Who is participating in the initiative?

The Basque Circular Hubs are the result of a public-private collaboration between the Basque Government, the Bilbao City Council, the Vitoria-Gasteiz City Council, the University of Deusto, the University of the Basque Country UPV-EHU, the University of Mondragón, the University of Navarra, the Euskadi Vocational Training Applied Research Center - Tknika, and the Novia Salcedo Foundation.

IHOBE

The Basque Circular Hub is managed by Ihobe, a public company attached to the Deputy Ministry of the Environment of the Department of Economic Development, Sustainability and Environment of the Basque Government. Ihobe’s mission is to contribute to environmental improvement and promote sustainability in the Basque Country. To this end:

  • Catalyzes the generation and dissemination of environmental knowledge.
  • Cooperates with companies, public administration, and citizens.
  • Contributes to and takes an active role in improving the environment.
  • Shares its knowledge and resources, with excellence and social responsibility.

More information: www.ihobe.eus

NOVIA SALCEDO FOUNDATION

The Novia Salcedo Foundation is a private cultural foundation of public interest created to promote an attitude of constructive hope in Basque society. It works with young people, and its strategic lines are:

  • To lead, with innovation and value creation, the labour integration of young people from a global and local perspective.
  • To develop research and knowledge in applied Social Innovation and become a driving agent of Social Innovation.
  • To influence, provoke and mobilise key actors in the political, socio-economic and cultural spheres, seeking their active collaboration, raising social awareness and encouraging youth involvement.

More information: www.noviasalcedo.es

UNIVERSITIES OF THE BASQUE COUNTRY

The Basque Circular Hub is an initiative open to universities and training centres in the Basque Country. In this way, their students can participate both in training activities and in the development of technical and research projects.

The Basque Circular Hub begins its activity with the participation of the three main universities of the Basque Country:

The Basque Circular Hub is open to the incorporation of other training centres in the Basque Country, which may gradually join the initiative.

TKNIKA

Tknika is a centre promoted by the Deputy Ministry of Vocational Training of the Department of Education of the Basque Government. Tknika, whose core focus is applied research and innovation, works daily with the aim of placing vocational training in the Basque Country at the forefront of Europe. Through networked work and with the involvement of vocational training teachers, this centre—based on the most advanced models in the world—develops innovation projects related to technological, training and management fields.

More information: www.tknika.eus

YOUNG PEOPLE

Young people are the main protagonists of the Basque Circular Hub’s activities, to whom much of its training activities, internships in companies, and associated research and entrepreneurship activities are directed. Participation in the Basque Circular Hub takes place:

  • For university students, through the universities and training centres affiliated with the Basque Circular Hub.
  • For unemployed young people, through the programmes of the Novia Salcedo Foundation.

COMPANIES (SMEs AND CLUSTERS)

With the dual objective of developing Ecodesign projects in their own products and supporting the training of young people, any company in the Basque Country has access to the Basque Circular Hub’s annual scholarship programme.

Through this programme, companies have access to the development of Life Cycle Analysis, Ecodesign and Eco-innovation projects. These projects will be carried out by young people trained through the Basque Circular Hub, with the supervision and guidance of experts in the field. There are different options regarding the duration and scope of the projects to be developed.

BILBAO CITY COUNCIL

Entrepreneurs – BIG Bilbao

BIG Bilbao aims to strengthen the city’s entrepreneurship services with greater resources and new methodologies in a dedicated space located in the city centre. In this way, BIG Bilbao becomes the main entry point for people wishing to undertake entrepreneurial activities in Bilbao, serving as a central information point and an ideal place for guidance, coordination, generation of innovative ideas and access to funding.

More information: https://bilbaogazte.bilbao.eus/es/servicio/apoyo-a-personas-emprendedoras/

VITORIA-GASTEIZ CITY COUNCIL

The Vitoria-Gasteiz City Council has a long history in the development of sustainable