The Basque Country Technology Park comes to Bilbao

The Bilbao Campus of the Basque Country Technology Park is now a reality with the laying of the foundation stone of its first building, located at the northern tip of Zorrotzaurre.

This marks the culmination of a long process of work and inter-institutional collaboration between Bilbao City Council, the Provincial Council of Bizkaia and the Basque Government which, through the Basque Technology Park, will enable the creation of an Urban Technology Campus that is unique at international level.

IDOM and MONDRAGON announce their respective projects, aimed at turning Zorrotzaurre into an island of knowledge, technology, innovation and advanced industry, creating a driving force for the economy of Bizkaia and the Basque Country. Mondragon Unibertsitatea, Ikerlan and Vicomtech will also expand their presence in Bilbao with new facilities in the Technology Park.

This first phase will allow for the incorporation of 46,000 m2 of buildable space for tertiary use in the northern tip of the island, where cutting-edge companies will be encouraged to locate in a space surrounded by public facilities and housing. In addition, work is underway on the development of another 60,000 m2, located in the southern tip

The Bilbao Campus of the Basque Technology Park, located on the island of Zorrotzaurre, is now a reality with the start of construction today on what will be its first building. At the presentation ceremony, various notable projects were announced, led by IDOM, MONDRAGON, Mondragon Unibertsitatea, Ikerlan and Vicomtech.

The Lehendakari, Imanol Pradales, the Deputy General of Bizkaia, Elixabete Etxanobe, and the Mayor of Bilbao, Juan Mari Aburto, were responsible for laying the first stone of what will be the first building on the Bilbao Campus, owned by the Basque Technology Park. Intended to house technologically advanced companies, it will be located on the site of the former Tarabusi pavilion on Avenida de las Galleteras.

The Zorrotzaurre project is thus gathering momentum to become a unique international Urban Technology Campus, which will promote the location of cutting-edge companies in an area surrounded by public facilities and housing. Specifically, this first phase will allow for the incorporation of 46,000 m2 of buildable space for tertiary use, distributed across four plots in Punta Norte. Two of the plots had existing buildings, while the other two are vacant. In addition, work is underway on the development of another 60,000 m2, located in the southern tip of the island, aimed at the advanced services sector.

Today’s milestone marks the culmination of years of inter-institutional work, in which Bilbao City Council, the Provincial Council of Bizkaia and the Basque Government have worked hand in hand to turn Zorrotzaurre into an island of knowledge, technology, innovation and advanced industry through the Basque Technology Park and its new Bilbao Campus.

This will be a driving force for the economy of Bizkaia and the Basque Country, capable of generating a sectoral ecosystem that will boost the growth of the business fabric. It will also respond to the demand for space in Bilbao, contributing to the Basque RIS3 Strategy (Smart Specialisation Strategy) with its commitment to advanced sectors linked to research and training.

The Mayor of Bilbao, Juan Mari Aburto, after thanking the Basque Government and the Provincial Council of Bizkaia for their work and involvement with the Zorrotzaurre Island, proudly stated that “this event is a milestone in the development of Bilbao’s future. Companies, attracting and retaining talent, skilled young employment, innovative processes, new business opportunities… are now joining the urban development, new housing and services that we are promoting on the island, not to mention the consolidated cultural and educational activity with more than 3,000 students in the three universities already established (Kunsthal, Mondragon Unibertsitatea and Digipen)”.

Aburto pointed to IDOM and Corporación Mondragón as ‘the brave ones who have taken the first step towards realising the dream of establishing companies on this Bilbao Campus’, acknowledging that ‘they have opened the doors to other business projects that will come in the near future. The present and the future go hand in hand from today onwards, and this is great news for Bilbao and Bilbao society’.

For her part, the Deputy General of Bizkaia, Elixabete Etxanobe, stressed that “today we are laying the first stone of a building, laying the foundations for a bold, technological and deeply human future for Bizkaia. The Bilbao Campus of the Basque Technology Park is a firm statement of intent: Bizkaia wants to and will be at the forefront of the major technological, digital and energy transitions that are transforming the world.”

“For 40 years, since we launched the Zamudio Technology Park, the Provincial Council of Bizkaia has been committed to innovation as a lever for economic development and social welfare. This new urban Campus is the natural evolution of that commitment: connected to the city, at the service of the most innovative companies, science, entrepreneurship and talent,‘ said Etxanobe, who added that ’in addition, this Campus is a magnet for talent that reinforces the Bizkaia with the Talent strategy. It is a space where knowledge is transformed into opportunities and where those who want to contribute to the future of Bizkaia will find the conditions to grow, innovate and undertake new ventures.”

In the words of Lehendakari Imanol Pradales, the construction of the first building of the first urban technology campus in the Basque Country will serve to strengthen and consolidate the Basque model of industry, which ‘bases its competitiveness on advanced knowledge, manufacturing culture, sustainability, technological development and value-added activities.’

