FAQ – About the Platform

Check out our Frequently Asked Questions about the BIND 4.0 Platform

BIND 4.0 is a public-private initiative, an open innovation platform that provides targeted business services and creates mutually beneficial collaborations between disruptive startups and innovative corporations. BIND 4.0 has 3 startup programs available:

  • Startup Acceleration program aimed at startups with tech products or services that solve relevant problems in the digital transformation of Intelligent Industry, Clean Energy & Sustainability, Health and Food Industries
  • SME Connection program, which connects startups with Basque industry-leading SMEs through digitalization challenges
  • BIND 4.0 GovTech, which connects startups with Public Sector organizations.

Additionally, our Open Innovation platform provides services to large companies in their digital transformation journey.

The BIND 4.0 Open Innovation platform connects dynamic startup teams with well-established industry leaders and public sector organizations, to provide external solutions for their internal digital transformation challenges. BIND 4.0 facilitates the outsourcing of R&D & Innovation to young startups specialized in emerging technologies. This is a win-win approach by leveraging the expertise and agility of startups with the experience and resources of corporate companies.

The Venture Client approach means large companies, like our 80+ Corporate Clients, invest in startup teams by contracting them for real Industry 4.0 projects. This is a zero equity approach to investing by allowing the startup to maintain ownership of their company and get important reference customers as they implement and scale their solutions. Startups and Corporates alike get real benefits and results.

BIND 4.0 is designed and funded by the Basque Government and the Department of Economic Development, Sustainability and Environment through the business development agency SPRI Group. In collaboration with the main industrial companies in the region acting as Venture Clients and supported by the HAZI Foundation and the three Provincial Councils of the Basque Autonomous Community.

Nothing. The Venture Client companies pay for the development of your project and you will not be asked to exchange equity nor pay any fees for your participation, thanks to the public-private model we’ve developed.

Only the Venture Clients, Public Sector Organizations and the selection jury at BIND 4.0 will have access to the documents of each startup. All documents will be securely protected from any unauthorized access.

The maximum amount of participations in the BIND 4.0 Open Innovation Platform is 3, since startups can participate once in each program.

No. Startups from any country can apply for and participate in BIND 4.0. In the case of the Acceleration program, the 2024 Edition is a hybrid online and in-person program with some dates required to attend in person. Startup teams will need to send one team member to the required events hosted in the Basque Country, Spain in order to participate.

Early stage and “idea phase” projects will not be accepted into this program. BIND 4.0 is addressed to startups that have finished their technological development and are ready to launch their product/service on the market.

Yes, Startups must be legally established, have finished their technological development and be prepared to launch on the market or have recently entered the marketplace.

  • Startups register by filling out the application form available during the application period which will be indicated in the homepage.
  • Every team will be asked to send a video where founders introduce their startup. Other attachments that provide additional information (demos, presentations, etc.) may also be considered.

FAQ – Acceleration Program

Check out our Frequently Asked Questions about the Acceleration Program.

We accept Startups from all over the world proposing the use of new technologies which can be applied to the Industry, Energy & Sustainability, Health and Food sectors. The technologies of interest expands each year but some of the main areas are: AI, IIOT, Collaborative Robotics, AR/VR, Vision Systems, Big Data & Advanced Analytics, Cybersecurity, Nanotech, New Materials, Additive Manufacturing, Smart Energy, Clean Tech, Biobased Solutions, Positioning Systems, and many more. If your company has completed product development or recently launched a solution based on Industry 4.0 technologies, you’re ready to take the next step and join BIND 4.0.

This is where the Venture Client model comes in, the collaborating companies that partner with BIND 4.0 are constantly searching for new concepts, innovative ideas and early-stage startups that can contribute to their Industry 4.0 challenges. Collaborating companies profit by connecting with the best entrepreneurial talent in the world and also by developing innovative projects with controlled risks and costs.

The participating startups are chosen by our 70 Corporate Venture Client companies looking to collaborate and implement new technologies. Be sure to review the profiles on our Venture Clients page to get familiar with the needs of the industry and see if your solutions are a fit. Startups that pass the selection process and reach a collaboration agreement and then sign a contract with at least one of the venture client companies will join BIND 4.0.

