invest in bilbao 2015 english
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Ready for Business
2015
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Southern European City in the overall and FDI strategy categories in the FDi European Cities and Regions of the Future Ranking (2014)
4th
www.fdiintelligence.com
BILBAO
9th Mid-sized European City in the overall category of the FDi European Cities and Regions of the Future Ranking (2014)
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BILBAO Fact sheet
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Population
Metropolitan Bilbao:
1.000.000
Municipality of Bilbao:
347.278
2014
Foreign population 7,7% 2014
GDP per capita 37.000 2012
Employment generated
by the city 165.315
March
2015
Business licenses for
economic activities 38.075
IV Trimester
2014
Creative companies 2.798 IV Trimester
2014
Visitors 742.445 2014
Cultural events
supported by the city 1.699 2014
Conventions,
congresses and
meetings
1.064 2014
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WHY Invest in Bilbao
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reasons to invest in Bilbao 10 Strategic location in the “Atlantic axis”
Excellent internal and external connectivity
Centre of the economic activity of one of the most competitive
European regions: Basque Country
Attractive business environment
High quality of life
Legal safety, own tax system and good public governance
Talent
Specialized in innovative and high-added value sectors of activity
City-brand that gives value
A city that looks to the future
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1. Strategic location in the “Atlantic axis” Bilbao´s centrality in the so called “Atlantic axis” of the European Union
and its European orientation make of Bilbao a reference focus for the
establishment of solid relations with Europe.
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Bilbao stands on the crossroads of the
main north-south European transport
route and the emergent east-west route.
The city is gearing up to take advantage of
this excellent location to become a true
“hinge point” in Europe.
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2. Excellent internal and external connectivity
Bilbao is a global and interconnected city that grants excellent external
accessibility grace to one of the most important airports from the north
of Spain and a modern Port. The diverse public transport means have
been perfectly structured in order that they can complement each other,
offering an efficient alternative to the individual use of cars.
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Bilbao Airport
Bilbao International Airport has become the main airport in the north of
Spain, with growing international expansion and increasing range of
destinations.
It is the main node of external connectivity in the Basque Country.
With 4.015.352 passengers in 2014, its users include tourists,
businessmen, travellers, conference delegates and urban planners,
amongst others.
It is located only 10 minutes distance by car from the city centre (12
Km).
Direct flight connections to the main European destinations:
www.aeropuertodebilbao.net
A Coruña
Alicante
Amsterdam
Athens
Barcelona
Berlin Tegel
Bristol
Brussels
Bucharest
Dublin
Düsseldorf
Istanbul
Frankfurt
Fuerteventura
Geneva
Palma de Mallorca
Paris Charles de Gaulle
Paris Orly
Prague
Roma Fiumicino
Santiago de Compostela
Santorini
Seville
Stuttgart
Tenerife North
Valencia
Venice
Vigo
Zurich
Gran Canarias
Ibiza
Lanzarote
Lisbon
London Gatwick
London Heathrow
London Stansted
Madeira - Funchal
Madrid
Malaga
Manchester
Menorca
Milan Malpensa
Munich
Oslo
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Bilbao Port
Amplio radio de distribución
The Port of Bilbao is one of the most important logistics centres on the Atlantic
route for European market access. In addition to its privileged geographical
location, it offers a series of unquestionable advantages:
• A great tradition and quality services: a port with more than 700 years of history.
• Modern and functional installations for all types of goods.
• Docks with draughts of up to 32 meters.
• Magnificent land connections.
• Railway connections to its dry dock network: Azuqueca (Guadalajara), Coslada (Madrid) and Villafría
(Burgos).
• A huge offer of maritime Commercial services for all markets.
• An agile port also in document processing:'epuertobilbao‘ electronic commerce platform.
• A future full of possibilities thanks to the enlargement the works carried out and ongoing.
• Great investment capacity.
www.bilbaoport.es
An offer of regular services
connects it with 800 ports
worldwide.
Works with all classes of goods
and vessels.
It is open and operative 24 hours
a day, every day of the year. It has
no problems of drafts or tides.
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Road connections
France: Bilbao is 8 hours from Paris by car, with connections to other important cities
along the route: the nearby Donostia-San Sebastián (100 km.), Bayonne (150 km.),
Biarritz (150 km.), Pau, Toulouse, Bordeaux, Limoges, Tours...
Madrid and central Spain: Madrid is a 4 hour drive away, passing by the nearby
Vitoria-Gasteiz (60 km.) and Burgos (150 km.). The capital of Spain connects Bilbao
with the Castilian Plateau, a region where the cities of Valladolid, Segovia,
Salamanca and Toledo are located.
Barcelona and the Mediterranean: It takes a 6-hour journey to travel to Barcelona,
along a route that passes by Logroño (130 km.) and Zaragoza or alternatively
Pamplona (150 km.). The capital of Catalonia opens up Bilbao to the Mediterranean
axis, both in Spain (Valencia, Mallorca and Ibiza, Costa Brava, Costa del Sol...) and
in France (Montpellier, French Riviera...)
A7 and A8 highways connect
Bilbao with the French road
network and with the centre of
Europe.
