Grupo Baskonia Alavés has successfully concluded the application period for its Startup Challenge, attracting a total of 119 applications. The initiative, developed in collaboration with startup accelerator BerriUp, the Provincial Council of Álava, venture capital fund Easo Ventures, and BIC Araba (Álava Business and Innovation Centre), aims to transform the local sports ecosystem into a smart sports district by collaborating with startups capable of delivering innovative solutions for sport, entertainment and sporting events.
The programme sought technology startups interested in validating their products and solutions in a real-world environment in Vitoria-Gasteiz. It was open both to early-stage startups with disruptive ideas and to companies with market-ready solutions, particularly in the fields of smart mobility, fan engagement and sustainable sporting events.
The call attracted 119 applications, including 70 in the MVP or existing product category and 49 in the disruptive idea category. By challenge area, fan engagement generated the highest level of interest with 54 applications (30 MVPs and 24 ideas), followed by sustainability with 34 (25 MVPs and nine ideas), and smart mobility with 31 (15 MVPs and 16 ideas).
The programme also achieved significant geographical reach. Of the total applications, 93 came from Spain—including 53 from the Basque Country (21 from Álava, 28 from Bizkaia and four from Gipuzkoa)—while 26 were submitted by international startups, highlighting the initiative's growing appeal beyond Spain.
The selected startups will take part in an acceleration programme designed together with BerriUp, featuring specialised mentoring, strategic support and access to funding opportunities through Easo Ventures. The objective is to transform the selected solutions into robust, scalable projects that can be piloted within Grupo Baskonia Alavés. In addition, BIC Araba will support participating startups as the region's business and innovation centre, facilitating the establishment of selected projects in Álava.
Aitor Jiménez, Innovation and Technology Director at Grupo Baskonia Alavés, said: "Receiving more than 100 applications confirms the enormous interest in transforming the sports industry through innovation and technology. For Baskonia-Alavés Group and The Faktory, this response validates our commitment to open innovation and to connecting entrepreneurial talent with real challenges in sport. We have received high-quality proposals in areas such as smart venues, fan engagement, artificial intelligence, mobility and sustainability. Our next step is to identify the solutions with the greatest potential to become pilot projects within our ecosystem."
The collaboration between all Startup Challenge partners plays a key role in fostering open innovation, connecting entrepreneurial talent with the sports industry and creating practical solutions that will shape the future of sport and entertainment.
Jon Ander Merodio, CEO of BerriUp, commented: "The number of applications received demonstrates the value of bringing together key players across the innovation ecosystem. Their joint efforts have attracted both national and international startups to an initiative capable of generating significant value for the region. We now look forward to supporting these projects and helping them make the most of the opportunity to validate their technologies in a real-world environment alongside Grupo Baskonia Alavés, accelerating their development and bringing them closer to the market."
Saray Zárate, Deputy for Economic Development and Sustainability at the Provincial Council of Álava, added: "The strong response to this call, including 21 applications from Álava, confirms the strength of our entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystem and its ability to test disruptive solutions in real-life environments. Collaboration between established companies and startups is essential to generating new projects that create economic dynamism, employment and long-term value for the region."
The application period closed on 30 June through the programme's official website. The evaluation committee responsible for reviewing all submissions and selecting the finalists will include representatives from Grupo Baskonia Alavés, BIC Araba, the Provincial Council of Álava, Easo Ventures and BerriUp, together with external innovation experts from Área 101, a leading sports innovation ecosystem; Moeve, a leader in sustainable mobility and energy transition; and Mobility Lab, a benchmark hub for smart mobility innovation.
On 10 July, the three shortlisted startups in each challenge area will present their projects to the jury, which will select one winning startup per category.
The acceleration programme and pilot projects will begin in September, allowing the selected startups to work alongside Grupo Baskonia Alavés in a real operational environment.
Through this initiative, Grupo Baskonia Alavés continues to strengthen its position as a driving force for innovation, creating new opportunities for collaboration and contributing to the growth of the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
For more information, visit: https://startupchallenge.baskoniaalaves.com/
About Grupo Baskonia Alavés
Grupo Baskonia Alavés is one of Spain's leading sports organisations, with a presence in both basketball and football through its clubs Saski Baskonia and Deportivo Alavés. Through its innovation division, The Faktory, the group leads digital transformation and sustainability projects aimed at enhancing the sports experience.
About BerriUp
Founded in 2015, BerriUp has been recognised as Spain's leading private startup accelerator according to Funcas' Annual Accelerator Ranking. Based in Bilbao and San Sebastián, it has accelerated more than 40 startups selected from over 2,000 applications, supported by an extensive network of mentors and one of the country's leading acceleration programmes.
For more information, visit www.berriup.com.
About the Provincial Council of Álava
The Provincial Council of Álava is the governing institution of the Historical Territory of Álava. It is committed to promoting economic development, innovation and entrepreneurship across the region.
For more information, visit web.araba.eus/eu/.
About Easo Ventures
Easo Ventures is a venture capital fund with a portfolio of more than 90 startups and is widely recognised as one of the leading VC funds in the Basque Country and Spain. Specialising in technology and innovative business models, it supports startups throughout their growth journey from the earliest stages.
For more information, visit www.easoventures.com.
About BIC Araba
BIC Araba (Álava Business and Innovation Centre) is the leading entrepreneurship and innovation hub in Álava. It provides comprehensive support services to entrepreneurs and innovative companies, from the idea stage through to business consolidation, contributing to the development of the region's entrepreneurial ecosystem.
For more information, visit www.bicaraba.eus.
cloud technology axon
The programme sought technology startups interested in validating thei...
