TECHNOLOGY PARK OF THE BASQUE COUNTRY

LOCATION

The Technology Park is spread across 370 acres in the town of Zamudio, in the heart of Vizcaya in the Basque Country. More than a hundred companies are undertaking technologically advanced work in the Park.

The Autonomous Community of the Basque Country, located in the northern coast of Spain, is the most heavily industrialized region in Spain. With over two million inhabitants, it is in t..............................e

TECHNOLOGY PARK OF THE BASQUE COUNTRY

LOCATION

The Basque Country has an extensive road network of 4,243 kilometers, of which 331 are motor way or dual carriage ways. Its railway infrastructure links the region to the rest of Spain and to France. The Basque transport network is supported by three airports and two of Spain's leading cargo seaports.

MANAGEMENT AND OBJECTIVES

The Technology Park is an area that has been specifically prepared for high technology companies to provide a quality infrastructure and support services for their activity. The surrounding area offers the companies located in the park all the additional support that they require for their development in terms of training, research and technology.

But the Park is not only looking to bring together innovative companies. The proximity of the University and of a number of R&D centers, together with the existence of a consolidated industrial base in the area, favor technology transfer and synergy between companies. The Park acts as a communication infrastructure which promotes links between training centers, research centers and companies to maximize the exploitation of technological capacity.

The Park is managed by the public sector company Parque Tecnológico-Teknologi Elkartegia, S.A. supported by the Sociedad para la Promoción y Reconversión Industrial (SPRI), the Basque Regional Development Agency, and controlled by the Department of Industry of the Basque Government, the Bizkaia Provincial Council and the town council of Zamudio.

THE TECHNOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENT

In recent years, the Basque Country has created and developed a considerable technological structure to support research and development work in companies. This structure is based on three pillars: basic University research, technology centers' research activities controlled by the public administration and sectorial groups' activities.

Of special importance are the seven centers of the Basque Technology Network, due to the importance of the 900 technicians engaged in R&D work. These seven centers offer support to business and industry in areas such as Information and Communication Technologies, Advanced Electronics and Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology, Aeronautics and Quality.

Four of these technological centers - Aeronautics Technological Center, Labein, Robotiker and Gaiker - have located their offices in the Technology Park. Labein runs a supercomputer center, a communications laboratory and a quality unit. Robotiker and Gaiker, whom respectively work in robotics and new materials, have moved their headquarters to the Park. The coordinating entity of the Basque R&D centers (EITE) and the European Software Institute are also based in the Park.

ENTRANCE CONDITIONS

The Technology Park of the Basque Country offers infrastructure for the installation of innovative, high-technology companies. When considering an application, the Technology Park takes into account the following factors:

Research and development activities to be undertaken by the company.

Capacity of relation with the university and technology centers.

Level of integration that the activities can achieve within the Technology Park.

Ability to develop, apply and disseminate new technologies.

Potential contribution to technology transfer processes through products or advanced services.

Technological level of products.

Capacity to attract other high-technology companies.

Growth potential.

Scientific and technical potential.

Qualification of personnel.

Technical and economic viability.

Contribution to the Park's image as a nucleus of advanced technology.

SITE OCCUPATION

Companies can set up in the Technology Park by means of two different formulas: monthly rent based on the surface area occupied or the purchase of a site.

For those companies wishing to rent facilities, the Technology Park owns eight buildings to this end. The bildings are called 101 - which also contains the central offices of the Park-, 103, 105, 204, 205, 206, 207 and 208.

Offices can be rented in the Nido building for up to three years by newly-created companies which initially require only a small surface area. It is also possible to rent space in the buildings owned by the Park with a purchase option realisable after twelve years.

Certain companies which are considered of specific interest to the Technology Park may also purchase land for the construction of their own building.

SERVICES

The Technology Park offers infrastructure and logistics, consultancy and communication support to all the companies located within it. This includes access roads, the internal road system, electricity, water and sewerage systems, fire prevention systems and natural gas.

The Park also offers its resident companies a wide range of logistic support: advanced telecommunication networks, travel agency, bank agency, medical services, garbage collection, formation services, tele-surveillance services, etc.

For the external relations of its companies, the Technology Park has an auditorium fully-equipped with audio-visual and simultaneous translation facilities, conference and meeting rooms, as well as a social centre which is used by the companies in the Park for their meetings with other bodies.

THE COMPANIES

The Technology Park considers non-polluting companies included in the following groups as priority candidates:

Industrial companies involved in high-quality manufacturing or which require advanced technologies preferably in the fields of electronics, optoelectronics, telecommunication, information technologies, industrial automation, social welfare technologies, environment and energy technologies.

Companies, company departments, groups of companies, public or private institutions engaged in research and development work.

Advanced service companies that offer advanced technical services or consultancy and support services to business management.

To date, more than a hundred companies, principally in Information and Communication Technologies, Aeronautics , Electronics, Advanced Engineering, Biotechnology, R+D, Quality and Environment have located in the Technology Park.

The majority of these companies are small, although there are some companies that each employ more than 200 people each. Total employment within the Technology Park stands at over 4,200 people, more than 45 % of whom are university graduates and

35 % of whom are involved in research and development.

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