IK4, news

IK4 displays its capabilities in nanotechnology at Imaginenano

During his presentation at the Industrial Forum of Imaginenano, the researcher José María Cuevas dealt with two cases of success to illustrate IK4’s activity in this field: the development of a new zirconium-based coating to improve the toughness and performance properties of parts with various applications, and the use of chemical methods to obtain graphene using carbon nanofibres.

Noteworthy is its significant participation in the setting up of EHS-Advance, the Centre for Competence in Nanoscience and Nanotechnologies, in the area of Environment, Health and Safety. Led from the Department of Economic Development and Competitiveness [of the Government of the Basque Autonomous Community], it will be facilitating the increasingly widespread use of nanomaterials in various products and industrial sectors with the aim of implementing the correct and safe handling, use and processing of these materials in production processes, thereby preventing health and environmental risks in companies.

From 23-26 April at the Bilbao Exhibition Centre (BEC) Imaginenano offered the visitors seven scientific conferences, 2,800 m² of surface area devoted to exhibition areas for industrial companies and R+D centres, and four days of theme seminars and experiences on the application of nanotechnologies in sectors like energy, health, agri-food, construction, automotive, environment, health and safety.

IK4 presents its expertise in clean technologies at Cleantech Forum Europe 2013

The Alliance, which is also a member of Cleantech INNvest, a group of centres and entities which have joined forces to identify and fund projects related to clean technologies in the Basque Country, attended the event, which was held in Bilbao from 16 to 18 April, along with 500 fellow delegates from 26 countries.
The Basque Alliance owes its wealth of knowledge in the field of clean technologies to its diversification strategy, thanks to which it works in many different areas, including energy, materials, water, climate change, waste, energy saving and efficiency, eco-efficient production, eco-design, transport and town planning.
Of particular interest among the numerous projects that IK4 is currently developing in the field of clean technologies are technologies for the chemical recycling of plastic waste material through depolymerisation by glycolysis, the development of new-generation metal materials for optimising the performance of structural components in the wind energy, aeronautics and nuclear industries, and the development of a microalgae system for obtaining renewable energy and biofuels.
Thanks to its consistent work and extensive experience in this field, IK4 is now a leader in clean technologies, an industry of great strategic importance for the Basque Country, since it is related to business models which combine economic profitability and cost-efficiency with a reduction in environmental impact.

IK4-TEKNIKER officially opens its new facilities

To culminate the various activities that have taken place throughout 2012 to present IK4-TEKNIKER's new headquarters at the Eibar Technology Pole (Basque Country), the new building will be officially opened in a ceremony scheduled to take place on the new premises on 10 April 2013.

The event will be attended by officials from the Government of the Basque Autonomous Community (region), the Charter Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa, and Eibar Town Council, as well as by representatives of the Basque industrial base.

Likewise, speeches will be delivered by Jesús Mª Iriondo, the Chairman of IK4 and IK4-TEKNIKER; Miguel de los Toyos, the Mayor of Eibar; Arantza Tapia, the Minister for Economic Development and Competitiveness of the Government of the Basque Autonomous Community; and Martin Garitano, the Head of the Charter Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa.

IK4 joins the board of directors of the association that advises the EU on robotics

The IK4 R&D Alliance has recently been selected to join the board of directors of euRobotics aisbl, a pan-continental initiative whose mission is to advise the European Commission on the policies it needs to promote so that the leadership of European Robotics can be achieved on the international market.

IK4 has been chosen to sit on the first Board of Directors of the body set up in September last year. This came about through a democratic vote by its members, who are European players devoted to research into robotics, including R&D centres, universities and industry. Dr Irene López de Vallejo will be representing IK4 on this board.

The Basque Alliance is thus gaining a prominent role in the specifying of European policies in Robotics over the coming years when European industry is planning to increase its share of the cake of 15,500 million euros corresponding to the international market for this discipline.

The organisation, based in Brussels, is a not-for-profit one and supplements its work with tasks like strengthening the position of European companies on international markets, representing the industry before the community administration, increasing the visibility of its members or promoting robotics in end-use industrial sectors.

