BIND 4.0 SME Connection

Join the Initiative to Solve Real Industry Challenges

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What is the BIND 4.0 SME Connection?

Through the BIND 4.0 SME Connection, innovative Startups discover current industry challenges and get immersed in the cooperative Basque Entrepreneurial and Innovation Ecosystem through Open Innovation. Participating Startups earn reputable reference customers while working on paid contracts implementing solutions in real environments for one or more leading local companies.

This public-private BIND 4.0 program is led by industry Cluster Management Organisations based in the Basque Country. The goal is twofold, to bring startups clients by presenting their disruptive solutions to SMEs in order to boost digital transformation and face their technological challenges.

The driving force of the SME Connection is to use the BIND 4.0 open innovation ecosystem and platform model to facilitate innovation projects between Basque SMEs and startups. BIND 4.0 SME Connection generates new opportunities for collaboration following the model of Cluster-led Challenges and the open innovation model of the BIND 4.0 platform.

Startup Benefits

Real Projects with Real Turnover
Facilitated Access to Market & SMEs
Rapid Implementation of Solutions
Reputable Reference Customer
Positioning and Visibility
Maintain Technology Ownership
BIND 4.0 Proven Success Model
Join the Basque Entrepreneurial Ecosystem

Startups benefit from the active participation of innovative companies seeking targeted solutions to joint challenges defined by the SMEs and their Cluster Organisations.

What type of Startups should apply?

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, Automotive and Food industries, including: Artificial Intelligence, Big Data Analytics, Computing, Cybersecurity, Artificial Vision, IoT, 3D Printing/ Additive Manufacturing, Collaborative Robotics, Nanotechnology, New Material, ARVR and so much more!

Sector-led Challenges for Industry 4.0

Through their cooperation within Basque industry Clusters, the members of the BIND 4.0 SME Connection identify a series of common challenges that directly affect the SMEs. The goal is to respond to these challenges through the development of innovative projects in collaboration with technology startups. Once the applications have been submitted, the SMEs can select the solutions presented that best fit their demand, depending on the challenges posed. In some cases, more than one startup may be selected for the same challenge.