‘The Technology Park is an essential foundation of the new Basque Industry Plan, because if we want to continue to be an advanced, attractive, cohesive country with a high quality of life, we need an innovative industry that generates opportunities, quality employment and well-being,’ said the Lehendakari.

Imanol Pradales also highlighted the role of the new Campus – which will house companies specialising in the use of artificial intelligence, Big Data and new start-ups – as a driver of innovation and technological development ‘at the service of people, the community and our well-being’ He reiterated the Basque Government’s commitment to making ‘Zorrotzaurre an island of knowledge, technology, innovation and advanced industry.’

Finally, the Lehendakari highlighted that the first building in this new space is named after Basque researcher Helena Matute, who was present at the event and whom he thanked for her daily work to ‘shed light where others want there to be darkness’ in the form of populism, denialism and anti-scientific movements that must be fought, said Imanol Pradales, ‘with all our strength’.

Main business projects

IDOM Science Factory/Zientziola will be located on plot RZ-7 in Zorrotzaurre, a short distance from the company’s headquarters. With this project, it aims to boost its activity in the design and supply of complex engineering systems for science and technology in fields such as astronomy, particle and nuclear physics, space and renewable energies, among others.

The development and enhancement of this activity requires the expansion of IDOM’s current facilities with the construction of new laboratories, an integration room and clean rooms, which will be housed in the new building. IDOM Science Factory/Zientziola also aims to become a space that promotes contact, the exchange of ideas and creativity, fostering collaboration between disciplines and the cross-fertilisation of knowledge.

IDOM, a leading engineering company in the sector that competes internationally with first-class scientific and technological knowledge and infrastructure for the most demanding markets, represents an industry with high-quality, technology-based, high added-value jobs in global markets. The work carried out in these new facilities is expected to have a direct impact on projects such as optical systems, instruments and large mobile structures for telescopes, specialised mechatronic systems, unique test benches, diagnostics and microwave heating systems for fusion reactors, to name but a few. The initiative will also enable an increase in the number of highly skilled jobs needed for the company’s development in the near future.

Bilbao Bizkaia Digital Faktory is MONDRAGON Corporation‘s commitment to Zorrotzaurre. The project, which involves an investment of over 20 million euros, will enable the development of a hub to attract talent and high added-value companies in digital technologies: artificial intelligence, data analytics, cybersecurity, digital humanities, mechatronics, robotics and intelligent energy systems, among others.

MONDRAGON, fully aware of the demographic challenge and the resulting lack of digital talent for industry, is committed to developing an innovative hub that brings together companies, technology centres and universities, creating a network in which knowledge and the digital world provide innovative solutions to industrial needs.

This project, led by MONDRAGON through its Knowledge Division, will involve close collaboration with the Ikerlan technology centre and Mondragon University. The expected impact of this project is to generate local talent and attract international talent, participate in European digital technology projects, transfer knowledge to companies and boost the development of new businesses in digital sectors.

Located on plot RZ-10, the new building complex rebuilds the old Consonni and Lancor buildings, creating two new volumes of 7,526 m² and 4,281 m² respectively.

In terms of the distribution of the buildings, Mondragon Unibertsitatea and Ikerlan will carry out their activities in the Consonni building, the larger of the two, while Vicomtech will be located in Lancor, the smaller of the two, in collaboration with the Basque Technology Park. Both buildings will be connected to each other to become an international hub of knowledge and digital technology.

In this new space, Vicomtech reaffirms its commitment to Bilbao-Bizkaia by contributing to the development of Artificial Intelligence technologies and their transfer to the Basque industrial fabric, boosting its competitiveness. In addition, the centre reaffirms its role in promoting the Basque language through language technologies and is committed to promoting STEAM talent.

The development of the Bilbao Campus building complex in Punta Norte de Zorrotzaurre will be completed with plot RZ-9, which is currently pending definition. However, with the development of this plot, all the projects planned for the Punta Norte site will be defined.

First building in Zorrotzaurre

The building, whose construction begins today, is the reconstruction of the old Tarabusi pavilion, whose architecture will respect the original aesthetics. A new building will be added to this volume on its west façade, built according to sustainability and eco-design criteria. In total, there will be 4,000 m2 dedicated entirely to advanced technology companies and projects, distributed over 4 floors.

At present, once the demolition work on the old pavilion has been completed, construction work on the new infrastructure is already underway, with an estimated completion time of 24 months. In terms of energy efficiency and sustainability, the new building will mark a milestone in the development of Campus Bilbao, as it will be heated and cooled through the energy network coming from the ground (geothermal system) and will have an installed photovoltaic power of around 53 kW, with an approximate production of around 52,000 kWh per year.

This new building will be named after Helena Matute, Professor of Experimental Psychology at the University of Deusto and an international leader in the study of cognitive biases and their application in artificial intelligence, reinforcing the Basque Technology Park’s commitment to raising awareness and recognition of the work of women scientists.

The launch of the Zorrotzaurre project will add to the six active campuses in Zamudio/Derio, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Donostia, Leioa, Hernani and Abanto, and consolidates the Basque Technology Park’s commitment to its multi-campus model.