Robotics in IK4

The members of the IK4 R&D Alliance are working actively to develop robotics technology and have broad experience in the quest for robotic solutions, in the field of industrial robotics as well as services robotics.

These projects range from the application of ordinary robotics solutions in the automotive sector to other sectors where robotics is less developed, like the footwear sector, and applications like maintenance in large industrial plants by means of robots. The knowledge of the IK4 Alliance members in robotics includes developments in robot-human co-operation.

The robotic solutions being developed by IK4 are mainly geared towards manufacturing, infrastructure, natural resources, green industries and transport sectors. The Alliance’s involvement in robotics has received recognition this year for the second year running with its inclusion among the coordinators of the European Robotics Week in Spain.

The step taken by the IK4 Research Alliance with its participation as a member of the euRobotics aisbl board is consistent with the organisation’s commitment to robotics as a key sector for creating employment and contributing towards the competitiveness of local and European markets.

The move also puts IK4 in an unbeatable position in the transition from the 7th Framework Programme, the most important European tool for the fostering of innovation and technology, to the HORIZON 2020 programme, due to come into force in 2014.

IK4 showcases transfer to companies in the 1st Technology Week in Deusto

This was one of the key messages that IK4 was sending out throughout the event, promoted by the Alliance itself together with the University of Deusto, and which between 12 and 19 March was turned into a forum for bringing universities and companies together to tackle the subject of engineering and technology.

The conference consisted of a wide-ranging programme including lectures given by the managers of top technology and engineering companies, debate forums, a technology exhibition and a whole range of activities like entrepreneur breakfasts, workshops, visits to laboratories and activities for schools.

The event organised by IK4 together with Deusto Engineering was supported by the sector’s main players, including Microsoft, Arteche, Ingeteam, Exact, Sisteplant and Idom, which were joined by Oracle, Sener, IBM, ABB, Gaiker-IK4 and other collaborators. Its aim was to highlight the importance of engineering and technology in society and in the production sectors, in particular, by emphasising the value of innovation as a tool for company competitiveness.

Throughout the week IK4 had a significant presence in the programme, actively participating in papers, roundtable discussions, debate forums and the technology exhibition set up while the conference was in progress;in it, the Alliance put on displayfor the visitors a sample of its technological developments.

The conference featured the lectureentitled “Crisis and Europe's Second Renaissance: Route Plan,” delivered by IK4’s Vice-Chairman, Guillermo Dorronsoro, as well as the debate forum on “Experiences in technological innovation” and the session on “Innovation in the industrial sector” in which the various representatives of IK4’s R&D centres explained their experiences in transfer to companies.

To encourage innovation in companies, IK4 is organising together with Deusto University the 1st Technology Week

Together with the University of Deusto, IK4 is promoting ForoTech 2013, the 1stDeusto Engineering and Technology Week, a meeting point between universities and companies around engineering and technology to be held in Bilbao from 12 to 19 March. There is a wide-ranging programme including lectures given by the managers of top technology and engineering companies, debate forums, a technology exhibition and a whole range of activities like entrepreneurs’ breakfasts, workshops, visits to laboratories and activities for schools.

The initiative of IK4 together with Deusto Engineering has been supported by the main players in the sector, including Microsoft, Arteche, Ingeteam, Exact, Sisteplant and Idom, which have been joined by Oracle, Sener, IBM, ABB, Gaiker-IK4, plus others as collaborators.

IK4 has a significant presence in the programme, not only as the main sponsor but also through its active participation in papers, roundtable discussions, debate forums and the technology exhibition that will be accompanying the event.

This event, geared not only towards the business and research sector but also towards students and the general public, aims to draw attention to the importance of engineering and technology in society and in the production sectors, in particular, by highlighting the value of innovation as a tool for company competitiveness. That is why the aim will be to set up a network of companies that will be actively participating in this process. Enrolment for all the activities is free of charge once registration has been made over the official ForoTech 2013 website (forotech.deusto.es).