View the Terms and Conditions

The Selection process is divided into three phases:

PHASE 1: Pre-Selection of Startups

  • The Coordination Committee will evaluate all the applications and select the startups that best match the previously defined assessment criteria, Use Cases and technologies desired
  • During this period, potentially eligible teams might be requested to provide additional information
  • The 50 startups with the highest score will pass to the second phase

PHASE 2: Selection of Finalist Startups

  • The Venture Client companies will evaluate the pre-selected startups through “pitching” type interviews according to the previously defined assessment criteria
  • The Venture Client companies will select the finalist startups with the highest scores to move on to Phase 3

PHASE 3: Matching between a Venture Client Partner Company and Finalist Startups to work on a joint project

  • During this phase Finalist Startups and our Venture Client Partners will meet to define the scope of the Industry 4.0 project, reach a collaboration agreement and determine the scope of a contract
  • In order to ease the legal terms of the agreement, BIND 4.0 will facilitate a standard contract template. However, both sides have full freedom to write additional clauses in the contract and establish the terms of their working relationship.
  • The Startups that receive a contract with one or more of our Venture Client Industry Partner companies will join BIND 4.0

Key dates for the 8th Edition of the BIND 4.0 Acceleration Program

  • International Call for Applicants / July 10th, 2023
  • Registration Deadline / September 8th, 2023
  • Startup Selection Process / September – January 26, 2024
  • Acceleration Program Kickoff / February 5, 2024
  • Acceleration & I4.0 Project Development / February – July 2024
  • Demo Day Innovation Showcase: June 27th, 2024

The Mentors of the program will coach participants and try to bring out the best in each of them. They are well-regarded international professionals who offer their knowledge, personal experience, and vision, with the goal of helping companies develop and evolve more effectively. The mentoring team will guide participating startups in each phase of their business model, marketing strategy, networks, etc. in an effort to obtain financing, investment or new clients.

The Program provides support in terms of travel-related processes, such as obtaining a VISA or finding acommodation and workspace for your team, so you can focus on what really matters.
The 2024 Edition is a hybrid online and in-person program with some dates required to attend in person. Startup teams will need to send one team member to the required events hosted in the Basque Country, Spain in order to participate. Startups that attend both in-person activities will receive financial support.

As well as the project, participant startups get individualised mentoring, workshops and investor sessions. Most of the sessions are between one and two hours long. We usually have around 8 sessions per startup every edition + the sessions with your mentors.

Furthermore, Startups are required to visit the Basque Country during the immersion week and Demo Day.

After closing the pre-selection process in September, BIND 4.0 will contact the selected applicants to coordinate the Interviews of the second phase. The applicants who have not been selected will also be informed of the results.
When interviews of Phase 2 are completed, the BIND 4.0 team will contact the finalists to coordinate a meeting between the startup and the venture client / industry partner company so that they can work on the definition and scope of the joint project to be carried out during the 24-week acceleration cycle.

The Venture Client / Corporate Partner companies will propose to each selected Startup the chance to develop a real Industry 4.0 project. During this phase, there will be meetings between Finalist Startups and interested Venture Client Companies with the goal of defining the scope of the project and reaching a collaboration agreement / contract. In order to ease the legal terms of the agreement, the BIND 4.0 Program will facilitate a standard agreement template. However, both sides have full freedom to write other clauses in the contract. Startups will have the legal support of the Program to make this agreement. While the final amount of the project and the conditions of the possible contract to be signed between the venture client company and the startup will be agreed by the parties depending on the scope and complexity of their project, the program establishes an indicative minimum of €25,000 (excluding VAT)

The 2024 Edition is a hybrid online and in person program with some dates required to attend in person. Startups teams will need to send one team member to the required events hosted in Basque Country, Spain in order to participate, all events take place in the Madrid CET/CEST time zone.

BIND 4.0 encourages participating startups to spend as much time as possible in the Basque Country, Spain, with the aim of promoting their immersion and development in the local Ecosystem. To learn more about the reasons to invest in this region, visit our Basque Industry 4.0 Ecosystem page for key business and industry figures.

BIND 4.0 offers high-quality training and guidance provided by exemplary professionals with a wide range of experience in collaboration, sales, investment, scale-up and professional development. The goal of the training program is to support Startup teams with business development and acceleration issues while they are working on their Industry 4.0 collaborative projects.

It absolutely can. When the project is finished, the relationship between the startups and venture client companies will evolve based on the needs and motivations that may arise between both sides, which they can agree to privately. We are proud to say that 50% of BIND 4.0 Startups retain their contract one year after their participation in our program.

