The New Social Silicon ValleySocial Innovation leaders have a long tradition of collaborative projects but a business parkfully dedicated to this field has never been experienced in Europe. The Social Innovation Park(SI Park) will host in the Greater Bilbao area of Northern Spain consolidated social enterprisesand emerging innovation projects aiming to create the new “Social Silicon Valley”. All of themwill benefit from the new resources incorporated in this initiative: the Social InnovationLaboratory (G-Lab), the Social Innovation Academy and the Social Enterprise Generator.

The Basque region of Spain has a long tradition of a vibrant economy powered by a deepsocial approach. This is the homeland of Mondragon Cooperative Corporation and theGuggenheim Museum, promoted and funded by the local authorities. The Basque area hasalso demonstrated a successful history in terms of socio-economic regeneration. This is oneof the few international cases which overcame the steel and shipbuilding crisis of the 80s,transforming itself into a new economy employing 100,000 workers around the globe. Inaddition, the Basque region is leading renewal energy enterprises by birthing globalcorporations such as Gamesa and Iberdrola.

According to the UN Human Development Index parameters, the Basque region ranks as theworld´s most socially balanced countries. SI Park will offer, therefore, a unique opportunity forinternational entities working in this field to be present in one of the most innovativeenvironments connected to social enterprising.

Designed and nurtured for over a decade, the Social Innovation Park will start operations inJune 2010. Initially, the Social Silicon Valley will cover 72,000 square metres located inSanturtzi, 25 km away from the Bilbao international airport. The master project has beensupported by national and local authorities with an initial phase budget of 6 million Euro.Basque, Spanish and European institutions are also funding several initiatives related to theproject that are already being implemented in the area. Long-term working relationships willbe developed with a network of 1,000 professionals around the globe representing more thanfifty national and international entities to be established at the Social Innovation Park.

SI Park will host a laboratory for identifying emerging social tendencies (G-Lab) applyingparticipatory democracy methodologies. G-Lab will evaluate current social services providedby the public administration to design and develop innovative testbeds. SI Park will operateunder an open innovation framework, with membership annually determining potential areasof laboratory research. As a priority, G-Lab´s research will be royalty-free to all institutionspresent in Bilbao and it will be associated to the leading international networks of socialinnovation laboratories.

SI Park will provide on-site and on-line training to bring fresh ideas to services provided bythird sector institutions, organizations and enterprises. The Social Innovation Academy willoffer a regularly-scheduled programs: Intensive Training for Third Sector Leaders, project-based education, and welcoming “spin off” training centres from the most successfulentrepreneurial schools. The Social Innovation Academy will collaborate for this purposewith Euclid, the European Network of third sector leaders, and with the Social InnovationExchange, the global alliance committed to growing the capacity of the field.

Collaborating entities within the SI Park will be offered the opportunity to incubate new socialenterprises and emerging tendencies identified by the G-lab will encourage SI Park membership tolaunch new projects.

With the purpose of providing the necessary support to new innovation entrepreneurs at SI Park,DenokInn has signed a collaboration agreement with the London School of Economics Enterprise.The new innovation entrepreneurs will be trained, mentored, and evaluated by SI Park staff,incorporating the know-how present in a privileged social environment. Finally, the Social Club ofAngels will provide seed capital for new enterprises, guaranteeing a comprehensive approach tothe innovation process.

SI Park will also host a pilot project led by DenokInn to generate social and cooperativeenterprises under an innovative approach. Local institution will allow social income receptors totest new entrepreneurial initiatives without loosing their benefits. The DenokInn pilot will allow alarge number of small and medium-sized enterprises to be located in the park, integrating relatedexperiences successfully tested in Sweden and France.

We are living fascinating times. The whole social welfare system is reinventing itself with newparadigms. DenokInn offers a sustainable and equitable approach to the structure andmanagement of social innovation ventures. SI Park offers a great opportunity to participate inadvancing the process of social innovation from a totally new perspective.

Those entities interested in exploring their participation in the park may choose between thefollowing options:

1.- SI Park Space Probe. A large number of third sector organizations, private corporations andpublic institutions have requested a test-bed in the park. With this purpose, SI Park will offer in2010 the possibility of hosting international delegations to visit the park and discuss the detailsand conditions for a twelve-month trial residency. DenokInn also welcomes internationalorganizations, companies and governments to join an international network discussing thelaunching of SI Park. Members of this network will receive updated information on the latestdevelopments in order to facilitate their analysis on further possibilities.

2. Si Park Project_based partnership. SI Park offers the possibility of project-based participationin the park. Potential partners are invited to inform DenokInn about their fields of interest. SIPark will co-design with potential partners concrete international collaboration proposals basedin Bilbao. To facilitate third sector organizations, private corporations and public institutions toexplore these projects, an advance team of DenokInn staff is ready to visit them and facilitateidea-generation, design and development into an rapid organizational or business prototype.

3. SI Park Strategic partners. SI Park is looking for international strategic partners. Thesepartners will form the International Steering Committee, monitoring the launching phase andexploring new avenues for the future. The International Steering Group will coordinate theextension plan for new Social Innovation Parks around the globe.

If you are interested in receiving more information about the SI ParkPlease contact Gorka Espiau at gespiau@denokinn.eu