The latest studies show that the European Union’s labour structure in the engineering sector is tending to shift towards knowledge and skills-intensive jobs, which are expected to grow from 27.3% in 2007 to 32.4% in 2020.In this respect, there is general consensus on the need for qualified people properly trained in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. That is why this event will be giving youngsters the chance to identify their vocation for or interest in technologies and engineering to find out about many of the professional opportunities they will be presented with in a few years’ time.

A wide-ranging programme with experts

The activities of the 1st Technology Week kick off on 12 March with an opening session given by Genís Roca, managing partner of Rocasalvatella, who in his paper entitled “Business models over the Internet that are going to work” will be reflecting on how companies like Linkedin or Whatsapp have “slim chances of surviving”.

The next day will start with the opening of the technology exhibition in one of the University’s cloisters and with a breakfast with Juan Ramón Alegret, Education Officer of Microsoft. It will be followed by a debate forum on “Women and Technology”, which will have the participation of the heads of the computing services at the city councils of the three Basque capitals (Bilbao, Donostia-San Sebastian and Vitoria-Gasteiz), and a session on "Innovation and Future” with a lecture delivered by Elisa Martín, director of Technology and Innovation at IBM.

On 14 March ForoTech 2013 will have an entrepreneurs’ debate forum and a session on “Innovative and Internationalized Engineering” with the participation of the CEOs of the companies Sener and Ingeteam. March 15 will start with a breakfast with Ingeteam’s Marketing Director, Eduardo Giménez, which will be followed by a debate forum on "Smart Cities”, and will close with the lecture “Crisis and Europe's Second Renaissance: Route Plan,” given by IK4’s Vice-chairman, Guillermo Dorronsoro. The 5th Conference on Digital Education will also be taking place on March 14 and 15 with papers, roundtables on teaching experiences and simultaneous workshops.

The programme will be brought to a conclusion on 19 March with a debate forum on “Experiences in technological innovation” and a session on “Innovation in the industrial sector”, during which the various representatives of IK4’s R+D centres will be explaining their experiences in transfer to companies. The forum will be officially closed by Inés Jacob, the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Deusto, and IK4’s CEO José Miguel Erdozain. On the following days, 20 and 21 March, a forum on employment and entrepreneurship will be held to culminate the event.

Appointment of the new CEO of IK4-AZTERLAN

The position of CEO will be filled by Xabier González-Azpiri, current Secretary General of the Tabira Foundry Institute and Chairman of the World Foundry Organization.

After several years linked to the automotive industry (head of quality, resident engineer and member of continuous improvement teams in various European plants within the sector), Xabier González-Azpiri joined IK4-AZTERLAN over 9 years ago. He will be assuming his new responsibilities as CEO early in 2013 with the main aim of turning the Centre into a European benchmark in R+D+I in the field of metallurgy and processing technologies.

IK4 participates in the 20th edition of the Tecnun Employment Forum

During the forum, the companies introduce themselves to the students and get into contact with potential candidates for their selection processes: the company does a presentation and has a stand available for personal contacts and interviews with the students.

IK4’s new Strategic Plan establishes the bases for consolidating the Alliance as a European benchmark in R&D by 2016

The Plan, which sets up the route map for the Technology Alliance over the coming four years, establishes a weighty catalogue of power ideas. They include its role in maximizing contributed value and in increasing company competitiveness, its capacity to drive forward the efficient use of resources with a view to achieving a model sustainable in time, its collaboration with the Administration in specifying industrial policies, and its support for public economic development policies through knowledge generation.

On this basis, the IK4 Strategic Plan sets out 7 challenges and 21 strategic aims. Four of these seven challenges are of an instrumental nature: to strengthen and consolidate the shared project, to coordinate the investment programmes, to drive forward the marshalling of the R&D offer, and to encourage transparency and information sharing. The three challenges of an ultimate nature are: to seek new national and international clients and markets, to reinforce its role as interlocutor of the institutions, and to draw and retain talent. All this is with a view to IK4 consolidating itself as a benchmark in R&D in Europe by 2016 through its capacity to create value and facilitate company competitiveness.

