Keywords: networking

The initiative A challenge for the Park is a pioneer open innovation initiative for identifying ideas which contribute to the improvement of the park and have a positive impact on the professionals and individuals who work in the companies and institutions located in Bizkaia Technology Park.

The purpose of the initiative is to improve of the Technology Park and its businesses and professionals through an open innovation initiative, which gives voice to and responds to the needs of these professionals. Ideas may refer to the Park, its entities, businesses and centres, including infrastructures, advanced services, projects and new initiatives. It works through projects to promote collaboration, internationalization, open innovation or technology transfer, and initiatives and infrastructures which permit the enhancement of the Park and its businesses. The contest is aimed at the professionals who work at any of the entities located within Bizkaia Technology Park, and who, on behalf of these entities, and individually, wish to put forward ideas which are intended to improve the Park at which they work. The proposals submitted are assessed on the originality of the idea, implementability, and their impact, based on the number of companies which may benefit. The cost/benefit ratio is also considered. The jury responsible for selecting the winning idea is made up of representatives from the entities located in the Park and representatives of the Technology Park.

"A challenge for the Park"" is the first open innovation initiative to be launched at Bizkaia Technology Park, and simultaneously at the three technology parks in the Basque Country. In Bizkaia alone, 51 initiatives from professionals from businesses at the Park have been generated. The participation in this initiative of the professionals and businesses at the Park provides knowledge about the requirements of the businesses and professionals, gives voice to the different individuals and generates networking between the participants and businesses taking part in the initiative each year. This is thanks to the organisation of an event to celebrate the different initiatives put forward, including two awards: one for the individual submitting the winning challenge and another for their company. This serves to promote a connection and leadership between professionals and businesses at the Park.

In Bizkaia alone, 51 initiatives from professionals from businesses at the Park have been generated. The winner of the first edition was ""Tech Language Exchange application"" which permitted and enabled the launch of an app, and a section called ""Speak & Ikasi""(""Speak and learn"") for managing the exchange of languages in the scientific and technological field. The whole park and its 10,000 professionals will benefit from the new app and the ""Speak & Ikasi"" section. The second winning idea was ""Parke Annual Meeting"", which encourages contact and knowledge among the different businesses and professionals at the Park with an annual meeting which serves as a network and link among the professionals and fosters collaboration among the businesses. Again, the whole Technology Park will benefit from this initiative and after two years of existence, the initiative has consolidated as one of the most challenging and motivating initiatives promoted by the Park.

The main users of the initiative are the professionals and businesses at the Technology Park. The proposals and challenges are put forward by the professionals at the Park and the proposed solution must be innovative and beneficial for both the employees and the companies. The Park may publicise the general features of the proposals received, and in due course, the winning proposal and the names of the developers.