Competitiveness Conference 2025

International connectivity, a driver for industry

At the 2025 Competitiveness Conference Orkestra will present the new Basque Country Competitiveness Report, which focuses on international connections as a driving force of the Basque Industry. 

In a context of profound geopolitical and geoeconomic changes, accompanied by industrial strategy transformations in Europe and the Basque Country, the report analyses three key avenues of international connection for industrial competitiveness: 

1. Trade interdependencies
2. Investment flows
3. People and knowledge generation

From an applied perspective, the report examines how these connections could strengthen and advance the industry, making it more resilient. It also provides a thorough analysis of the Basque Country's competitiveness and wellbeing, comparing its progress with other regions and examining internationalisation indicators to identify opportunities and vulnerabilities.

The conference will take place on 24 November at 16:00 in the Atrium of the Resource Centre for Learning and Research (RCLR) at the University of Deusto in Bilbao.

Following a presentation of the Report's key messages and recommendations, there will be two panel discussions with local and international experts. These panels will focus on trade relations and investment flows that can strengthen the Basque industry and the role of industrial policy in connecting knowledge internationally.

    Register for the event 

Programme

16:00 p.m. • Welcome: Iván Martén, President of Orkestra.

16:05 p.m. • Institutional opening: Elixabete Etxanobe, Deputy General of Bizkaia

16:10 p.m. • Presentation of the 2025 Basque Country Competitiveness Report 

• Susana Franco, Research Director at Orkestra
• Mikel Gaztañaga, Predoctoral Researcher at Orkestra

16:30 p.m. • Connecting to grow: commercial interdependencies and investment flows in Basque industry

• Aitor Alapont, CEO of P4Q
• Nerea Aranguren, Managing Director of DANOBATGROUP
• Ibon Gil de San Vicente, Director of Projects and Territorial Impact at Orkestra

16:55 p.m. • Towards a strategic approach to European cooperation and the flows of people and knowledge

• Beñat Bilbao, Science and Innovation Counsellor at the European Union Delegation to the United Kingdom
• Jaione Ganzarain, Deputy Minister for Technology, Innovation and Digital Transformation of the Basque Government
• Elvira Uyarra, Director of the Manchester Institute of Innovation Research and Professor at Manchester Business School
• James Wilson, General Director of Orkestra

17:25 p.m.• Conclusions

17:30 p.m. • Institutional closing: Mikel Jauregi, Minister for Industry, Energy Transition and Sustainability of the Basque Government

17:35 p.m. • Networking cocktail

2025 Competitiveness Conference

 24 November 2025 • 16:00 
 Atrium of the Resource Centre for Learning and Research at the University of Deusto in Bilbao.

Environmentally Sustainable Event

Erronka Garbia is a certificate launched by the Basque Government through Ihobe. It recognises events that integrate environmental measures into their design and organisation to minimise their potential negative environmental impact. This project aims to raise awareness among event attendees and organisers to mitigate the negative environmental impacts of large scale events.

In line with our commitment to environmental sustainability, the Competitiveness Conference organising team applied the principles of the Erronka Garbia methodology to the design and organisation of this event, with the aim of reducing our impact as much as possible. Help us reduce our environmental impact by travelling to the conference by public transport or carpooling.