IK4, founder member of the new association to advise the EU on robotics

All the main players participating in the area of robotics in Europe–companies, national organisations, R+D centres and administrations– have decided to come together within a single organisation, whose mission is to advise the European Commission on the policies it needs to promote in order to achieve European leadership in robotics on the international market.

The academic organisation EURON and the business association EUROP have merged into the international association euRoboticsaisbl (Association Internationale Sans But Lucratif), a pan-continental initiative, in which the IK4 Research Alliance has become a founder member. Its aim is the get European industry to increase its share of the 15,500-million-euro international robotics pie.

euRobotics, which was set up in September this year in an official ceremony in which the most senior levels of the European Commission participated, is now moving into a construction phase in which the most important players in the European robotics sector are participating.

The organisation, based in Brussels, is a not-for-profit one and its work will include tasks like the strengthening of the position of European companies on international markets, the representation of the industry before the community administration, the increase in the visibility of its members or the promotion of robotics in end-use industrial sectors.

European robotics sector

As the Vice President of the European Commission and Digital Agenda Commissioner Neelie Kroes pointed out in her speech during the founding ceremony of euRobotics aisbl, “a strong robotics sector is a key component in Europe’s future competitiveness. Making our robotics industry grow means more employment and a strong European manufacturing sector.”

The paramount importance of this sector for European industry can be summed up in a few figures: European companies are responsible for a quarter of the global production of industrial robots and half the professional service robots. In addition, the markets for professional service and domestic robots is expected to increase 40% over the coming years, with particular growth in the rescue, security and professional cleaning applications sectors.

Robotics in IK4

The members of the IK4 Alliance are working actively to develop robotics technology and have broad experience in the quest for robotic solutions, in the field of industrial robotics as well as services robotics.IK4-TEKNIKER, an R+D centre belonging to the Alliance, is currently leading 2 European projects in this field and is participating in another 4.

These projects range from traditional sectors like the automotive sector to other sectors in which robotics is less developed, like that of footwear, or maintenance in large industrial plants. The knowledge of the IK4 Alliance members in robotics includes developments in robot-human co-operation.

The robotic solutions being developed by IK4 are mainly geared towards manufacturing, infrastructure, natural resources, green industries and transport sectors. The Alliance’s involvement in robotics was recognised through IK4-TEKNIKER’s coordination of the European Robotics Week in Spain.

The step taken by the IK4 Research Alliance with its participation as a founder member of euRobotics aisbl is consistent with the organisation’s commitment to robotics as a key sector for creating employment and contributing towards the competitiveness of local and European markets.

The move also puts IK4 in an unbeatable position in the transition from the 7th Framework Programme, the most important European tool for the fostering of innovation and technology, to the HORIZON 2020 programme, due to come into force in 2014.

IK4 positions itself in Prestik as the job location of choice for young researchers

The IK4 offer, presented at its own stand in the fair, drew hundreds of people ranging from youngsters who have done vocational training or university studies and who want a career in research without finding themselves having to emigrate, to young entrepreneurs seeking opportunities for collaboration with their innovation-based businesses.

What is attractive about IK4 lay not only in the real possibilities of finding employment during the visit to the Gaiker-IK4 facilities in the Technology Park of Bizkaia, but also in the chance to find out about the research careers offered by the 9 R+D centres throughout the Basque Autonomous Community (region) and which belong to the Alliance.

Likewise, its presence at Prestik has enabled IK4 to consolidate its position as a top R+D alliance for future researchers, to seek profiles that fit the job offers at its centres and to obtain interesting professional profiles within its work to recruit talent.

In the words of Iñigo Icaza, IK4’s head at the fair, the presence of IK4 at Prestik can be regarded as a “total success” in terms of the large numbers of young people approaching its stand and also the leadership positioning obtained. Despite the bitter-sweet taste left by the confirmation on the ground of the difficulties facing young people in joining the labour market, Iñaki highlights the "highly qualified" profiles of the new generations and their "strong desire to work".

