GAIA Cluster

About the GAIA Cluster

GAIA is the Association Cluster of Technology and Knowledge Industries of the Basque Country (ICTA Sector). GAIA is the institution that represents practically all the companies of the electronics, engineering, consulting, computing and telecommunications sector, which are based in the Basque Autonomous Community. GAIA is a research driven cluster since it legally involves businesses, public authorities (Basque Government) and RTD entities). GAIA has 270 industrial members (90% SMEs, with a total of 19.000 employees).

What are the main Objectives of the Cluster?

GAIA's mission is to boost the development and growth in the Electronics-IT and Telecommunications sector, and to favor the assimilation and efficient usage of the sector's technologies, with the aim of collaborating in the development of the Information and Knowledge Society. GAIA’s goals, among others, are to enhance the development of the most innovative technologies by companies, offer a satisfactory answer to the needs of different sectors that are intensive users of electronic, information and telecommunications technologies, to position and move member companies towards areas of activity with emerging demand for products and services in the sector (sports, automotive, housing...) in the next years, promote collaboration between businesses in order to develop new technological products and services and support for Internationalization of R&D&I 

GAIA is moving ahead as the private independent institution most committed to integral development of the industrial sectors, linked to the Electronics and Information Technologies within the society and to the rational, efficient use of products and services based on those technologies (for example Industry 4.0, energy efficiency, health sector, enviroment, etc..). GAIA has achieved a high profile nationally and internationally thanks to its own activities and its work with other institutions. GAIA has co-operation agreements with more than 50 entities

What are the benefits that the Cluster is bringing to its members?

GAIA supports the activities of its associated companies by offering them internationalization, competitiveness and management services.

GAIA provide a set of key services to its associated companies:

• Identification of training needs and training courses
• Scaling up methodologies for the scalability of projects results to the market
• Technical support for the development of cooperative projects between companies, research centers and universities
• Internacionalization support (participation in international events and cooperation intercluster)
• Quality support (helping companies in the adoption of quality standars)

Why have we joined Cyberwatching?

The Strategic Plan 2017 - 2020 aligns the offer of the companies of the sector towards the territorial specialization strategy of the Basque Country (RIS3). Cibersecurity is part of the actual strategic plan of the association identifies as a Key Enable Technology (KET) to achieve the objectives of Basque Industry 4.0 strategy. GAIA is member of the cybersecurity IC (Intelligence Competitive) group in the Basque Country in cooperation with Basque Government and research institutions.

Jokin Garatea

Jokin Garatea, international manager at GAIA. He is an expert in International Commerce and Graduated in European Economy, in Knowledge Transfer an in Microeconomics of Competitiveness in Cluster. He has a broad experience in international projects coordination on ICTs, ecommerce for SMEs, RTD projects to improve competitiveness in the telecommunications sector financed by the following directorates of the European Commission: DGI, DGIII, DGXIII, DGXXII. Jokin is Advisory Board member of EnoLL (European Network of Living Lab) network and vice-president of the first cross-border certified Living Lab, the OceanTech Living Lab.