What is the Basque Circular HUB?

The Basque Circular HUB is an initiative whose objective is to offer advanced circular economy services in the Basque Country. Managed by the public company Ihobe, it is the result of 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, Mondragon University, the University of Navarra, the Applied Research Center of FP Euskadi - Tknika, and the Novia Salcedo Foundation.

The Basque Circular HUB, a benchmark in Spain and Southern Europe, unique for offering market foresight services, advanced training, trend analysis and the generation of expert knowledge in the field of circular economy, currently has two headquarters:

• The headquarters of the Basque Circular HUB Bilbao is located in the Ensanche Building (situated in the Ensanche square) of the Bilbao City Council thanks to the agreement signed between the public company Ihobe and the city council, through which the City Council provides the space where the HUB facilities are located, while both entities commit to supporting and advising local circular economy entrepreneurship initiatives, as well as detecting business opportunities in this field in sectors such as commerce, tourism and creative industries.
• The Basque Circular HUB Vitoria-Gasteiz headquarters is located in the Zaramaga neighborhood in a space owned by the Vitoria-Gasteiz City Council thanks to the commitment acquired by the city council and Ihobe to promote, from the local level, the Euskadi Circular Economy Strategy 2030 based on the city’s own strategy called "Vitoria-Gasteiz Circular Economy Strategy 2030". The Vitoria HUB advises both on the definition of this strategy and on the action plans derived from it. For more information, visit the Vitoria-Gasteiz City Council website.
• The headquarters of the Basque Circular HUB in Arrasate is located in a space provided by Mondragon University, with which it maintains a collaboration agreement. Located in the Hirekin building on the Mondragon University campus, this headquarters was inaugurated on February 25, 2025, and has space for 6 interns. This center will offer circular economy services and will develop collaboration projects with partner companies of the Basque Ecodesign Center.

Regarding the work carried out by the center, it is divided into:

• The execution of circular economy projects in Basque companies.
• Acting as the Circular Economy Observatory of the Basque Country.
• Providing advanced training in circular economy.
• Offering technical tools to companies.

Specifically, the development of technical circular economy projects in Basque companies is promoted with the participation of young professionals trained at the HUB. Companies have young specialists with knowledge to integrate circular economy into their processes, and students can access a work environment to put what they have learned into practice.

As the Circular Economy Observatory of the Basque Country, it carries out strategic monitoring tasks to detect new business opportunities, prepares roadmaps for emerging businesses, as well as monitoring reports adapted to industrial sectors.

In the field of entrepreneurship, it supports project design and provides guidance on access to available funding at any given time.

Expert training activities in circular economy play an important role, as they are aimed not only at recently graduated students but also at teachers, both from universities and vocational training centers. This training also extends to companies that wish to have professionals specialized in the field.

The Basque Circular HUB brings together all the experience accumulated in two previous initiatives