Materials that repair themselves

The IK4-CIDETEC technological centre is taking part in a European consortium of technological bodies and companies, known as SHINE, the goal of which is to develop advanced materials with properties that enable them to repair themselves - to regenerate by themselves -, with results similar to the capacity of animals and plants for curing their own wounds. In short, the idea is to create ‘living’ materials capable of regenerating themselves without human intervention, thus giving rise to the possibility of constructing a new generation of roads, bridges, machinery, vehicles or wind-turbine towers.

Elastomers or “rubbers” are plastic materials with elastic properties which are involved in many industrial uses, for example, in bridge expansion joints, on roads, as absorbers of vibrations in railroads or as sealing elements in construction or industry.

It is common during the active service of these materials for them to suffer fatigue, abrasion and other forms of stress that can cause small fractures and, with time, result in a definitive break.

The need to repair these elements involves a series of difficulties, such as the continuous investment in maintenance and the generation of large amounts of waste when the materials are replaced - a serious problem given that current elastomers employed in industry are minimally recyclable or degradable.

The SHINE project is focused on the development of these new elastomers capable of totally or partially repairing their mechanical properties after having suffered breakage or wear and tear. Achieving this aim not only extends the useful life of the materials, but will also reduce the number of accidents caused by their degradation.

Within the project, IK4-CIDETEC will be responsible for the development of more durable elastomers aimed at the construction, transport and renewable energy sectors.

Elastomers are formed by flexible and elongated molecules which are united by chemical links, in such a way that the overall structure forms a three-dimensional network. The goal of the SHINE project is to substitute the conventional links by dynamic ones, which form and disintegrate as if they were alive. This special property, on which IK4-CIDETEC has been working for some time, is what gives elastomers their self-repair properties.

Inspired by nature

From our beginnings humans have attempted to synthesise stable and durable materials, i.e. static ones the end purpose of which is, once fashioned, to remain intact for the longest time possible. Once deteriorated, these materials are replaced by others. Nature, on the other hand, manufactures dynamic materials which constantly change and regenerate themselves according to their needs. IK4-CIDETEC will apply this principle to the generation of self-repairing elastomers.

IK4-CIDETEC can boast sound experience in this field of self-repairing materials. The centre has various lines of materials under development and has already taken out two patents related to self-repairing elastomers. Participating in the SHINE project together with the Basque technological centre are businesses and technological centres from Holland, Switzerland, Portugal, Sweden, Germany, France and Spain, such as Fraunhofer, Arkema and Acciona.

IK4 exhibits the challenges of biotechnology research at BioSpain

Strategic thinking by the IK4 Technological Alliance over recent months has highlighted health related activities as one of its strategic research areas. Consequently, the Alliance played a leading role at the BioSpain 2012 congress, which was held at the Bilbao Exhibition Centre (BEC) from 19 to 21 September.

The Basque alliance, which had its own stand to make known its capabilities in the sector, gave a public presentation with its representative Shabs Rajasekharan, doctor in Cybernetics & Control Engineering from the University of Reading (UK), entitled “The challenges of biotechnology for the IK4 Technological Alliance”, under the heading of health.

As a matter of fact, the field of health is one of the main fields of application for research carried out in life sciences, which is why it is considered to be of special strategic interest to IK4, to the extent that it will focus a major part of activities on it in the coming years.

The areas of biotechnology and biomaterials are characterised by bringing together and using different scientific disciplines to achieve a plural and extraordinarily complex technological convergence. This makes them a major opportunity for the technology centres which make up IK4 since they can combine their abilities to take advantage of this complexity and develop a series of tools in the field of life sciences which provide leading technological solutions applicable to very diverse industrial sectors.

More specifically, IK4 provides services from I+D projects to tissue engineering and the evaluation of xenobiotics, the improvement of products and processes in industrial microbiology, the development of biosensors, the production of polymeric functionalisable nanoparticles, bioactive nano-coatings, the development of new hydrogels and the processing of polymeric materials for the manufacture of implants.