We hold the Best of BIND 4.0 Demo Day event at the end of June or beginning of July each year. It is an Innovation Showcase to share the results of the collaborative Industry 4.0 projects developed during the acceleration cycle. Investors, Corporate Companies, Startups and Industry Influencers attend to see what exciting technologies are being implemented, it’s a great networking opportunity providing visibility and credibility to each Startup.

  1. Plan: Watch our Corporate Partners videos to see what technology they are seeking in this edition. As they will review applications and request pitches, the Corporate Venture Clients make the final decision on which Startups are selected. It is KEY to know what they need and what challenges they present in order to target your video and application. This is the Research stage, important for any project. In this research phase all you have to do is watch and listen, here is the list of participating Corporates and the challenges they are facing. This year, we have the addition of 12 Use Cases, review each one to see if your solutions are applicable. You can select up to three Use Cases in your application if appropriate. Remember, you can apply even if you don’t have a solution for a specific Use Case, we are always interested in a variety of Industry 4.0 technologies.
  2. Prepare: Explain what your solution does and the differentiation and value compared to other Startups working in the same field. Apply those differences to your advantage as you present your solutions to the Corporate Clients you are addressing in the application. Remember your application can be seen by all 70 Corporate Partners across verticals, so consider these tips to get their interest.
    – Startups need to clearly define what challenges their solution targets and how the Corporate Venture Clients will benefit from their technology. Make it clear what sector(s) your solutions apply to as we have several fields of interest.
    Explain in as much detail as possible and in simple terms what you’re working on and what results you plan to obtain in the near future. Use layman’s terms meaning, not too many acronyms and terminology that only experts in your field will know – explain what you can do not necessarily how you do it. Explain your value proposition, what the client will gain from working with you. (For example: energy savings, lower CO2 emissions, reduced risks, less downtime, etc.)
  3. Present: We ask applicants to create a short 2-3 minute video which introduces the team and solution and addresses the BIND 4.0 Corporate Clients needs so they know what technologies and services the startups offer.
    – We advise using the video to explain one project or product, not your entire catalogue. It’s better to be clear and specific with one solution than to show too many things. Don’t worry about the quality of the video, we just want to hear in your words, what you plan to do. Create a video just for your BIND 4.0 application. Don’t let this step slow you down, prepare a quick script and get in front of the camera to share your motivation and value proposition.

FAQ – SME Connection

Check out our Frequently Asked Questions about the SME Connection program.

Startups that are no more than 8 years old, that present the use of new technologies to improve industrial processes and that are ready to accelerate their business development.

Startups with new technologies, that have already completed their technological development. In other words, startups that have a product or solution that can be tested, proven, or is already available on the market.

Startups and scale-ups with disruptive solutions that can be applied to the Clean Energy, Advanced Manufacturing, Environmental, Construction, Design and Food Industries, including the use of technologies as Artificial Intelligence, Big Data Analytics, Computing, Cybersecurity, Artificial Vision, IoT, 3D Printing/ Additive Manufacturing, Collaborative Robotics, Nanotechnology, New Materials, AR/VR and much more!

Whenever we open a new call for startups, participants will find an active banner on the main page and on the SME Connection landing page redirecting to a registration form. The form is available in three languages: English, Spanish and Basque.

The applications will be sent to the SMEs of each edition, who will select the startups they are interested in based on the challenges they have previously announced. Startups will be invited to a B2B Matchmaking event between SMEs and startups.

FAQ – GovTech

Check out our Frequently Asked Questions about the BIND 4.0 GovTech initiative.

Startups that are no more than 8 years old, that present the use of new technologies to meet the needs of current challenges facing the public sector.

Startups with disruptive technologies that have already completed their technological development. Startups that have a product or solution that can be tested, proved or is already available on the market.

Startups or scale-ups with innovative solutions that can be applied to different branches of public services, including the use of technologies such as: Artificial Intelligence, Big Data Analytics, Computing, IoT, Machine Learning, Speech Recognition, Smart Mobility, Smart Energy, Climate Neutrality, Sustainability, and more!

Whenever we open a new call for startups, participants will find an active banner on the main page and on the BIND 4.0 GovTech landing page redirecting to a registration form. The form is available in three languages: English, Spanish and Basque.

The applications will be sent to the public sector organizations, who will select the startups they are interested in based on the challenges they have announced.

Contact

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