taking simple scientific experiments at schools and publicising their results in the educational community.

The project is fruit of the collaboration and management of a driving group formed by families, school staff and the pupils themselves.

Actions carried out: - Development of a science programme, support materials and experiments, in collaboration with the schools’ different organisational levels.

Scheduled actions: - Recording and publishing of short videos of the experiments performed by the pupils for their dissemination.

- Organisation of a public event in May, open to the educational community and society as a whole, where pupils will show their scientific skills.

- Drafting of a final appraisal report that will serve, if relevant, for extending this experience to other schools.

Innovation socialisation Aims To raise the social presence of innovating Euskadi through positive impact in the communications media and social networks, while at the same time fostering the view of a leading region in Europe in terms of innovation.

Disseminating the actual situation regarding innovation in Euskadi through current best practices, to stimulate future practice.

Projects in progress: • The innovation socialisation platform Development of a professional information collaboration platform to act as an exchange hub between those offering innovation and those who can disseminate it.

Actions carried out: - Feasibility study for the creation of a socialisation platform carried out for Innobasque by MBN. The aim of this study has been to appraise the feasibility of a Communication Platform for Innovation Socialisation with the main stakeholders, analysing the strengths and weaknesses associated with the platform, to learn their opinions on this initiative and their predisposition to use this system. Over a three-month period, 21 high-level interviews have been held with social, economic, scientific, technological agents and with representatives from the field of communication.

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ticipate in the process of transformation. 198 people from over 80 organisations took part in Gipuzkoa Berritzen, working towards an ambitious target: to develop an "Innovating Gipuzkoa". Gipuzkoa Berritzen is a change-leading, action-oriented network of people, which proactively seeks to respond to the needs of society in Gipuzkoa, fostering a culture of innovation to ensure and improve the wellbeing of local people now and in the future. The initiative, sponsored by the Provincial Government of Gipuzkoa has been strengthened by its partnership with Innobasque. It is now developing to become an area that encourages joint public-private activity that will meet the real needs of Gipuzkoa from a local perspective. The territory of Gipuzkoa is divided into several different comarcas or sub-regions. There is a dynamic industrial sector with a high concentration of technology players; industry accounts for 33% of GDP and the cooperative model is particularly well represented. As well as these specific local features, the province forms an integral part of the Basque economy as a whole, and it is therefore essential to have cooperation with other areas of Innobasque and with other institutions and organisations working in the field of innovation. Coordination and communication are key elements in this confluence of common interests

- Mass event to work on the concept of entrepreneurship and translate it into a youth vernacular - Workshops on entrepreneurship culture in thirdlevel colleges - Creation and maintenance of a website and blog - Creation of Ikersare, a network of researchers on entrepreneurship in higher education with participation from researchers from all third-level centres in Gipuzkoa Scheduled actions: - Study of the concept of entrepreneurship in different areas (institutional, teachers, graduates, students and stakeholders).

- Mobilisation actions: as well as maintaining the dynamic already established in 2008, the group will organise a short-film competition and some working breakfasts, as open spaces in which to work on and experience the concept of entrepreneurship culture.

- International workshop on entrepreneurship.

Creating intermediary areas for innovation

Details of business pursued

Aims

The Executive Management Board of Gipuzkoa Berritzen comprises the Executive Committee and the Promoting Group, which have held 10 meetings.

Promoting a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship Aims The main aim of this i-Talde (i-Group) is to ensure that society whose actions and attitudes reflect a cultural change promoting the values associated with innovation and entrepreneurship.

Projects in progress • The Ten-Million Project "The Ten Million Project" is an initiative designed to promote public recognition for creativity and innovation among economic and social agents, and in turn, to incentivise innovative thinking in Gipuzkoa.

It seeks to channel the support required to ensure that projects of this kind are viable.

The main aim of this i-Group is to create areas that will allow us to address the specific conditions of different industries, the most efficient technological path for each one, and the specific situation of the companies depending on their strategy, size and innovative experience. In this way, it is hoped to optimise the results of any horizontal R&D&i actions, and adapt the initiatives to different groups.

Fostering synergy among the agents of the innovation system Aims Here, the aim is to contribute to adapting the means of decision-making, action and management of companies, universities and technology centres, in order to remove the barriers to innovation, promote the results of investments and introduce processes that enable knowledge to crystallize in innovation, both through transfer and through the generation of new activities.