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Train
www.renfe.com
www.euskotren.es
www.renfe.com/viajeros/feve
A network of railway lines converges in Bilbao.
This, together with its excellent motorways and dual carriageways, makes land
transport a good option.
The High Speed Train, which is expected to arrive to Bilbao in 2019, will connect the
city to Madrid in 2 hours and to Paris in less than 6, will help to improve connectivity
in the future.
Train brings close to the city more
than 30,6 million travellers per
year
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Metro Bilbao
The great bid to improve metropolitan connectivity. The linear configuration of
metropolitan Bilbao allows the underground train to be a very efficient infrastructure,
which has already revolutionized Bilbao's transport system.
Since its inauguration in November 1995, Metro Bilbao, designed by Norman
Foster, has been used by almost 1.000 million people.
It has, in fact, become the most important means of transport in the
metropolitan area of Bilbao, the focal point around which all other forms of
transport are being organized to offer an intermodal, coordinated and
complementary service. In 2014 Metro Bilbao has registered more than 87 million
users.
www.metrobilbao.eus
It has 2 operative lines. A new
line is under construction and
there are two more lines in
project phase.
Meets all the accessibility
requirements.
Services with frequencies of less
than six minutes at peak times.
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Bilbao Tram
www.euskotren.es/es/tranviabilbao
Since it first became operational in 2002, the tram has become a key player in the
functional integration of new projects being developed on and around the riverfront.
Bilbao's tramway is a new surface transportation system which connects Old
Bilbao and the historical centre with the whole of the Ensanche. It also
connects the Abando train station with the bus station, and offers interesting
options for tourist visits.
It provides transport to a variety of urban facilities, shopping areas, Arts Centres and
sports facilities, higher education centres and Basurto Hospital.
Goes over the City centre.
More than 3 million users per
year.
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Urban bus Bicycle
www.bilbao.net/bilbobus
www.agenda21bilbao.net
Bilbao has a network of cycling routes than facilitate to
move around in the city. It also has an automatic loan
service of bicycles with the main objective of developing
sustainable, practical, and rapid transport system for the
daily use.
Bilbobus, the urban bus network in the city, passes through
all neighbourhoods and most of the units are adapted for people
with reduced mobility.
It consists of 36 lines that cover the whole city.
Bizkaibus services connect virtually all the municipalities in the
province of Bizkaia.
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3. Centre of the economic activity of one of the
most competitive European regions: Basque
Country Bilbao is home to around half the population and economic activity of the
Basque Country. The Basque economy, grace to its industrial and
business tissue, has been able to position itself as one of the most
competitive, innovative and productive regions of Europe. The Basque
GDP per capita is 30% higher than the European Union average.
UN Human Economic Index (0,981 out of 1)
1st 3rd Ranked country in the EU in per capita income (GDP) behind Luxembourg and Holland
2nd Ranked country in the EU for productivity per Employee
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www.euskadi.net
www.euskadiemprende.net
Basque Country: One of the most competitive European regions
The Basque economy, grace to its business and industrial fabric, has been able to
position itself as one of the most competitive, innovative and productive regions
from Spain and Europe.
The Basque Country belongs to the European regions with highest wellness
per inhabitant. It has the second highest GDP per capita in Spain (29.683€ in
2014), with a difference of 25,5% over the Spanish average and also exceeding the
European average of GDP per capita.
The Basque GDP has been growing since 1980 and reaches around the 130% of
the European average and its regional level of human development is comparable to
the most advanced countries such as Finland or Austria.
The Basque Country grace to its
economic structure based on
industry and high-added value
services is the autonomous
region that has better faced the
crisis in Spain
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High productivity
The high productivity rate per employee of the Basque Country, place it as the
second ranked country in the EU and, 25% above the EU average.
The successful industrial policy carried out has been based in the creation of
development instruments such as support financial programs to the
investment, innovation and internationalization; the development of plans for the
promotion of science and technology, the creation of spaces for innovation such as
technology and science parks and the bet to create industrial clusters as instruments
for the development of the strategic economic sectors of the country.
Investment in R&D above the EU
average
With only 4,6% of Spain´s
population its exports represent
more than 9% of the country´s
total, most of them to Germany
and France
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FDI in the Basque Country
• More than 700 international companies.
• More than 9% of the GDP and 11% of the turnover
• Employ more than 61.000 people (11% of working population in 2012).
• 432 million € FDI in 2012.
• Spain´s third strongest region for foreign direct investment, behind
Madrid and Catalonia.
FDI weight on GDP* in the Basque Country M
illio
n €
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4. Attractive business environment Bilbao has a wide range of infrastructures which are able to offer to
companies an environment that facilitates the generation of business.
The conjunction in its territorial environment close to high-tech
companies and the high-qualified labour force allow the development of
advanced services and knowledge economy.
