IK4-TEKNIKER improved its economic performance in 2016

2016 was a very busy fiscal year for the IK4-TEKNIKER technology centre as it was when the 2013-2016 Strategic Plan, rolled out four years earlier, came to a close. During this period, and in terms of revenues, the Basque centre nearly grew 20% and 8.5% with regard to staffing levels after reaching a workforce of 280 employees.

In 2016, IK4-TEKNIKER reported revenues totalling approximately 24.063 million Euros, a figure that is related, to a large extent, to the high level of commitment on the part of Basque companies with regard to R&D+I. Nearly half the revenues associated with R&D&I (48.5%) resulted from contracts related to innovation and development projects signed with companies, whilst the other half originated from competitive programmes supported by the European Union (24.1%) and the Basque Government (25.2%).

It was also last year when the 2016-2019 Specialisation Plan was implemented and the new 2017-2020 Strategic Plan was approved. IK4-TEKNIKER intends to use these plans to reinforce its position as a key R&D&I organisation in the Basque Country. As stated by Alejandro Bengoa, Director General of IK4-TEKNIKER, “these are satisfactory figures if we bear in mind the complex financial situation of recent years. Our aim is to stand closer to companies and simultaneously enhance our level of excellence in terms of research actions”.

Joining forces

The technology centre is helping companies define their R&D strategies by acting as an expert agent and providing them with knowledge that will enable them to maintain a high level of technological expertise in a global environment that is becoming increasingly competitive. In the course of this strategic period, another seven companies joined the group of “Collaborating Entities” to share know-how and market-related; Egile, iLine, Maier, Ona Electroerosión, Pasaban, Ulma Handling Systems and Zayer, are but a few dynamic companies that have put their stakes firmly on innovation.

IK4-TEKNIKER is also involved in the development of collaborative models such as the so-called IK4 Alliance. Thanks to the support provided by this Alliance, all 9 companies aspire to achieve further growth, enhance their excellence and play a substantially more influential role in Europe.

Distribution of revenues

In addition to 48.5% of revenues originating from companies, last year’s business figure is complemented by the organisation’s involvement in calls for tenders launched by different administrations connected to research support programmes. In fact, research projects sponsored by the EU accounted for 24.1% of the revenues reported and 25.2% in the case of other programmes backed by the Basque Government.

Another highly outstanding achievement of IK4-TEKNIKER has to do with to the organisation’s international activities in the field of European research actions. In 2016, more than 20% of the revenues reported came from European sources that involved more than 25 Basque companies in several projects. Last year, 13 projects received the go-ahead under this EU Framework Programme for Research & Innovation. Specifically, these companies led four of them featuring funding in excess of 6.5 million euros, a fact that clearly denotes the excellent level of specialisation achieved at IK4-TEKNIKER.

Another significant landmark connected to this particular time period is linked to the technology centre’s involvement in work aimed at reorganising the Basque Network of Science, Technology & Innovation (RVCTI) supported by the Basque Government that was subsequently followed by the implementation of a number of new schemes.

As far as other formats of technology transfer are concerned, the centre applied for 2.1 patents per every 100 researchers in 2014 and increased this figure to 3 licences in 2016, thus meeting the requirements set for 2020. Likewise, revenues resulting from selling licenses or patent rights increased from 195,000 € per every 100 researchers in 2014 to 320,000 € in 2016, a figure that already stands very close to the goal set for the next strategic period.

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