Actions carried out:

Projects in progress:

- Design and launch of the first competition for innovative ideas and projects relevant to Gipuzkoa

• Encouragement of collaboration between companies, universities and technology centres

Scheduled actions:

- The final feasibility study will be presented in the second half of the year, along with an operational proposal for activating this project, which, if applicable, will be submitted to the Innobasque Board of Management for its approval.

- Support for 1-3 projects from amongst the 27 submissions - Public recognition of the effort being made to promote innovation by competition participants and among all members of Gipuzkoa Berritzen • GAZTE: Gazte Ekintzaile

In 2005, more than 100 representatives from all areas of society took part in the Gipuzkoa 2020 strategic debate, sponsored by the Provincial Government of Gipuzkoa. The event clearly reflected a desire on the part of society in the region to promote and par-

- Mobilisation actions designed by and for young people:

Executive Management Board

Scheduled actions:

Gipuzkoa Berritzen

Actions carried out:

GAZTE (Gazte Ekintzaile) is a working party run by and for young people. Its aim is to heighten awareness and encourage an entrepreneurship culture (not limited to the business area) and a spirit of initiative among local third-level students (in universities and vocational training) through a new model of governance.

The remit of this working party is to debate the situation, identify causes and propose corrective, promotional and incentivising actions.

Actions carried out: - Examination of the present situation of relations from an internal and external perspective - Identification of strengths and weaknesses in the innovation system - Proposals for corrective, promotional and incentivising actions Scheduled actions: - Publication of a report on the operations of the working party

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- Preparation and start-up of an action plan to carry out the corrective, promotional and incentivising actions • Promoting talent mobility

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investment in R&D&i in Gipuzkoa by making use of the technology generated. The group’s work focuses on debating the current situation and proposing actions for promotion and incentivisation.

Another project by this i-Talde (i-Group) is to promote mobility among research and technology staff (talent mobility), aiding and financing temporary visits by specialist personnel from technology centres and universities in companies (and vice versa), to carry out temporary projects involving knowledge transfer.

Actions carried out:

Actions carried out:

- Pilot tests to (re)launch already developed prototypes, which in turn will serve to complete and compare the methodology.

- Map of mobility support programmes in Europe, Spain, the Basque Autonomous Community and Gipuzkoa.

- Awareness of the advantages derived from talent mobility and identification of the level of interest in participating in a project of mobility in a sample group of organisations.

Scheduled actions: - Launch of a pilot test of a clearly business-oriented talent mobility programme.

• Forum for exchange of experiences among company R&D units One of the first initiatives was to create a working forum where companies in Gipuzkoa with their own R&D units could exchange experiences that might generate closer relationships, improve competitiveness and spawn new products and companies.

Actions carried out: - Identification of common projects and problems - Lectures by experts - Study of best practice made by the UD Scheduled actions: - Best practice exchange workshops - Case studies of the success of innovation processes by different R&D units - Pilot test and open methodology for improving knowledge management in company R&D units.

Generating innovative businesses and activities Aims The group’s primary mission is to favour the launch and growth of innovative businesses and activities.

Projects in progress: • Promoting business set-up and growth in innovative activities In order to promote business set-up and growth in innovative activities by developing suitable instruments and intermediaries, a forum of reflection and a proposal for action have been set up.

Actions carried out: - Deliberation on shortfalls in the entrepreneurship system and the tools needed to overcome them.

Scheduled actions:

- Development of a methodology to help complete the product/service design and development process, with the process of industrialisation and commercial launch of new products based on these prototypes.

Actions carried out: - Definition of an open methodology as a model for introducing processes of intra-entrepreneurship in SMEs and, in parallel, to start to design a public programme of aid for intra-entrepreneurship for SMEs. Scheduled actions: - Pilot tests of intra-entrepreneurship in SMEs which will in turn serve to complete and test out the programme designed.

Scheduled actions:

• Proposal for tax and accounting regulations supportive of R&D+I projects Actions carried out: - Process of reflection and definition of the bases for new tax regulations Scheduled actions: - Implementation of new tax regulations to incentivise non technological innovation.

• Adaptation of specialist business hatchery infrastructures in Gipuzkoa Prospecting and analysis of needs that might arise in Gipuzkoa in the medium to long term, vis-à-vis new added value infrastructures, at the phase of development and commercial operation of emerging projects and technologies in Gipuzkoa. The main aims of the first phase are: to map the supply of specialist infrastructures (products and services) currently available in Gipuzkoa; propose actions to optimise resources; ensure that entrepreneurs have an infrastructure that allows them to operate effectively, now and in the future, and attract new innovative companies with a long distance technological base.