Southern European City in the overall and FDI strategy categories in the FDi European Cities and Regions of the Future Ranking (2014)
4th 9th Mid-sized European City in the overall category of the FDi European Cities and Regions of the Future Ranking (2014)
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Commitment with economic promotion in the territory by all institutional levels
Basque Business Development Agency
(SPRI) Economic and Employment
Promotion Agency
Local Development Agency
Regional level:
Basque Government
Provincial level:
Provincial Council of Biscay
Local level:
City Council of Bilbao
www.euskadi.net
www.spri.es www.bizkaia.net
www.beaz.bizkaia.net
www.bilbao.net
www.bilbao.net/BilbaoEkintza
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Competitive business clusters oriented to the global market
The main Basque industrial sectors are organized and
cooperate in priority sector clusters, developing
collaborative innovation, commercial and technical
initiatives.
There are also 11 pre-clusters in other sectors such as
Bioscience, Smelting, Forging and Printing, Furniture, Food,
Hand tools, Construction and Iron, among others, with
englobe more than 650 companies, 193.126 employers and
38.215 million euros turnover.
Priority clusters
Companies
(number)
Employment
(number)
Turnover
(million €)
Exports
(% of sales)
Electrical appliances 10 3.971 468 64%
Machine Tool 128 7.074 1.328 92%
Automotive 199 35.000 13.100 83%
IT and electronics 186 8.024 2.124 38%
Environmental 70 2.711 1.563 21%
Energy 78 12.700 11.500 34%
Aeronautics 39 12.418 1.720 64%
Maritime industry 140 8.303 1.699 59%
Paper 21 1.884 821 56%
Audiovisual 41 1.496 82 2%
Port of Bilbao 125 5.050 1.350 -
* Data 2013
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Advanced science, technology and innovation network
The Basque Country counts on with an advanced science,
technology and innovation network, which is able to provide a
technological, holistic, sophisticated and specialized offer to
the business fabric.
www.innobasque.com
4 Technology Parks
3 Universities
9 BERCs (Basic and Excellence Research Centres)
3 Public Investigation Bodies
2 Technology Corporations
6 Sectorial Centres
3 Public venture Capital Companies
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Bizkaia Science and Technology Park
The Bizkaia Science and Technology Park is a benchmark in Basque Country
Research, Development and Innovation, with a big concentration of innovating
businesses that devote more than 10% of their investments to R&D&i.
It also has a considerable scientific-technological community made up of
more than 2.100 researchers in the Technology Centres, University
Departments, R&D Business Units and R&D&i coordination Agents.
In the Bizkaia Science and Technology Park are located more that 200
companies from various sectors: Aerospace, Automotive, Electronics, Energy
and Environment, Research and Development, Engineering, Medicine and
Biosciences, Advanced Services, General Services, Information Technology.
10 minutes distance from Bilbao City Centre
219 Companies installed
7.907 Total staff
27% R&D personnel
2.620 million euros whole turnover
www.parke.eus/bizkaia
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Bilbao Bizkaia Design and Creativity Council - BIDC
www.bidc-council.net
Bilbao Bizkaia Design and Creativity Council, an initiative linked to
industrial and graphic design, fashion, furniture, videogames
and audio-visual and digital economy, is key for the promotion,
internationalization and competitiveness of these sectors.
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Bilbao Auzo Factory
Creativity factory linked to advanced
business services and R&D social,
cultural and economic laboratory
Specialized in digital economy and
contents.
Existing Auzo Factories:
Three new Bilbao Auzo Factories will be
opened in 2015 and 2016
Bilbao Auzo Factory (BAF) is a project that aims to create
innovative environments that can act as innovation nodes,
creating small urban spaces for creativity and
entrepreneurship in the neighbourhoods.
These «Factories», through the mixture of diverse uses such as
incubators, accelerators, training and networking among other
activities, generate an attractive environment for innovation and
economic development in the city.
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Basque world leading companies
Metropolitan Bilbao is home of Basque world leading companies such as:
BBVA: global group that offers individual and corporate customers the most complete range of financial and non-financial products and services. www.bbva.com
IBERDROLA: Spain’s leading energy group, one of the top five electricity companies worldwide, and global leader in wind energy. www.iberdrola.es
GAMESA: world leader in the design, manufacture, installation and maintenance of wind turbines. www.gamesa.es
SENER: Engineering, Construction and Systems Integration company. www.sener.es
IDOM: one of the leading companies in the Spanish market for professional services in Engineering, Architecture and Consulting. www.idom.es
ITP: leading global company delivering high-technology products and services in the aeronautical and industrial engine market. www.itp.es
CIE AUTOMOTIVE: supplier of components and subassemblies to the global automotive industry. www.cieautomotive.com
VELATIA: international industrial and technological group which operates in the areas of electrical networks, electronics and communication networks as well as in the consulting, security and
aviation sectors. www.velatia.com
ARTECHE GROUP: world leader in the electricity sector. www.arteche.com
INGETEAM: market leader specialising in electrical engineering and the development of electrical equipment, motors, generators and frequency converters. www.ingeteam.com
MONDRAGON CORPORATION: Sales and production presence around the world in the industrial, financial, retail and knowledge sectors. www.mondragon-corporation.com
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International companies in Bilbao
www.camarabilbao.com
Almost 700 foreign companies settled in the Basque Country and many of them are located in the Metropolitan Area of Bilbao.
