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The business incubator BIC Euronova, with 30 years of activity as a pioneering European Business and Innovation Centre in Málaga, presents its 2021 balance sheet with very positive data.
The innovative companies housed in the European Business and Innovation Centre (BIC Euronova) in Málaga, based in Málaga TechPark, generated a total of 286 jobs and an aggregate turnover of 25 million euros in 2021. These cumulative figures result in more than 5,480 jobs generated by the total of 514 innovative companies housed at BIC Euronova throughout its existence.
With these figures, BIC Euronova consolidates its position as the pioneer incubator of innovative companies in Málaga in supporting the creation, incubation, consolidation and internationalization of innovative companies; celebrating its 30th anniversary in October 2021, in which it received institutional support and recognition, as well as bringing together representatives of the innovative companies that have passed through its center since its foundation in 1991.
In 2021 BIC Euronova selected and welcomed 7 new innovative companies to its center, with a total of 38 companies housed in its facilities over the past year; 8 of them with foreign capital, to which should be added another 33 housed in its virtual incubator and 4 in the Coworking space. Thus, last year the average occupancy rate of BIC Euronova was 93%.
Por otro lado, resaltar que más del 25% de las empresas del Parque Tecnológico de Andalucía están o han estado en BIC Euronova, porcentaje que pone en relieve el alto índice de la tasa de supervivencia de las empresas que han sido incubadas en el BIC malagueño, que ronda el 80%.
In 2021 BIC Euronova maintains the alliance with Byevolution Creative Factory for the joint management of “Keireitsu Forum Andalucía”, a brand granted by Keiretsu Forum, the largest international network of Business Angels. In this framework, last year it held two editions of “Keiretsu Forum Andalucía”, in which Andalusian startups presented themselves to more than 250 international investors for a private investment round.
In this sense, BIC Euronova is part of the Air Andalusia – European Digital Innovation Hub consortium, as well as continuing as a partner in Spain of the prestigious Skydeck accelerator of the University of Berkeley in the United States. It has also been approved as an International Soft Landing incubator by the US National Incubator Association (in Spanish Asociación Nacional de Incubadoras de EEUU) (InBIA).
Given BIC Euronova’s international vocation, in 2021 it continued its strong commitment to the internationalization of companies, thanks to the alliance it maintains with the European BIC Network (EBN), to which it belongs, and the various connections it has in other continents. In fact, it has a technical office in China to provide business services and attract investors. Likewise, 23 companies supported by BIC Euronova participated in international projects and another 2 were supported in softlanding services. At the same time, BIC Euronova promoted entrepreneurship in Latin America and continues to be an active member of the Grupo de Estrategia Internacional Conjunta (in English, International Strategy Group) (GEIC).
In terms of projects financed with European funds from different calls of the European Commission, BIC Euronova promoted a total of 4 in which it participated as a partner, including BIC For SME (training for business innovation), GOSUMP (sustainable urban mobility), EasyRights (access to rights for immigrants) and SME4SMARTCITIES (smartcities).
Since its foundation in 1991, BIC Euronova has held the EU|BIC is granted by the European Commission, through EBN (European Business Network), as a mark of quality in the provision of all its services. A mark, which was renewed in 2021 for five years and which offers a guarantee of compliance with the competencies linked to the performance of a European Business and Innovation Centre (BIC) or BIC (Business Innovation Centre).
In 2021 BIC Euronova continued to host the headquarters of ANCES, the Asociación Nacional de BICs españoles (In English, National Association of Spanish BICs), chaired by BIC Euronova’s CEO, Álvaro Simón de Blas, who also holds the Presidency of the Euronova Club, a club for innovative companies.
Other data from the past year include 140 entrepreneurs advised by BIC Euronova, 88 companies/entrepreneurs mentored, 13 companies supported by BIC Euronova in attracting funding, 38 companies tutored by BIC Euronova’s team of consultants and 24 consultancy contracts executed; data that form part of the activity of the BIC in Málaga in 2021.
Furthermore, BIC Euronova offered a total of 12 training and mentoring sessions through webinars and free workshops, aimed at companies and entrepreneurs in 2021 to address current issues. This figure is in addition to the 25 business events organized and the 3 Technology and Innovation Breakfasts (Desayunos Tecnológicos y de la Innovación). Apart from continuing its commitment to innovation and entrepreneurship as a Jury in the UMA spin off awards, in which it has participated since its beginnings as a promoter. He also promoted the IV edition of ANCES Open Innovation, as well as acting as a jury member in the Emprendedor XXI Awards again in 2021. He also continued to be active in promoting and participating in the activities of the Euronova Innovative Companies Club.
Finally, as Corporate Social Responsibility actions, last year BIC Euronova collaborated with Aldeas Infantiles, the Asociación de Artistas Plásticos de Málaga (Association of Plastic Artists of Málaga) (APLAMA), as well as promoting a campaign of solidarity caps, participating in the InspirinGirls programme and being a partner of the EasyRights social innovation project.
Balance
After 30 years of activity, more than 4,500 entrepreneurial projects have used BIC Euronova’s services and the creation of more than 960 new companies has been supported. Directly, 514 companies have been incubated in BIC Euronova’s facilities for an average period of 2.75 years and with a survival rate of around 80%; generating and/or preserving 5,480 jobs. These figures reflect the importance of the role that BIC Euronova and the European Business and Innovation Centres play in generating employment and wealth in general.
The sectors in which the companies housed at BIC Euronova operate are mainly Engineering, Consultancy and ICT (Information and Communication Technologies), although there are also different sectors such as Health, Biotechnology, Energy, Environment, Training and Fintech, among others.