The Basque region of Spain transformed from a period of high unemployment and economic crisis 30 years ago to now ranking 4th on the UN Human Development Index. This was enabled by disruptive social innovation where local family businesses reinvented themselves through technology investments and collaboration. The Basque region is now home to large industrial cooperatives and companies in renewable energy and manufacturing. Recent social innovation in the Basque region focuses on large-scale projects and an industrial approach through cooperation between local governments, businesses, NGOs, and banks.

1. Basque Scial Innovation.
A collective enterprise.
Six and the City Summer School. Singapore 15/17 2010.

2. This is the story of an small region that only 30 years ago
had to face the end of a cruel dictatorship, a deep
economic crisis, the highest unemployment figures in
Europe and a violent conflict.

3. This transformation was possible due to truly disruptive
social innovation. Multinational companies left but local
family businness reinvented themselves, investing in
technology and collaborating with each other.

4. Today, the Basque region ranks 4th in the
UN Human Development Index
(GDP+literacy+life expectancy).

5. This is the homeland of the world´s biggest
industrial cooperative corporation (MCC), the 7th
largest bank (BBVA) and two of the leading renewal
companies: Iberdrola and Gamesa.
Basque Social Innovation.

6. Social Innovation in the Basque region means large
scale projects, industrial production and
cooperativism. The difference with other social
innovation hubs focuses on the volume and the
industrial approach.

7. NGOs owning banks?
The new key players are family businesses, local
governments, industrial cooperatives, NGOs and even
banks.

8. DenokInn, the next step towards
comprehensive innovation.

9. The new route towards social innovation:
1.- Identify large scale projects.
2.- Rapid prototyping .
3.- Training.
4.- Incubator.
4.- Expeditionary marketing.
5.- Social Club of Angels.

10. New challenges: Hiriko and the Social Innovation Park.

11. Eskerrik asko