These companies come from different countries, among which Germany, France, USA and Japan stand out. These companies have
been installed here for decades, confirming that the Basque Country and Bilbao are good places to invest.
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Spaces for conferences and meetings
www.inbilbao.com
www.bilbao.net/conventionbureau
www.euskalduna.net
Bilbao offers companies a wide range of diverse and unique spaces to host
conventions, congresses or corporate meetings, such as:
• The Euskalduna Conference Centre and Concert Hall
• Bilbao Exhibition Centre (BEC)
• Azkuna Zentroa - AlhondigaBilbao
• Guggenheim Museum Bilbao
Bilbao is not only one of Europe´s
most attractive cities for hosting
congresses, exhibitions, fun trips,
corporate meeting, training… but
we also help companies to manage
their events, through the Bilbao
Convention Bureau.
www.bilbaoexhibitioncentre.com
www.azkunazentroa.com
www.guggenheim-bilbao.es
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5. High quality of life Bilbao is a modern and balanced city, efficient, welcoming
and attractive to live, to work and to visit. In it, people can
reconcile their professional and private life, thanks to its
attractive cultural and leisure offer.
City with best reputation in Spain according to Merco Ciudad (2010)
3rd Most sustainable City in Spain (2012) 3rd
LivCom Award in the category of Enhancement of the Natural and Built Landscapes (2011)
1st
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Green spaces and attractive surroundings
Bilbao offers a wide range of green spaces for leisure, 1.340.000 square metres
of open spaces equipped with picnic areas, children’s play areas, drinking fountains,
tables, barbecues and other amenities. Along with the 21 city parks, these areas
make up Bilbao’s green belt.
Also, some of the most beautiful beaches along the northern coast are within a
stone's throw of Bilbao many of them are accessible by metro.
1.340.000 square meters of open
spaces and 21 city parks.
www.bilbao.net/anilloverde
www.bilbao.net/bilbaoturismo
www.mybilbaobizkaia.com
www.tourism.euskadi.net
Metropolitan Bilbao has many
beaches and a spectacular coast
just a few minutes away from the
city center.
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www.bilbaobbklive.com
www.bilbaokultura.net
www.redbullcliffdiving.com
www.bilbaoartdistrict.com
Cultural and leisure offer
After the success obtained in the
2014 edition, Bilbao will host in
September the final round of the
Red Bull Cliff Diving World
Series 2015.
Culture is the fuse that lights Bilbao’s transformation, and currently it is still a pillar of
the strategy to keep on boosting innovation. Art and culture in Bilbao are not just
seen as objects to admire but as a way of life. That is why the city hosts a wide
range of cultural and entertainment events, with a calendar featuring film festivals,
music, theatre and dance which draw large, enthusiastic audiences.
Also, Bilbao Art District is the area in the city where the most important art galleries
in the city are located; the Guggenheim Museum, the Fine Arts Museum, and the
Rekalde Gallery as well as restoration and framing workshops, and antique
bookshops.
BBK Live is one of the most
important European music
festivals.
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Gastronomy
The Basque cuisine internationally recognized for being one of the best cuisines
from all over the world.
New Basque cuisine takes its basis from traditional Basque cuisine, although
enriched with touches (subtle or emphatic) of creativity and sophistication.
Also, in Bilbao there is a wide range of Cafés, gastronomic stores, pintxo bars
and restaurants.
Bilbao also have an attractive night live.
Basque Country accounts 30
Michelin Stars in 21 restaurants
Four of them have 3 Michelin
Stars, being the maximum
recognition
www.bilbao-bizkaia.slowfood.es
www.bculinary.com
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Safe city
Bilbao is a safe city. Proof of this is the low rates of crime and violence in the city.
We work hard to keep crime and violence rates down and reduce them still further.
The ETA ceasefire, announced in 2011, was the best thing that could happen to the
Basque society. There is peace in Bilbao and Basque Country at last. People can
come, visit and invest in the city in peace because we, at last, live in peace.
Bilbao has one of the lowest crime
rates in Spain.
ETA announced its ceasefire in
2011.
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6. Legal safety, own tax system and good public
governance
Bilbao´s entrepreneurial tradition and its experience along to its willingness to
innovate and improve constantly, make of Bilbao a reliable city, in which the
efficiency and legal safety of its institutions are an identity mark. The provincial
Government of Biscay has an own tax system with regulatory capacity for taxes
as well as autonomy for its exaction and collection. Besides, the good
governance carried out by the city obtains a high valuation, both from the
citizens and for international organizations.
Most transparent city in Spain in 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2014 according to Transparency International
Winner of the EPSA – European Public Service Award (2011)
1st City with the best e-Administration in Spain according to the Internet Users Association (2010)
1st
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Basque Country: Own treasury
The Basque Country, although it is part of Spain it has its own treasury.
The three governing bodies of the Historic Territories of Álava, Bizkaia and
Gipuzkoa are in charge of collecting the main taxes, and the high level of
autonomy allows the direct government and administration regarding matters
such as: Treasury and Tax Collection, Industry and Economic Promotion,
Research and Innovation, Transports, Housing, Environment, Education, Public
Health, Law and Order, etc.