This range of services is possible thanks to mastering technologies such as in vitro tests, in vitro toxicity analysis, molecular biology and so-called “omic” technologies, biodetection systems and biosensors, biomaterials, cell-material interaction and monitorisation, analysis and visualisation.

BioSpain, one of Europe’s top biotechnology events brought together at the Bilbao Exhibition Centre leading experts, researchers and business from the field. The event, held for the first time in Bilbao, was host to 29% more stands than the previous event held in Pamplona, with a total of 216 and the participation of 1,450 specialists, as well as 750 businesses from 25 countries.

IK4-LORTEK ha inaugurado su nueva sede en Ordizia

Con una inversión en equipamiento e infraestructuras superior a 7 millones de euros, el nuevo edificio representa un salto cualitativo para el centro. Gracias a unas instalaciones que proporcionan una nueva dimensión operativa, el nuevo edificio permite a IK4-LORTEK consolidar su posición de vanguardia en investigación de tecnologías de unión. IK4‐LORTEK ha experimentado un crecimiento sostenido durante la última década. Este desarrollo ha sido uno de los motivos que ha facilitado la edificación de la nueva sede, con el fin de adecuar las instalaciones a las necesidades actuales y futuras de IK4‐LORTEK.

Más de 5.000 m2 y 50 profesionales.

El nuevo centro cuenta con más de 5.000 metros cuadrados y acoge a los 50 profesionales que integran la plantilla actual y a las futuras incorporaciones.

La nueva sede supone también un salto cualitativo en cuanto a instalaciones para poder realizar con máxima garantía los proyectos I+D y aportar soluciones integrales en la transferencia de tecnología a clientes/colaboradores. Así, la nueva sede cuenta con una planta piloto de vanguardia en tecnologías de unión.

IK4-LORTEK, soluciones para la empresa.

Con una década de experiencia en la investigación de tecnologías de unión y en su transferencia a la empresa, el centro tecnológico IK4‐LORTEK ha alcanzado un alto grado de especialización en procesos, materiales y diseño; cálculo y simulación; diseño mecánico y mecatrónica; control y evaluación; organización y gestión de la innovación; y, en servicios tecnológicos. Todo ello permite poner la tecnología de vanguardia IK4‐LORTEK al servicio de la empresa.

IK4 y el Tecnol�gico de Monterrey (M�xico) se al�an para impulsar la I+D+i

La colaboración y la suma de fuerzas en el ámbito de la I+D+i no conoce fronteras, y ya comienza a superar el ámbito europeo para cruzar el Atlántico y forjar alianzas sólidas. En la dirección de estrechar relaciones entre referentes tecnológicos europeos y americanos han dado hoy un paso decisivo la Alianza Tecnológica vasca IK4 y el Tecnológico de Monterrey (México), que han firmado un acuerdo de colaboración para coordinar sus estrategias de investigación, desarrollar proyectos conjuntos, formar investigadores e intercambiar tecnología e iniciativas de emprendimiento.

Bajo el paraguas del Acuerdo de Colaboración Científica y Tecnológica suscrito entre México y la Unión Europea, así como los acuerdos de colaboración bilaterales para fomentar la I+D+i entre los gobiernos español y mexicano, IK4 y el Tecnológico de Monterrey han decidido liderar una iniciativa para dotar de contenido a esta colaboración transatlántica. Y lo han hecho con el aval de representar, en el caso de IK4, una de las primeras 10 corporaciones tecnológicas privadas de Europa y la primera en financiación privada; y, en el caso del Tecnológico de Monterrey, a la institución educativa más reconocida de América Latina.

El acuerdo de colaboración, que tendrá una vigencia de dos años, ha sido suscrito esta mañana por el Presidente de IK4, Jesús María Iriondo; y el Vicerrector de Investigación, Emprendimiento y Desarrollo Social del Tecnológico de Monterrey, Arturo Molina. El acto de la firma ha tenido lugar en Bilbao coincidiendo con la celebración de la reunión ordinaria del Comité Estratégico de IK4, el órgano que actúa como contraste de la estrategia de IK4 hacia la realidad empresarial y que ha identificado precisamente la internacionalización como uno de los retos más importantes de la Alianza Tecnológica.

