The Basque Government, through SPRI, has launched the 11th edition of BIND, inviting startups from around the world to develop innovation projects based on disruptive technologies in the fields of smart industry, operational efficiency, commercialisation, energy, and sustainability. The call for applications will remain open until 4 September, allowing startups to submit their proposals and compete for the opportunity to develop real open innovation projects alongside the more than 100 partner companies participating in this year's programme.
The launch of the new edition was announced during BIND Demo Day 2026, the platform's annual event held this morning, where the 30 projects developed during the tenth edition of the programme were showcased. The event brought together startups, corporations, SMEs, public entities, investors, and innovation ecosystem stakeholders, further consolidating its position as a leading forum for presenting technological solutions already being deployed across the Basque industrial ecosystem.
Opening the event, Andoitz Korta, Vice Minister for Industrial Promotion, highlighted the programme's impact over the past decade: "Over its ten-year history, the Basque Government has supported more than 400 projects involving over 275 startups, connecting them with leading Basque companies, mentors, and investors. Most importantly, BIND has delivered tangible results: it has generated more than €10 million in contracts between Basque companies and startups. These are real projects, implemented solutions, and genuine industrial transformation."
The Latest Open Innovation Projects
During BIND Demo Day 2026, the programme presented the latest 30 technological solutions developed jointly by startups and leading Basque corporations and public organisations, with practical applications in areas including energy, sustainability, artificial intelligence, advanced materials, industrial automation, and the inspection of critical infrastructure.
Among the featured projects was the collaboration between French startup Alhomna Systems and Repsol-Petronor, which developed a sludge treatment solution based on solar-powered evaporation. Its modular SolarDry system reduces the volume of wet waste directly at the point of generation, lowering transportation requirements, treatment costs, and CO₂ emissions.
In the field of advanced construction materials, Basque startup Photokrete, together with Eika, presented a project combining photonic technology and advanced microporous ceramic materials to achieve ultra-high thermal insulation in buildings. The company develops materials capable of autonomous daytime radiative cooling, reducing surface temperatures and helping mitigate the impact of heatwaves in urban environments.
Another Basque startup, We Are Clickers, showcased two artificial intelligence projects developed in collaboration with SME Xardexka and the public statistics agency Eustat. Working with Xardexka, a producer and distributor of premium ready-made meals, the startup applied AI to generate personalised menus for supply chain optimisation. Together with Eustat, it developed an automatic index generation system.
New Partners and an Integrated Programme
For its 11th edition, BIND welcomes four new partner organisations:
These organisations join a network of more than 100 corporations, SMEs, and public entities, including Mercedes-Benz, ITP Aero, Iberdrola, Bellota, Talgo, Arteche, Tubos Reunidos, Eroski, Erreka, and GH Cranes, all of which use the platform to identify technologies capable of improving efficiency, increasing competitiveness, advancing sustainability, and accelerating the transformation of strategic industries.
The main innovation introduced in this edition is the integration of BIND's SME and Corporate initiatives into a single programme. This unified approach is designed to maximise collaboration between large corporations, SMEs, and startups, facilitating the development of higher-impact innovation projects while strengthening the connection between the technological needs of the Basque business community and solutions developed by startups worldwide.
Applications Open for Startups Worldwide
With the launch of its 11th call for applications, BIND is seeking startups from across the globe with disruptive technology products or services that are already on the market or at an advanced stage of development and capable of addressing the innovation challenges proposed by participating corporations and SMEs.
Selected startups will have the opportunity to develop commercial projects with leading industrial clients, access new market opportunities, validate their technologies in real industrial environments, and become part of an internationally recognised open innovation ecosystem.
Projects are expected to contribute to building a more efficient, competitive, and sustainable industrial sector by applying technologies such as artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things (IoT), robotics, advanced materials, automation, advanced analytics, drones, clean energy, and digital industrial solutions.
Applications should address at least one of the programme's 11 thematic challenges, covering areas such as:
Startups interested in participating in the 11th edition of BIND may submit their applications from 2 July until 4 September through the programme's website.
About BIND
BIND is a public-private open innovation platform for smart industry created by the Basque Government's Department of Industry, Energy Transition and Sustainability, through the SPRI Group. Today, it brings together more than 100 leading corporations, SMEs, and public organisations based in the Basque Country.
The initiative was created with three main objectives: to accelerate the growth of startups within the Basque industrial ecosystem, enhance the competitiveness, efficiency, and sustainability of participating companies, and position the Basque Country as an international hub for advanced industrial entrepreneurship.
Since its launch in 2016, BIND's programmes have supported more than 300 startups and facilitated the development of over 400 innovation projects.
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