A multi-annual economic agreement regulates the financial relations with the
Spanish State.
In addition to fiscal powers, the Basque Country has its own powers with
respect to health, education and culture, industry and commerce, transport and
public development work, the police, the environment, the agriculture, tourism,
work, social protection and water resources. The Spanish State regulates the
labor legal framework.
This fiscal autonomy is one of the factors that
led Standard & Poor´s to recently confirm the
Basque Country's BBB+ rating two notches
above that of Spain.
With its own fiscal regime it can also offer
companies diverse deductions that make the
effective corporate tax even lower.
Basque Country has 28% rate of corporate
tax (24% for SMEs), compared with 30% of
the rest of Spain.
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Good public governance
Only large municipality that is
DEBT FREE in Spain.
On-line processing portal, which
incorporates 60 on-line processes
for citizens and companies.
In the current climate of economic crisis, the City of Bilbao has designed a strategy
based on economic austerity and stringency for its political management,
enabling it to respond to the commitments acquired to citizens, through on-going
monitoring of the actions developed with as much transparency as possible,
fostering citizen participation and seeking “zero” public borrowing.
The Municipal website serve as multi-channel system for citizen's an companies´
requests:
• E-Administration gateway
• Citizen and Companies folders
• Electronic invoicing
• On-demand payments
• On-line payments
• News and on-demand information
• “Your city council listens”
www.bilbao.net/eudala
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7. Talent Bilbao is a city with a high-skilled population, in which more than 24% of
the population has a university degree. Besides, it has established
collaboration agreements with universities with the aim of facilitating the
development of new education infrastructures, which allow creating
innovation and knowledge poles especially in the fields of: engineering,
telecommunications, and health.
Basque Public University: Greater number of doctorate programs with “excellence” distinction in Spain
of the population has a university degree 24%
People working in 2013 in R&D in the city 3.822
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University City
• Bilbao is home of 4 Universities: Basque Public University (UPV/EHU), Deusto University, Mondragon University and Tecnun
University of Navarra.
• Attractive and diverse high education offer: 73 higher degrees and more than 100 postgraduate masters and doctorates.
• More than 36.000 students.
• 3.400 professors and/or researchers reaching 5.000 employments
• Represent the 21% of the expenses on R&D activities in Bizkaia.
• 20,6% of researchers work with companies: researchers working with companies have increased a 41% in the past two years.
• 5 of the 6 Basque BERCs (Basic and Excellence Research Centers) are located in Bilbao Metropolitan Area: Neuroscience, BC3
Climate Change (Bilbao), BCAM Applied Mathematics, BCMaterials, Applications and Nanostructures and the UB Biophysics Unit
UPV/EHU–CSIC.
• Spaces for busses incubators and the creation of university spin-offs: ZITEK (UPV/EHU), DeustoKabi (Deusto University) and Bilbao
Berrikuntza Faktoria (Mondragon University).
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3.000 doctorates
4.305 R&D&i activities
288 Research groups
90
Patents
Research General Services (SGIker): support to research at the highest level, with modern
instruments and high technology equipment.
ZITEK Program: creation of a business tissue from the entrepreneurial ideas that are the
result not only of the R&D&i research groups, but from any entrepreneur with a previous or
present link with the University.
www.ehu.eus/es/web/sgiker
www.emprendedoreszitek.com
More than 3.000 doctors, 288 reaserch groups, 4.305
R&D&i activities (46,6 million €) and 90 registred patents.
Greater number of doctorate programs with “excellence”
distinction in Spain
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887 Researchers
12 Research centres
39 Research groups
301
Research projects
887 researchers (389 doctorates), 12 research centers,
39 research groups and 301 research projects.
Deusto Entrepreneurship Centre encourages the entrepreneurial spirit and knowledge
transfer generated or learned in the Deusto University to the society and market.
In Bilbao it also has DeustoKabi, to support entrepreneurs and the business projects that
emerge in the university environment, encouraging transfer and application of the
technology, knowledge and advanced services generated at the University of Deusto to the
world of business. www.deusto.es
www.ekintzailetza.deusto.es
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5 R&D
management units
95 Doctorates
Research activities linke to companies
MU-BBF (Bilbao Berrikuntza Faktoria): Innovation and Entrepreneurial Centre. It
has three differentiated fields in one space; innovation and entrepreneurial centre
(CIE); University activity; and venue of innovative companies.
www.mondragon.edu
Collaborative research through 5 R&D management
units.
It has 95 doctorates and research activity linked to the
business sector (kerlan, Ideko and Garaia Innovation
Pole).
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8.
Member of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network n the field of Design (2014)
8. Specialized in innovative and high-added
value sectors of activity
Bilbao has created the necessary conditions to favour knowledge,
innovation and creativity. Therefore, besides strengthening the existing
companies, it also attract new ones, especially those related to the
emerging and dynamic sectors such as: Art & Creativity; Advanced
services; Tourism & Business Conventions; Internet Digital Tech; Eco-
technology & Urban solutions; and Health & Applied Technologies.
