Innovation isn’t just about the latest technology. It’s about finding practical solutions to real-world problems and putting them to use. That’s been the focus of the Basque ecosystem through BIND, which will hold its ninth Demo Day this week.
Proof of that focus can be easily seen in BIND’s core statement: “AI, IoT, cybersecurity, and clean tech aren’t just buzzwords here—they’re real solutions applied to real use cases, delivering tangible impact in efficiency, cost, and sustainability. At BIND Demo Day, we don’t just present projects. We showcase the future of Basque industry.”
Ahead of this event, we caught up with Casey Larae from the BIND Coordination Team to learn more about how BIND has become a central platform for industrial innovation; the key goals for this year’s event; and what attendees can expect from the latest edition.
Sesamers: What does BIND stand for? How did it become a focal point for innovation in the region?
Casey Larae: BIND is short for Basque Open Innovation Platform, a public–private initiative by the Basque government’s Department of Industry, Energy Transition and Sustainability, and SPRI. It consists of three programs — BIND Corporate, SME, and GovTech — and connects startups with large corporations, SMEs, and public organizations in the region.
Since 2016, BIND has accelerated over 250 startups and launched more than 350 collaborative projects, positioning itself as a hub for innovation by matching disruptive technologies with business needs.
Sesamers: What is the main goal of Demo Day 2025? How does it reflect the evolution of the Basque startup ecosystem?
CL: Demo Day 2025 will showcase solutions from startups and their collaborating corporate partners via the ninth edition of BIND Corporate, spanning AI, internet of things, cleantech, big data, and quantum computing. For 2025, the main goal is to foster connection, especially to connect startups with investors and clients.
The demo day is a testament to the maturity of the Basque ecosystem, with more than 35 deep-tech solutions and a proven pipeline of over 300+ startup projects since 2016.
Sesamers: Nacho Soriano brings a historian’s perspective to this year’s keynote. How can insights from history encourage industry to pursue new ambitions?
CL: Nacho Soriano’s talk, titled “Objective: the Moon”, references historical breakthroughs as a source of inspiration, demonstrating how ambitious visions can drive monumental focus and innovation. The aim is to help us reflect and ask: “What is our Moon? What is necessary to achieve the impossible?”
Sesamers: Why make “tech solutions” the organizing principle for this year’s event?
CL: “Tech Solutions” indicates hands-on, validated technologies that address specific challenges in real-world settings. It’s meant to focus on practical application over theory, and communicate that innovation in the region is solution-oriented, driven by measurable impact.
Sesamers: How did you decide which tech solutions to highlight?
CL: We decided on four verticals based on the active startup-corporate partnerships from the 9th edition of BIND Corporate, and their relevance to the broader Basque ecosystem. They align with investor interests because they each represent scalable, validated, ROI-driven solutions with corporate adoption and clear pathways to impact.
- Processes and production: Quality automation, digital monitoring, radar sensing, and liquid-cooling systems;
- Energy transition: Projects include water regeneration, carbon footprint tools, and agrivoltaic systems;
- Purchases and sales: Smart risk management, bid document automation, costs optimization, trend analytics, focus on smarter operations; and
- Modeling and digitalization: AI innovation acceleration, digital twins, IoT analytics, virtual assistants, etc.
Sesamers: This year’s agenda features a roundtable on govtech, and new forms of public-private collaboration. How might these shape the next wave of industrial partnerships?
CL: The govtech panel features speakers from Parke and Sprilur, and focuses on new contracting models to engage startups in public projects.
By innovating procurement and encouraging collaboration between startups and public entities, the Basque ecosystem aims to open pathways for startups to contribute to public infrastructure, policy and services and foster a new wave of industrial partnerships.
Sesamers: Can you explain how BIND Corporate works and what we can expect from its 10th edition?
CL: The 10th edition of BIND Corporate will see Basque corporations issuing 12 real-world challenges. Selected startups will participate in a structured 24-week acceleration program that offers mentoring, workshops, free workspaces and investor matching, as well as letting startups work with a corporate client on a paid pilot project.
We can expect to see:
- Leading corporations presenting 12 use cases that need solutions across verticals;
- Startups being selected for the accelerator;
- Pilot execution and validation in live environments; and
- A demo day with ample investor and client engagement.
Sesamers: What impact do you hope the BIND Awards will have on the winners and the wider startup community?
CL: Awards set a standard for excellence, and motivate new players to join the innovation cycle. By celebrating the most successful collaborations through the BIND Awards ceremony, Demo Day acknowledges standout partnerships; raises winners’ visibility; and inspires the broader innovation ecosystem by highlighting repeatable success stories.
Sesamers: What do you see as the most promising areas of industrial innovation for the Basque region?
CL: The most promising areas in Euskadi blend corporate traction, sustainability goals, and investor interest, driving real transformation. They include:
- AI and digital twins for predictive and manufacturing optimization;
- Cleantech and sustainable energy, especially carbon offset tools;
- IoT and automation across industrial processes; and
- Govtech and collaborative projects that amplify public innovation.
Sesamers: San Sebastián is famous for its cuisine. Do you have a favorite pintxo that attendees shouldn’t miss during the Pintxo & Connect session?
CL: The iconic San Sebastián pintxo is a “Gilda” with olives, guindilla peppers, and anchovy, on a skewer. It’s a classic Basque pintxo which pairs well with local white wine, txakoli. We hope you can join us for a drink and networking at Demo Day!
Note: This article is part of a commercial collaboration between BIND and Sesamers. Our team retained full editorial control over the questions and final content.