24 April, 2023The 2023 matchmaking event for the BIND 4.0 SME CONNECTION programme was held at Miramón Technology Park on 30 March. In this phase, after listening to the pitches from the candidates that took part in the previous phase, the participating SMEs selected the most attractive proposals for the challenges they face. The UPTEK SMEs taking part in this event were: LANTEK, ONA, LOIRE GESTAMP and ZAYER.
The SMEs were allocated 30 minutes to discuss and shape the solutions proposed by the startups to address the challenges included in this year's programme: ways to improve the health and condition of the machine tool sector and optimise production processes by implementing Artificial Intelligence, ways to protect data generated by machines and their software, and ways to improve cybersecurity.
SMEs experiencing the first challenge consider that Artificial Intelligence is the backbone around which they wish to build their future business models, since clients are increasingly demanding that machine tool manufacturers provide equipment with systems designed to show the health status of the machine and its components.. Furthermore, cybersecurity in the machine tool sector applies to both the products marketed, i.e. machines (Loire, Ona and Zayer) or software (as is the case with Lantek); and also to the production processes themselves and the work of the company.
The next step for the SMEs will be to convey to BIND or UPTEK which startup they wish to use to perform a concept test and check that the solution proposed fits the need set out by the SME in question.
Bind 4.0BIND SME Connection was set up in September 2021 with the purpose of making the most of all the knowledge generated in the BIND 4.0 Programme regarding the relationship dynamics between Startups and partner companies, in this case in order to generate new collaboration opportunities between SMEs and Startups.
This BIND 4.0 public-private initiative has been created in collaboration with the industry's Cluster Dynamising Organisations: ACLIMA, ADEGI, Basque Food Cluster, ERAIKUNE Construction Cluster, HABIC and UPTEK. The driving force of the SME Connection initiative is to bring the BIND 4.0 open innovation platform and ecosystem model closer to the collaboration of SMEs and startups.