Most Smart Cities in Spain according to IDC´s Information Society Index (2011 and 2012)
Top 5 3rd Most innovative City in Spain, 46th in Europe and 82nd in the World according to the Study Top 100 Innovative cities (2011 )
Cities of Science and Innovation Distinction by the Ministry of Science and Innovation (2011)
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Bilbao improves the competitiveness of its economy, through the
development of an innovative and open economy.
46
Art & Creativity
Advanced services
Tourism & Business Conventions
Eco-technology & Urban solutions
Internet Digital Technology
Health & Applied Technologies
We do this through the
development of 6 strategic
economic sectors in the city.
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Art & Creativity
Creativity, culture, technology and design are assets that Bilbao has incorporated
to the its economic tissue. The incorporation of technology, digital culture and design
to all the economic and urban processes, is in fact one of the symbol of identity of
the city.
During the past years we have worked to create the basis for the development in
Bilbao of new creative sectors linked to new technologies, such as video games.
Bilbao also offers in this field, a number of high skilled technicians above the
European and Spanish average, and clear orientation towards creating and
consolidating creativity poles in the City (Art District, Zorrotzaurre, …).
6,28 % of the companies in Bilbao
are linked to arts and creativity.
More than 1.600 Cultural events
supported by the city
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Advanced Services
Bilbao is positioning itself as an
European Pole of Advance
business services.
There are more than 2.300
companies, that represent the
11% of the business fabric of the
city
Bilbao concentrates the service offer of the Basque companies, and its area of
influence extends to other close regions.
The advanced business services sector is the one that produces higher added
value in Bilbao.
There are more than 2.300 companies that represent the 11% of the business
fabric of the city, and they employ almost 28.000 people, this means 1 of each 6
employments generated in Bilbao, however they generate 27% of Bilbao´s GDP.
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Tourism & Business Conventions
Tourism represents a sector of activity with high growth potential. Its evolution
and expansion generates new opportunities for the development of urban and
regional destinations, that are gaining presence as preferential destinations due to
their singularity and differentiation.
Tourism represents more than the 5,6% of the GDP of the City and will have a higher impact on Bilbao s economy, that will be related to the creation of a more
competitive industry, the rise of Business trips and the strengthening of new fields
such as health and quality of life, arts, culture, knowledge and Basque surroundings.
Through the Bilbao Convention Bureau the city promotes the organization of
meetings and congresses in the city. In 2014 it gave support to 327 meetings and
events that were attended by more than 82.000 delegates.
Bilbao connects with the new
tendencies that give priority to
special and experience-oriented
trips.
Tourism represents more than the
5,6% of the GDP of the City
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Internet Digital Technology
The City has an emerging business tissue of new technologies and internet
development, which is highly motivated and innovative.
The city has a local hub that facilitates the openness to the so called “disruptive
technologies” (mobile internet, internet of things, cloud technologies, etc.).
In this sector, the city is working in the challenge of boosting the collaboration
University-Companies; boost and reinforce the entrepreneurial spirit; and the bet
for the collaborative work with agents in the fields of: energy, transport, intelligent
manufacturing, urban sustainability.
There is in the territory a booming
business sector in the fields of
telecommunications and
informatics.
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Eco-technology & Urban solutions
Bilbao has a wide range of companies that have taken part in the urban
transformation of the city with their experience, technology and excellence.
The international recognition of Bilbao´s urban transformation has now an
economic dimension, offering companies new business opportunities in new
markets.
Bilbao´s companies are well positioned to give response to the increasing demand of
services and infrastructures linked to sustainability, mobility and recovering of
urban spaces criteria.
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Bilbao´s business tissue is strong
in fields such as clean energies,
water an waste management and
public transport.
Bilbao is a World reference in
Urban Transformation.
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Health & Applied Technologies
Bilbao has a long tradition in the field such as engineering and new
technologies, and it continues to give support to the development of new capacities
linked to medical research, biosciences, nanotechnologies, new materials,
through its scientific and technological agents (University, Technology Centres….)
The city seeks to take profit of the local needs and global opportunities related
to health and wellness of people and generate a new business tissue in the city. In
order to achieve this, we will boos the collaboration between local agents and the
experimentation (living lab) of applied technologies to these needs.
Services linked to sanitary technologies have a positive effect in the efficiency and
quality of the sanitary system. They allow the development of more efficient
assistance model that can facilitate efficiency strategies and cost reduction.
The annual growth average in the
world market of the health
technology is over the 4% during
the past years.
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9. City-brand that gives value
Bilbao is a city open to the world. Its unique and differentiated city-brand,
reinforced by the international impact of Guggenheim Museum, is well
positioned internationally and ensures a great reputation for international
companies.
Guggenheim Museum Bilbao has been selected as the most important building in the past 30 years according to a survey made to 52 renown representatives from the architecture field (including 11 Pritzker award winners) by Vanity Fair (2010)
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Guggenheim Museum Bilbao
www.guggenheim-bilbao.es
It has placed Bilbao in the world
map, ensuring an international
image.
More than 1.000.000 visitors in
2014. 64% of them come from
foreign countries.
