DEMA, the Employment and Entrepreneurship Agency of the Provincial Council of Bizkaia, XXIII of the Business Ideas and Projects Competition. organized the edition as part of the EMPRESARI program, and it ended on June 12, with the corresponding award ceremony. The event closed the 2023-2024 call, and highlighted the creativity and entrepreneurial spirit of the young people who participated.

This year, the call was a complete success, with a total of 282 ideas presented, divided as follows: 84 ideas at intermediate levels and 198 ideas at higher levels. Among them, 113 proposals were chosen (42 intermediate and 71 advanced) to continue in the competition. In this new modality, the intermediate and high-level cycles were separated and, thanks to this, it was possible to offer double attention to the schools, which went from 50 projects in the previous editions to more than 100 projects this time.

The opening ceremony took place in November in the Mitxelena Auditorium of the Bizkaia Areto, where Carmen Romero Núñez and Urko Olazabal participated, marking the beginning of a career full of learning and development aimed at young entrepreneurs. Throughout the process, the participants received guidance and advice from experts Arri Zulaika, Joseba Etxebarria, Alexander Fernández and Itziar Carranza, refining their ideas and presenting their projects to a specialized jury.

During the award ceremony, awards were given in various categories. In the middle level category, the five best dossiers of ideas were awarded, and the following cash prizes were distributed: 500 euros, 400 euros, 300 euros and two prizes of 250 euros. In the case of high-level business projects, ten prizes were awarded: three main prizes of 1,500 euros, 1,200 euros and 1,000 euros, and seven prizes of 500 euros. In addition, those who made the best audio-visual presentation received an iPad as a prize.

The event was attended by more than 340 people, including the young participants, their teachers, school principals and entrepreneurs who assisted in the workshops.

Award-winning projects

The winner was the 'Carbón Zero' project by Iker Cruzado Rodriguez (CIFP Repelega). The proposal was an entrepreneurial initiative that seeks to design, develop and produce forged carbon fiber parts, initially based on the sports market, with applications such as keels for surfboards.
In the High Level category, the 'Eskutik' project by Miriam Merino Hernández (LHIP of the San Luis Center) stood out, which is based on the training of students to resolve conflicts, and the 'VSCAPES' project by Maider Sánchez Casas (CIFP Txurdinaga), which combines escape room experiences with virtual reality.

In the intermediate category, Pedro María Zuñiga Jiménez, Jokin Ríos Espínola and Unai Menica Beitia (CPIFP Peñascal) were awarded, and proposed the redesign and manufacture of outdoor urban furniture.

To the company

The EMPRESARI program was created in 1988, and in these 23 editions it has promoted the culture of entrepreneurship among the youth of Bizkaia Vocational Education. More than 4,000 ideas have been presented, 1,031 projects have been developed, many of which have become successful companies; In this way, the program is still a decisive platform for the business development of young people.

This year's edition, in addition to celebrating the achievements of the winners, also emphasized the potential and creativity of all participants. That is why Teresa Laespada, deputy of the Employment, Social Cohesion and Equality Promotion Department of the Provincial Council of Bizkaia, reminded in the presentation of the event, "We will continue to be committed to the expansion of the DEMA - Employment and Entrepreneurship Agency to Business program, for those who are the future of the Bizkaia business network, an entrepreneurial idea is underway to provide the skills and abilities necessary for installation, always by those who are most suitable for this purpose, that is, by the technicians of DEMA".

DEMA

DEMA is the Employment and Entrepreneurship Agency of the Department for the Promotion of Employment, Social Inclusion and Equality of the Provincial Government of Bizkaia.

They have been working in favor of employment and entrepreneurship since 1989, with the main goal of creating more and better jobs in Bizkaia. They manage employment and entrepreneurship programs for citizens and with citizens: joint creation, participation and a collaborative and supportive nature are the pillars of our programs.

They work within the framework of provincial employment strategies, and promote a wide range of activities and programs to serve the people of Bizkaia.