El convenio recoge varios ámbitos de actuación en los que se concretará la colaboración: intercambio de investigadores como profesores y alumnos de programas de doctorado y formación; estancias investigadoras, tesis doctorales y proyectos de fin de máster; coordinación de estrategias de investigación; atracción conjunta de talento; cooperación en los planes de formación de técnicos, investigadores y directivos; colaboración en la transferencia de activos tecnológicos; y formación y acompañamiento de emprendedores.

En palabras de Jesús Iriondo, Presidente de IK4, el acuerdo supone “un importante salto cualitativo” en la estrategia de alianzas de la corporación tecnológica, tanto por la dimensión como por el prestigio del Tecnológico de Monterrey, y considera que el hecho de fraguar acuerdos a ambos lados del Atlántico “refuerza a las dos partes en un contexto cada vez más internacionalizado y más competitivo”.

Para el Vicerrector de Investigación, Emprendimiento y Desarrollo Social del Tecnológico de Monterrey, Arturo Molina, el acuerdo abre nuevas posibilidades de colaboración, ya que, en su opinión, “México es una gran oportunidad para la empresa vasca”. “Y, en este contexto, el Tecnológico de Monterrey es un potente aliado para ello”, señala.

Comité Estratégico

La firma ha tenido lugar esta mañana en el marco de la sesión plenaria que ha celebrado el Comité Estratégico de IK4 en el Paraninfo de la UPV/EHU, en Bilbao. Integrado por 40 personalidades en representación de las más importantes empresas, instituciones, universidades y agentes científico-tecnológicos del País Vasco, el Comité Estratégico ha definido seis ámbitos de actuación sobre los que se asienta la reflexión estratégica que lleva a cabo IK4.

Se trata de la globalización del mercado del conocimiento; la especialización; la eficacia de los sistemas de innovación; la comunicación con las empresas y con la sociedad; la importancia de las personas y las redes sociales; y la apuesta por un modelo de gobernanza al servicio de una visión estratégica.

En este contexto, la reflexión estratégica en curso resalta la internacional como uno de los principales retos para IK4, entendiendo que se trata de una oportunidad para las empresas clientes de la Alianza, a las que ofrece ayuda y apoyo tecnológico de cara a su competitividad en los mercados globales.

La Alianza IK4 aborda la recta final de su Plan Estratégico 2009-2012 con la mirada puesta en la industria vasca y el mercado global del conocimiento, enlazando este proceso de reflexión con lo que será el nuevo Plan Estratégico 2013-2016, que verá la luz este año.

Sobre IK4

La alianza Tecnológica IK4 agrupa a nueve centros tecnológicos vascos (AZTERLAN, CEIT, CIDETEC, GAIKER, IDEKO, IKERLAN, LORTEK, TEKNIKER y VICOMTECH), lo que se traduce en una corporación con más de 1.430 profesionales. La Alianza ha identificado de cara a los próximos años cuatro ámbitos estratégicos para su actividad en I+D+i: energía, salud, transporte y movilidad y fabricación avanzada. IK4 obtuvo en 2011 unos ingresos de 103 millones de euros, lo que le sitúa entre las 10 primeras corporaciones tecnológicas privadas de Europa, siendo la primera en proporción de financiación procedente de contratos con las empresas.

Para más información:

Javier Urtasun
urtasun@guk.es
637273728
Comunicación IK4

IK4-TEKNIKER organizes LUBMAT 2012 congress

LUBMAT focuses on subjects of keen interest for industrialists. In order to complete this practical approach, a series of courses were developed in the previous days to the congress (4 and 5th June). Those courses were offered by the most outstanding experts coming from the very prestigious congress' collaborators and will be defined in the following dates.

The event's collaborators are: the Spanish Association for Maintenance (AEM), F+L Asia, Lubes'n'Greases, Noria and STLE.

