The BIND Open Innovation Platform, an international acceleration programme established by the Basque Government and its development agency SPRI, has officially opened applications for its 2026 edition. The programme offers innovative startups a unique opportunity to collaborate with leading industrial companies through paid pilot projects, expert mentoring, and a zero-equity acceleration model.
Applications are open from 3 July to 4 September 2026.
BIND Open Innovation connects technology startups from around the world with more than 100 leading corporate partners, enabling them to validate their solutions in real industrial environments while accelerating business growth. Among the programme’s corporate partners are internationally recognised companies such as Mercedes-Benz, Iberdrola, ITP Aero, CAF, Talgo, Gureak, GH Cranes, and ABB.
The programme focuses on innovative solutions across several strategic domains, including:
- Smart Manufacturing
- Organisational Efficiency
- Energy
- Sustainability
- Business Innovation
Corporate partners are looking for cutting-edge technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Big Data, Cybersecurity, IoT and IIoT, Smart Energy, Augmented and Virtual Reality (AR/VR), Machine Vision, Collaborative Robotics, Additive Manufacturing, High-Performance Computing, and many others. For the 2026 edition, participating companies have also defined 11 priority industry use cases, targeting practical solutions for current industrial challenges.
What startups gain
Selected startups benefit from:
- Market validation with leading industrial companies
- Access to over 100 corporate venture clients
- A zero-equity acceleration programme
- Professional mentoring and specialised workshops
- Networking opportunities within the Basque innovation ecosystem
- Paid innovation contracts with an average value of €40,000
BIND Open Innovation in numbers
- 275 startups accelerated
- 400+ innovation projects delivered
- €10 million in generated business
- 100 corporate venture clients
- 10 successful editions
- €40,000 average project contract value
Important dates
- Application period: 3 July – 4 September 2026
- BIND Webinar: 23 July 2026, 11:00 CEST
- BIND Webinar: 25 August 2026, 15:00 CEST
BIND Open Innovation represents an excellent opportunity for ambitious startups seeking to validate their technologies, establish strategic partnerships with global industry leaders, and bring innovative solutions into real-world industrial practice.
Interested startups are encouraged to submit their applications before the 4 September 2026 deadline and become part of one of Europe’s most successful open innovation programmes.
BIND Catalog: Catalog 2026
Applications and more information: bind.spri.eus
Apply today to pitch your startup to reputable companies, get a contract for a real project, and put your innovations into practice with BIND!
No responses yet