Powered by Ashoka, the BBK Tech for Humanity Summit will bring together the Spanish and global ecosystems of social entrepreneurs, companies, investors and policy-makers building a better future. From March 11-13, the city of Bilbao will take center stage, where changemakers of all stripes will inspire one another, make powerful connections and build a better future.
Starting with an opening ceremony on March 11 at the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, the summit will focus on the technological architecture we need to build to reimagine the issues of our time: democracy and social cohesion, sustainability, responsible AI, public digital infrastructures and more.
Come build what works and what’s next! We aim to come out of the 3-days with concrete actions, collective wisdom and new connections to help each other succeed and fuel our work for years to come.
Show solutions and the changemakers behind them in new ways that inspire, inform, and energize new audiences, gathering 120 of the world’s top social innovators, policy makers, entrepreneurs in tech
Weave powerful networks of innovators and decision-makers with shared goals and intentions for Tech & Humanity.
Focus on what works and what's next to help people and institutions see a radically new future and build it.
A melting pot of cultures, Bilbao connects the ancient Basque culture with a mix of modern design, architecture, urban planning and sustainable mobility. The Basque city has become a global benchmark of urban renewal, as a result of the profound transformation it has undergone in recent decades. It's a city boasting over 700 years of rich history, where tradition and innovation coexist harmoniously.
For the greater part of its history, Bilbao was synonymous with industry, relying heavily on steel production, shipbuilding, and various business sectors until the 1980s. Fast forward to today, and Bilbao has undergone a remarkable transformation. It has emerged as a knowledge-based city, focusing on advanced services. Today, Bilbao looks to the future through the lens of its dynamic art, engineering, and design communities. Bilbao's journey from an industrial powerhouse to a vibrant hub of culture, innovation, and sustainability is nothing short of inspiring.
Guggenheim Museum Bilbao
Built alongside the Nervion River, the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao is an iconic masterpiece of contemporary architecture designed by Frank Gehry. Opened in 1997, the museum's distinctive titanium-clad structure has become a symbol of Bilbao's cultural revitalization and hosts an impressive collection of modern and contemporary art.
BBK Kuna
Home of SDGs, Kuna is a space for social innovation where different agents linked to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) participate and design solutions to respond to the emerging challenges of Bizkaia. The space promotes innovative projects in the fields of New Longevity, Technology, Sustainability and Urban Development.
Ashoka is the world’s largest network of social entrepreneurs – now with nearly 4,000 Ashoka Fellows across more than 90 countries. Ashoka pioneered the field of social entrepreneurship, established terms like ‘social entrepreneur’ and ‘changemaker,’ and is routinely voted among the world’s top NGOs. Ashoka Fellows have gone on to improve the lives of tens of millions. They have won Nobel Peace Prizes, facilitated the global spread of breakthrough innovations like mobile finance and telemedicine, built the world’s first citizen-powered encyclopedia (Wikipedia), made major inroads in algorithmic justice, established key aspects of the sharing economy, championed national treaties to govern an open internet, and more.
BBK works to contribute to the economic development and social cohesion of the Basque region (Basque Country, Spain) and its citizens. BBK cooperates with people, teams and organizations with whom it shares its values and objectives. It chooses creativity and innovation as the driving force in all its projects and is committed to networking and cooperation with all agents, public and private. BBK prioritizes sustainable development that meets current social and environmental needs, through a relevant and leading social impact. It is recognized as one of the most relevant social institutions in the Basque Country and Spain.