Recognition for the companies of the Basque Country Technology Park

Of the three winning companies in the 2017 Atelier de l’Innovation call for projects, Wave Bumper and Vracoop are based on technology park sites and Njuko was developed on one.

16 companies based within the territory of the former Basque Coast - Adour Urban Authority applied for the fifth Atelier de l’Innovation call for projects organised by the Basque Country Urban Authority. Three winners, all from the Basque Country Technology Park ecosystem, were finally selected and will each receive a grant of €20,000.

•            Created at the ESTIA Entreprendre incubator on the Izarbel Technology Park, Vracoop is developing a global offering to facilitate the sale of loose bulk products in shops easier and limit the production of packaging waste. The €20,000 from the Atelier de l’Innovation call for projects will go towards the design of the “Box Vrac&bio”: a dry goods dispenser in reusable cardboard which will supplement the Vracoop checkout system already installed in some twenty shops in France. Website: vracoop.fr

•            The Njuko start-up set up home on the Izarbel Technology Park in 2014 to have the benefit of a technological environment as well as a natural setting in keeping with its line of business, and then established separate offices in Bidart. Njuko has developed internet and mobile registration applications for sporting events. The award from the Atelier de l’Innovation call for projects will allow it to develop a V2 of this application enabling it to manage the entire life cycle of a sporting event (registrations, collection of bibs, management of volunteers and results, etc.) and including a marketplace at the service of organisers and advertisers of sporting events. Website: njuko.com

•            Based at the Technocité Technology Park in Bayonne, Wave Bumper won the “Sustainable Development and Construction Prize”. Wave Bumper has designed an anti-submersion device consisting of a system of removable dykes and a forecasting and warning application. The award from the Atelier de l’Innovation call for projects is earmarked for the design of a reinforcement to stabilise the dykes and avoid them moving under the impetus of the strong waves against which they protect coastal areas. Website: wave-bumper.fr

During the 2017 Atelier de l’Innovation award ceremony, the 2016 winners were invited to talk about the implementation of projects for which the Basque Country Urban Community had chosen to support them. Marion Woirhaye from Wikicampers confirmed the online launch of the application and the new version of the motorhome hire platform for private individuals developed at the Izarbel Technology Park. Colin Mc Reynolds, from Laboratoires de Biarritz, presented the development of the anti-UV filter project designed solely using materials of organic origin. Romain Roquefère for Hupi, a big data specialist based on the Izarbel Technology Park, explained how the operational roll-out of the project to “analyse feelings through machine learning” had allowed this innovative company to develop its expertise amongst businesses and local authorities.

Find out more about the Atelier de l’Innovation call for projects at: www.communaute-paysbasque.fr/les-politiques-publiques/economie-enseignement-superieur-et-tourisme/5e-appel-projets-atelier-de