Its contribution to Bilbao´s GDP
was 297 million euros in 2014.
Since its inauguration in 1997 Guggenheim Museum, designed by Frank Gehry, has
placed Bilbao in the world map, ensuring an international image. We can say that the
Guggenheim Museum has been the Bilbao bet in the globalization era.
Furthermore, it has also achieved to bring high quality tourism to the city, that
together with the traditional business tourism, have a big impact in the economy of
the city.
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Bilbao-Bizkaia Brand
The City of Bilbao and the Bizkaia province have joined forces to create a new brand that will represent the city internationally.
The Brand, inspired in the Guggenheim Museum, was selected in an open contest, among 84 proposals from all over the world.
“Bilbao Bizkaia, Be Basque” has as main objective to strengthen the positive, coherent and stable image of the Province of Bizkaia
and Bilbao in the framework of an holistic strategy that is key for the attraction of visitors, investments, events and talent to the city.
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International benchmark
61
visits
79
visits
75
visits
2012 2013
2014
The delegations visiting Bilbao are formed by all
levels of administration, companies and also
from the academic world.
The City of Bilbao receives the visit of a high number of
delegations from all around the world wanting to learn about the
successful urban transformation and renovation process that the
city has experienced and also the financial and management
model that has made it possible.
More than 15 years after of the opening of the Guggenheim
Museum, what is known as the “Bilbao effect”, the city still
attracts a high number of International delegations. Actually, it
is increasing constantly.
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Positive opinions made by city leaders
during the World Cities Summit Mayor´s
Forum held in 2013 in Bilbao
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10. A city that looks to the future Bilbao is a city that along its history has been able to turn problems
into opportunities. Over the last 30 years Bilbao has been able to
reinvent itself, becoming a reference model for cities all around the
world. But the city does not remains still. It continues developing
projects to remain competitive in the global scene.
Winner of the Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize considered as the Nobel Prize for cities (2010)
World Mayor Award (2012)
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The three transformations of Bilbao
1880 Industrial Stage
1980 Urban Transformation
2010 Knowledge Economy
Over the last 30 years Bilbao has evolved to a modern, efficient, friendly and
attractive place to live, work and visit.
The economic and social environment and climate of the city stimulates the
development of new technologies, promotes innovative industry, with
high added value, and boosts the tourism, culture, leisure and services of an
advanced society.
Bilbao has become a city open to
the world.
Over 1.000 million euro of
municipal funding for investments
over the last 8 years
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25 PROJECTS IN 25 YEARS – 1 URBAN PROJECT
61 61
The city does not remains still.
It continues developing projects to
remain competitive in the global scene.
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High-speed train
It is expected that the Highs-speed train arrives to Bilbao in 2019, with the known
as Basque «Y».
The new passenger and freight system will be connected with the different
Spanish and European high-speed and goods transport railway network,
reducing the journeys´ length considerably. It will connect the Port of Bilbao with
Europe´s major railway.
It will also reduce the travel time between the three Basque capitals (Bilbao, San
Sebastian and Vitoria).
www.euskalyvasca.com
The new Railway Network will
transport both people and goods
and will connect also the Basque
capital cities and France.
It will make easer the access to
the Spanish and European High-
speed Rail network.
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Zorrotzaurre Island project
www.zorrotzaurre.com
The Zorrotzaurre Island project, reconverted into a Knowledge District, is
the spearhead for defining the immediate future of the new Bilbao.
It will be a modern area, bringing together residential and new business
premises in a spacious urban technology park.
The Master Plan for the project was designed by the prestigious anglo-
iraqui Zaha Hadid.
Zorrotzaurre: an island for living,
working and pleasure.
The area occupies 838.781 m².
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University triangle
The Garellano area is home to the new University Schools of Medicine
and Engineering, whilst in Abandoibarra, very near the new modernist-looking
library of the University of Deusto, stands the new auditorium of the
University of the Basque Country.
And let’s not forget the new university centre of legal and economic studies
in the Sarriko Faculty.
The commitment to the Knowledge
Revolution also embraces the new
University Campus of Bilbao.
Deusto Business
School
Faculty of Engineering
& Medicine
Sarriko University
(economic & legal
studies)
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WHAT Can Bilbao offer
66
INVEST IN BILBAO:
Bilbao Foreign Investment Support Office
Specific policies to attract foreign investments
Incentive POLICIES
67
INVEST IN BILBAO Bilbao Foreign Investment Support Office.
Single point of contact to support foreign investors that are
exploring opportunities in Bilbao.
Exploratory phase
Start-up phase
Operational phase
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Bilbao Ekintza: Local economic development agency
www.bilbao.net/BilbaoEkintza
The City of Bilbao coordinates its economic promotion strategy
through the Local Economic Development Agency "Bilbao
Ekintza".
Bilbao Ekintza, drives the generation of social and economic
wealth for Bilbao, by positioning the city as an attractive
destination for investment, setting up companies and business
growth, along with enhancing job opportunities. It is also responsible
for the international promotion of the city.
City activities and events
International Promotion
Business promotion & Employment
Tourism
More than 140 professionals and a budget of 23,3 million
€ for 2015.