Actions carried out: - Design of a map of provision of infrastructures Scheduled actions: - Publication and regular updating of the map - Proposal for actions to optimise present and future resources in specialist infrastructures in Gipuzkoa.

• Adaptation of models for financing new business models To adapt financing models or create new tools for promoting and supporting innovative business projects that do not conform to traditional business models.

Scheduled actions: - To debate present and future needs and propose specific actions to enrich and complete the actions arising out of Innobasque's “Advanced Entrepreneurship” group, if a particular need is observed in Gipuzkoa - Start-up of Hazitek, the new EIPG launch pad.

- Monitoring of present and future actions set up as a result of the working party's deliberation meetings.

• Fostering of intra-entrepreneurship among SMEs in Gipuzkoa

- Industrialisation and commercial launch of new products based on prototypes arising out of R&D projects

The purpose of this project is to support SMEs with limited resources, fostering an entrepreneurship culture and activity and ensuring that they grow and generate new business initiatives.

- The aim of this project is to harness the results of

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Gipuzkoa – an innovative territory Aims The purpose of the "Gipuzkoa – an innovative territory" i-Talde is to project our vision of an innovating Gipuzkoa. It is backed by a series of positive differentiating values that serve as a foundation to help materialise that vision, and specific circumstances that show us the way.

Projects in progress: • Be (Berrikuntza) in (Innovación) Gipuzkoa The aim of the project is to publicise some of the innovative events, people and values that have been identifying features of Gipuzkoa’s history, to help drive a spirit of innovative identity among the general public.

Actions carried out: Drafting a table of contents for the book "Be in Gipuzkoa" Scheduled actions: - Publication and regular updating of the book "Be in Gipuzkoa" - Launch of the documents in DVD format Sustainability Aims The i-Talde (i-Group) on Sustainability was set up to develop and implement a culture of energy efficiency that will guarantee a future sustainable supply and reduced dependency on fossil fuels, and allow a reduction in environmental pollution. The group also seeks to encourage the creation of new technologies and industries related to this sector Projects in progress • Microgeneration of distributed energy In the initial phase, the i-Talde focused on microgeneration from wind power, with a view to the mass installation in Gipuzkoa of mini renewable power generation facilities (specifically mini wind turbines). The project is intended to turn the country into a benchmark in the introduction of mini renewable power generation and distributed networks.

Actions carried out: - Viability study of wind-based micro-generation in Gipuzkoa.

Scheduled actions: - Pilot tests on introduction of mini-windmills - Launch of a research project for developing new, more efficient and more competitive units - Development of new tax and administrative regulations to foster the economic viability of this type of micro-generation

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- To extend this field of activity to other forms of micro generation (solar thermal, geothermal, photovoltaic, biomass, etc.).

Strategic Projects Aims The aims of the "Strategic Projects" group include promoting projects deemed to be strategic and eminently practical in areas in which Gipuzkoa has (potential) capabilities that will plot the road ahead and help position the territory as a global benchmark in certain socio-economic areas. These include projects in which the different agents in the territory all participate: businesses, universities, technology centres, individuals and municipal authorities. Multidisciplinary groups are set up to work on motivating and ground-breaking projects in order to create a possible sector or area of knowledge, in a project that unifies and facilitates the work in cooperation.

Projects in progress • Mobility of people and goods To develop a social and economic project related to the (vertical and horizontal) mobility of people and goods in order to help offer a solution to the problem faced by the territory in this field and to export it to other geographical areas.

Actions carried out: - Study of the different global forecast scenarios and business opportunities. The aim is to analyse the capacities of ground-breaking companies and their weaknesses, contrasting needs and capacities, and measuring the social and economic and innovation-related impact they can have on the fabric of Gipuzkoa.

Scheduled actions: - To establish a road-map for getting the project underway - To define at least one iconic or innovative project that addresses an existing mobility need in Gipuzkoa, and which can be taken on by companies in the territory.

• To promote and develop the language industry in Gipuzkoa One relevant project involves analysing, organising, structuring and activating the language management sector in Gipuzkoa in order to create a competitive industry that can capitalise on the capacities and know how derived to a great extent from the fact of being a bilingual and even multi-lingual society.

Actions carried out: - Study of the market and the weight of this industry in Gipuzkoa and worldwide, and analysis of the capacities of Gipuzkoa’s organisations and the competition. It also identifies possible future trends that might have an impact on the industry.

Scheduled actions: - Design of an action plan for activating the industry.

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