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IK4 at the BIEMH: Avant-garde technology for machine tools of the future

(Bilbao. May 2012).- Ultra-precision laser equipment, advanced inspection and measuring technologies for the railway industry, or advanced robotics for automating artisanal processes are just some of the developments that the IK4 R+D Alliance presented at the Machine-Tool Biennial held at the Bilbao Exhibition Center (BEC) from 28 May to 2 June.

IK4 had the support of two of its partners: the R+D centres IK4-TEKNIKER and IK4-IDEKO, benchmarks in the machine-tool sector, and which in recent decades have achieved a high degree of specialization; this allows them to put their advanced technological developments at the service of a whole range of applications.

The visitors who headed for the stand located between aisles C08 and D09 of pavilion no. 1 in the Bilbao Exhibition Centre were able to see first-hand a whole range of advanced technologies designed by IK4 at the service of machine tools. IK4-TEKNIKER and IK4-IDEKO are collaborating closely within the IK4 Alliance by working together, optimising research costs with public funding, and customising technology transfer in an individual way and tailored to the client.

French and Belgian executives visit the IK4 centres drawn by their management model

The visit was also used to set up a permanent contact and a commitment to explore new ways of collaborating in the form of joint conferences and other kinds of meetings.

The group was made up of 34 executives currently attending an Advanced Management programme at Business Schools in Lille (Northern France) and Brussels, EPM (Enterprise Perfectionnement Management) and CEPI Management, respectively. The three-day visit was organised by the European Business School and, specifically, by its Principal in Bilbao, Violeta Costa.

While the executives were at the IK4 centres in the Technology Park of Donostia-San Sebastian (Basque Country), there were discussions on the management strategies and models of the various IK4 organisations, as well as on the possibility of generating synergies and taking advantage of mutual know-how as fresh sources of inspiration.

IK4 joins Eurobask’s General Assembly

It will thus be joining other significant Basque players that make up this organ, like political parties, trade unions, business organisations, professional associations, formations, universities and institutions, with the shared aim of contributing towards building a federal European Union that respects the diversity of peoples, and of taking relations with other European regions to a deeper level in the Basque Country.

The current Basque Council of the European Movement (Eurobask) was set up in 1994, thus taking up the baton of the Basque Country’s strong commitment to Europe dating back to the 1940s, and which came to fruition in Basque participation in a host of international initiatives to build Europe.

Today, the main task of Eurobask is to promote and deepen, within the Basque Country, relations among the various peoples, nationalities and regions of Europe with a view to reinforcing the bonds of European unity.

Jes�s M� Iriondo. Interview in Deia

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IK4 to submit 23 of the 39 projects selected for the “Mondragon Open Innovation” conference

IK4 has submitted 23 of the 39 projects selected within the framework of this programme, which will be holding a conference in Arrasate-Mondragon. The contributions with the greatest potential for reaching the market were selected from the 153 specific contributions submitted. Most of them are geared towards the health, energy, transport and mobility, and advanced manufacturing sectors, which are the ones IK4 has earmarked as strategic for developing its R+D+i activity over the coming years.

Among the projects selected are medical assistance technologies in diagnosis and tele-assistance, electrochemical biosensors, lab-on-a-chip devices, software for computer assisted surgery, technology for improving the performance of electric trains, sustainable mobility in tourist circuits, mechatronic components for biomedical applications and environmentally-friendly nano-machining processes.

This open innovation initiative is mainly intended to drive forward innovative business projects by bringing the capabilities of the Basque Network for Science, Technology and Innovation (RVCTI) together with companies' needs. The innovative proposals are tried and tested with the companies in order to start up collaboration projects that are designed to develop and diversify business; in practice, this will mean new enterprises, new business concepts, and substantial improvements in products and processes.

The Government of the Basque Autonomous Community, which is behind this move, will be extending this initiative during 2012 to the Basque business base as a whole, and to SMEs, in particular, by taking advantage of the capacities and potential shown in this pilot project.