On 29 May, Deusto Business School hosted the BRTA Alumni Day, an event that brought together 25 participants from the two cohorts of BRTA’s executive training programme. The event, organised jointly with Deusto Business School, centred on the concept of the BRTA Marketplace: (re)Connecting, Discover, Act, with a clear objective: to generate valuable connections and commitments to collaboration between centres.
A strategic framework for reflection
The event began with a joint institutional opening by BRTA and Deusto Business School, followed by Enric Segarra entitled ‘The infrastructure that enables innovation to happen’. A presentation that set out the conceptual framework for the event and opened up discussion on the role of networks and partnerships in the research and technological development ecosystem.
Participants then worked individually to identify their professional assets and needs, this laying the groundwork for the networking activities that followed.
BRTA Marketplace in action
The centrepiece of the event was the BRTA Marketplace, a speed-dating session structured into five rounds of five minutes each. Using a colour-coding system designed to pair participants from different cohorts, the aim was to maximise connections between complementary profiles and foster cross-centre collaborations that extend beyond the scope of the programme.
Each participant recorded their interactions and contacts throughout the rounds, creating a live map of the synergies identified during the event.
Following the networking rounds, a coffee break provided an opportunity to continue conversations in a more relaxed setting.
A network that continues to grow
The BRTA Alumni Day demonstrates BRTA’s commitment to developing talent within the Basque science and technology ecosystem. Beyond training, the programme aims to build an R&D community that shares a common vision, experience and a commitment to long-term collaboration.