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INVEST IN BILBAO: Your gateway to Bilbao
Invest in Bilbao acts as single point of contact to support foreign investors that
are exploring opportunities in Bilbao, by giving them full support all along the
process.
Making it easy and fast.
Specific working-line with the aim
of boosting and supporting
foreign direct investment in the
city.
Coordination between all the
areas for the economic and
international promotion of the city
of Bilbao.
www.investinbilbao.com
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Support offered to foreign investors
• General, sector and company specific
information.
• Coordination of fact-finding visits to Bilbao.
• Coordination of meetings with government and
regulatory authorities.
• Coordination of visits to existing investors and
companies already established in the city.
• Coordination of meetings with professional
service firms.
• Coordination of meetings with educational and
training institutions.
EXPLORATORY
PHASE
START-UP
PHASE OPERATIONAL
PHASE
• Advice and support during the start-up
process.
• Assessment on potential needs.
• Support in the identification of the location
for the establishment.
• Support with the necessary procedures to
obtain permits and regulations.
• Contacts with potential suppliers, clients and
partners.
• Support in reinvestment-related activities.
• Networking with other companies.
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Incentive policies There are a wide range of incentives offered by the local
and regional institutions to invest in Bilbao
Ground / Location
Business creation Aids
Talent. Human Resources
Tax Benefits
Financing
R&D&i incentives
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Ground / Location
www.sprilur.es
www.parke.eus/bizkaia
The City Government facilitates companies the identification of possible spaces
for the implementation of their activities according to their needs and help them to
during the negotiation process.
There is also a Map of available spaces and infrastructures in the city that
facilitate companies the identification of possible spaces for activity.
Bilbao Metropolitan Area also offers a wide range of spaces both for industrial and
technological use:
Industrial: Industrial parks
Technological: Technology and Science Parks and Incubators
The city still has ground available,
both for residential and industrial
use
More than 100.000 meters free
for commercial use in the city
center
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Business creation Aids
www.beaz.bizkaia.net
Incentives for the creation of innovative businesses offered by the Provincial Council of Bizkaia which include:
• Constitution of the new company.
• Marketing Plan.
• Establishment expenses.
Specific aids for job creation.
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Talent. Human Resources
www.bizkaiatalent.org
www.ikerbasque.net
www.bilbaobbktalent.es
www.bebasquetalentnetwork.org
• Biscay Talent and Ikerbasque: incentives for hiring and training for companies and universities located in Biscay.
• Financing of training according to the specific needs of the companies (up to 100%)
• Bilbao BBK Talent : residential complex addressed to high qualified researchers coming to Bilbao and Bizkaia as non-permanent
researchers.
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Tax Benefits
www.bizkaia.net
Tax deductions:
• Investment in fixed assets: 10% of investment.
• Fostering use of IT: 10% of investment.
• Reserve for investments: 10% facilities.
• R&D activities: 30% – 50% of R&D expenditure.
• Industrial design: 10% - 15% of investment
• Cultural heritage: 15% - 20% of investment
• Investment in clean technologies: 30% of investment
• Job creation: 3.000€ per person / year
General corporate rate is 28%
and 24% for SMEs.
Since the Basque Country has its
own fiscal regime it offers a wide
range of tax deductions.
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Financing
www.seedcapitalbizkaia.com
www.spri.es
Financial access to the necessary capital for the creation and growth of innovative companies. There are two kinds of funds:
• “Seed fund” for the participation in the Capital of new companies.
• “Development fund” to support the growth of the existing companies with attractive financial conditions.
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R&D&i incentives
www.spri.es
Financial incentives for companies (non-refundable grants)
• GAITEK: R&D projects that improve entrepreneurial competitiveness. The amount covers a maximum of 25% of the eligible cost, with a maximum amount
of 250.000 euros per entity and year.
• ETORGAI: R&D projects of company partnerships that have a positive effect on the Basque economy. The amount covers a maximum of 40% of the eligible
costs.
• NETs: R&D projects of New Technology Based Companies (NTBC) that develop new products or services. The amount covers between 40% and 50% of
the cost for company partnerships and between 25% and 40% of the cost for single companies.
ANNEX Some reference costs
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Average annual office rent for a prime location/centre location: 150 €/year/m²
200 USD /year/m2
Average annual rent for a factory/industrial unit in a prime location: 48 €/m²/year
64 USD/year/m²
Electricity costs: 0,1224 €/Kw/h
0,1640 USD/Kw/h*
Average annual salary for an unskilled worker: 21.475 €/annual (2011)
28.694 USD/year (2011)
Average annual salary for a semi-skilled worker: 22.470 €/annual (2011)
30.025 USD/annual (2011)
Average annual salary for a skilled worker: 34.889 €/annual (2011)
46.617 USD/annual (2011)
* Note: the electricity cost can be negotiated depending on the amount of electricity to be consumed.
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For further information contact:
INVEST IN BILBAO
Navarra 5, 1st Floor
48001, Bilbao, Spain
Tel.: (+34) 94 420 53 90 / 94 420 53 19
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.investinbilbao.com