15 September 2025
Bilbao Campus
On 8 September, the University held the welcoming ceremony for the 2nd edition of the Innovation and Global Entrepreneurship Network -RIEG- Deusto-Bizkaia, a project promoted by Deusto with the support of the Biscay Provincial Council, within its strategy "Bizkaia with the talent", and in cooperation with the universities of the AUSJAL Network - Association of Universities Entrusted to the Society of Jesus in Latin America-. Now in its second edition, this initiative aims to connect universities, businesses, and institutions around people, innovation, education, and technology, creating a space where talent is practically linked to the economic and social ecosystem of the Basque Country.
The main objective of the RIEG Deusto-Bizkaia is to identify and attract Latin American people with STEM profiles to Biscay, in order to collaborate in the activation and acceleration of innovation areas in leading companies in the region. As part of this effort, the Network seeks to link Biscay with Latin America through Jesuit universities, fostering collaboration between academia and industry through innovative projects. The Network stands out as an example of cooperation, with the active participation of more than 150 actors each year.
To support this, the University of Deusto offers the Network the Dual Master’s Degree in Innovation and Technology (Continuing Education), a unique programme based on a 100% experiential methodology, centred on learning by doing and on the resolution of real challenges posed by collaborating companies. The session was opened by María José Aranguren, Vice-Rector for the San Sebastian campus and Institutional Relations, who spoke about the importance of attracting talent, while highlighting that RIEG is a truly collaborative project, bringing public and private partners together in practice. In this context, she emphasised the importance of building strong networks to strengthen the innovation ecosystem, particularly through the involvement of international universities and the AUSJAL network. She also highlighted that the Dual Master’s in Innovation and Technology, undertaken by participants in the RIEG programme, has a strong practical focus and is closely connected to the professional and social context of the region, offering students a truly immersive learning experience.
Then, Joseba Mariezkurrena, Director General of Entrepreneurship, Talent and Business Competitiveness at the Biscay Provincial Council, welcomed them to the Basque ecosystem, highlighting Biscay as an innovative, entrepreneurial, and industrial region. He reminded the audience that this project was born out of the real needs of businesses and has continued to respond effectively to the shared agenda between universities, institutions, and the business community since its first edition.
The event was led by Garbiñe Henry, Director of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Deusto and head of the RIEG, who presented the Network’s key pillars and objectives as a tool to connect talent, knowledge, and opportunities. Next, the participants of RIEG 2025 and the partner companies that will host them during the dual intensification phase of the Master’s programme starting this second semester were introduced.
This 2025 edition has 23 participants with STEM profiles, 12 women and 11 men, from 10 of the 14 Jesuit university nodes that currently make up the RIEG: Universidad Católica de Córdoba in Argentina, Universidad Alberto Hurtado in Chile, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana Bogotá, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana Cali in Colombia, Universidad Rafael Landívar in Guatemala, Universidad Iberoamericana Puebla, Universidad Jesuita de Guadalajara and Tecnológico Universitario del Valle de Chalco in Mexico, Universidad del Pacífico in Peru and Universidad Católica del Uruguay in Uruguay.
During the first phase of the Master’s, from September to December, participants will have the opportunity to explore the Basque Country’s innovation ecosystem through a challenge-based learning methodology. Each of these challenges will be framed within a specific theme and will be developed by the following companies: Laboral Kutxa, Iberdrola, PharmaBioServ, Petronor and Deloitte.
From February, during the dual phase of the Master’s, participants will work on real projects in leading companies across Biscay, including: Aindeep, Alba Energy, Arteche, BBVA Technology, CIE Automotive, EIT Food, EY, Haizea Bilbao, Inser Robótica, Miesa, NWorld, RDT, Teknei, ULMA, Vicrila, Zunibal and Zyonia. Six of the companies are returning in 2025, once again selecting participants.
