Euskadi Technology Parks take part in IASP European Division Workshop

• The central theme of the meeting, held from 27 to 29 November in the city of Durham (Great Britain) was “the advantages of specialisation for Science and Technology Parks”.
• Director of Innovation at the PCTBizkaia, Marian Ibarrondo, took part in the round table “Technology parks as a tool for the construction of social capital”

The International Association of Science Parks, IASP, held its European Division Workshop in Durham (Great Britain) from 27 to 29 November, a meeting that focussed on the advantages of specialisation for the Parks. Science and Technology Parks are obliged to deal with strategic decisions, both at the time of their foundation and during their growth and maturity periods. One of the most important decisions is whether to back a clearly technological approach or to take a more general approach.

The workshop which took place at NETPark, looked at this question by analysing the advantages of an exclusively technological approach and how this can help parks to reach beyond the park boundaries, thereby extending their innovative community. A clear approach, a specialisation, is of great help for a Park to make a difference and be able to compete on a global level.

The director of innovation at the Bizkaia Science and Technology Park, Marian Ibarrondo has been in Durham, taking part in the round table on “Technology Parks as a tool for the construction of social capital”, where she explained the initiatives taken by the Park in this area: business incubators, forums and working sessions related to different areas, the Innovalan initiative, the Bioeskola project which was born from the former, the Aisiatek Association, etc. Ibarrondo pointed out that at the end of the day, in order to create social capital various network structures (formal and informal) are required, and for the evolution of these networks, facilitation is crucial, not forgetting cooperation through simple and accessible objectives.