CCI Bayonne Pays Basque, the Chamber of Guipuzcoa and Sodena, partners of the POLEURO project within the framework of the Agreement financed by the Nouvelle Aquitaine, Euskadi, Navarra Euroregion, have, since early April, been revitalizing virtual meetings with members of the three cross-border consortiums:
- AdditiValley, 13 companies & technology centres focused on additive manufacturing with technologies both in plastic and metal.
- BigDatia, 8 partners with expertise in artificial intelligence for several sectors (health, industry, transport, finances, etc.).
- InnovMedica, 17 members with bespoke medical devices.
Following the start of the lockdown caused by COVID-19, virtual meetings have been organized every week with companies and technology centres from these cross-border consortiums, which altogether sum more than 35 entities from the three territories (Atlantic Pyrenees, Euskadi and Navarra). The objective of this initiative was not to lose the existing dynamic between these Consortiums, and to share ideas and design bespoke solutions.
During the first virtual meetings, it was appropriate to know the situation of each member of the Consortiums: What level of activity? What economic and administrative measures? What difficulties?
Several of the participating partner companies, as in many economic sectors, have developed a teleworking strategy. On the production side, some have maintained a few days’ production, above all of products related to COVID and the demand for medical protection equipment in the emergency situation.
Several members of these consortiums have been involved in projects and solutions, such as:
- Manufacture of masks
- Production of 3D printing shields
- Adaption of masks in ventilators
- Execution of ventilators for approval
Most partners have worked on a voluntary basis, or sometimes, covering the raw material and/or production costs. Others have managed to identify sponsorships through the social networks.
As a result of these virtual meetings, some collaborations have been cemented between partners of these consortiums from the Euroregional territory. Looking forward to the opening up that will start on the 11th of May, the virtual meetings are being transformed into conception sessions, in order to prepare offers related to challenges in the health, industry and new technologies sectors. Related to this strategic objective, working groups are being set up, which are, for the moment, virtual ones.
POLEURO Project
As a result of the European programme, COMPETITIV’eko, which ended on the 31st of May 2019, three cross-border consortiums were created. These consortiums sum a total of 82 companies, technology centres and groups from the three territories involved: Atlantic Pyrenees, Euskadi and Navarra. Financed up to 65% with ERDF-POCTEFA funds, the 3 cross-border poles are the following:
- ADDITIVALLEY – Additive manufacturing
- BIG DATIA – Big Data & Artificial Intelligence
- INNOVMEDICA Alliance – Bespoke medical devices
The objective of this public-private agreement is to permit the sustainability of these three mega-clusters in the Euroregional space.
The project partners are:
- CCI Bayonne Pays Basque – the leader in the COMPETITIV’eko programme;
- Guipuzcoa Chamber – which managed COMPETITIV’eko, identifying economic players in the Basque Country;
- SODENA – Economic development agency, which is the key player in the implementation of RIS3 in Navarra.
For further information: http://www.competitiveko.eu/es/
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