San Sebastian: A City of Science and Innovation
San Sebastian has become a City of Science and Innovation, establishing itself through a management model centered on knowledge, science, and innovation. This strategy has led to the creation of 29 centers within the Basque Science and Technology Network. In 2022, the city invested €325.4M in R&D&I, which constitutes 3.7% of its GDP and created jobs for 5,954 people.
The City Council's dedication to innovation is evident in the 2023 Activity Report of the Municipal Society. This report highlights support for 2,564 beneficiaries, 1,352 companies, and 295 entrepreneurial projects, with 44% of these projects being innovative. Additionally, nearly €2 million was allocated to programs aimed at recruitment and job creation, resulting in 1,697 new jobs.
Despite the current growth, San Sebastian faces several challenges, including the need for innovative solutions for sustainability and urban transformation, building a robust business environment that generates quality employment, developing and training local talent, facilitating technology and knowledge transfer, transforming traditional urban sectors like commerce and hospitality, and enhancing the city’s international appeal and positioning.
To address these challenges, the Fomento de San Sebastian has launched a new Innovation Plan aimed at fostering projects that stimulate the economy and employment, with a focus on collaboration and people-centric development. Three million euros from the plan will be dedicated to promoting innovation.
This new Innovation Plan will be deployed in 5 action lines:
1. Promoting municipal public innovation
Its objective is to find innovative, sustainable solutions for urban transformation through public-private collaboration, improving the quality of life in San Sebastian. In 2024, it plans to reorient the Smart Kalea project, launch an open call for city challenges, and promote Innovative Public Procurement.
2. City as a Node of Innovative Entrepreneurship
The goal is to make San Sebastian an attractive hub for local and foreign entrepreneurial initiatives by connecting resources and strengthening its innovation ecosystem. The new EKINN space will support services, financial aid, and programs for developing and accelerating these initiatives. Key highlights include the international Summer Campus, Ekinn San Sebastian Campus, Ekinn Academia for education and training, and the EKINN + acceleration programme with thematic editions in Health, Dendak and Gastro.
3. Science City and Innovation Platform
This action is aimed at favouring the development of talent, business growth and competitive improvement, technology transfer to companies and the promotion of sectors of opportunity, focusing on the social impact of the city's commitment to science and innovation.
In 2024 Fomento de San Sebastian will continue to support the dissemination and socialisation of knowledge through initiatives such as the XI Innovation Week, different activities that promote STEAM vocations, as well as those that give visibility to the role of women.
The technology transfer itineraries will boost the growth and competitive improvement of the business fabric, identifying Artificial Intelligence as a disruptive technology for the development of projects and solutions. In addition, the focus will be on sectors such as biosciences and companies that offer knowledge-intensive services, in order to strengthen their growth and development.
Support to the Urban Economy, (Commerce, Hostelry and Tourism) will be provided mainly with funding from the Next Funds.
4. Projects for the professional development of Local Young Talent
The aim is to generate spaces for connecting with young people in San Sebastian and to deploy measures in the field of training, employment and housing to retain young talent, making the Sociedad de Fomento a point of reference for young people in the city.
Throughout the year, actions such as the new Summer Course, Gazte(hi)ria, which aims to become an annual space for dialogue with young people, will be set up. Likewise, the 4th edition of the Talent Fair will be held again; the Urban Young Leaders SS programme will be launched, as well as a new call for applications will be opened for the Local Talent Residences programme, which will offer subsidised temporary accommodation in the EKINN and Talent House buildings to local young people linked to the field of innovation.
5. International Positioning of the City as an Innovation Hub
The aim is to map out the San Sebastian brand as a space of opportunity for the development of innovative business projects through a strategy of connection with other international agents.
In 2024, connections will be developed with strategic cities and entities and the international line linked to entrepreneurship and innovation of the EKINN SS node will be deployed to attract international entrepreneurs and financial aid will be offered to attract and develop events.