From 9 to 11 June, Bizkaia became Europe’s leading hub for the data economy with the Data Economy Week, an initiative organised by BAIDATA in collaboration with Innovalia Association, IDSA, Bizkaia Lantik and the GAIA Cluster, which brought together business leaders, international experts, public authorities and technology organisations to discuss the most significant developments in data, artificial intelligence and digital twins.

Data Economy Week, in figures

Sovereign Digital Twins: the technological convergence that will shape the future

The week began with the Sovereign Digital Twins event, organised by BAIDATA in collaboration with IDSA and IDTA. The event focused on the convergence between digital twin standards (Asset Administration Shell – AAS) and sovereign data spaces, demonstrating how this combination is driving new models of industrial collaboration, interoperability and intelligent automation.

During the event, international and national case studies of real-world applications in the industrial, technological and service sectors were discussed, demonstrating that digital twins are already evolving from virtual representations into sovereign digital assets capable of exchanging information in a secure and controlled manner.

The Data Spaces Decade Forum: ten years building the future of the data economy

The second day of the Data Economy Week was centered around the ‘Decade of Data Spaces’ Forum, organised by IDSA with the support of BAIDATA. The event brought together international leaders, heads of European data spaces and representatives of leading initiatives to analyse the evolution of data spaces over the last ten years and discuss the challenges and opportunities for the coming decade.

Throughout the day, key issues were addressed, such as interoperability, data sovereignty, certification and the role of data spaces as essential infrastructure for artificial intelligence and European competitiveness. The programme also included an international round table and the first meeting of those responsible for European Common Data Spaces.

The event was particularly meaningful as it also marked the 10th anniversary of the International Data Spaces Association (IDSA). A decade of promoting standards, trust and interoperability for the secure exchange of data on a global scale.

The day ended with a celebratory dinner bringing together representatives from companies, institutions and organisations across Europe to mark these ten years of achievement and recognise the IDSA’s contribution to the development of the data economy and sovereign data spaces.

5th BAIDATA Forum: data spaces take action

The week’s highlight came with the 5th BAIDATA Forum, held under the theme ‘Data Spaces in Action’. Viewed as the leading event for the data economy in the Iberian Peninsula, the forum demonstrated how data spaces are moving beyond the conceptual phase to become operational solutions with a real impact across multiple sectors.

The event brought together 251 professionals from 125 companies, once again reinforcing BAIDATA’s position as the leading meeting point for the data economy ecosystem. The programme featured over 50 national and international speakers, plenary sessions, networking opportunities, technology demonstrations and numerous sector-specific use cases.

Among the key topics covered:

• European data policies and their impact on artificial intelligence.
• The evolution of data spaces over the last decade.
• Business development based on securely shared data.
• Case studies in mobility, healthcare, tourism, the automotive sector, the media, industry and the public sector.
• Technological solutions presented by leading companies in the ecosystem.

The programme also included round-table discussions, sector-specific dialogues, practical demonstrations and the presentation of the BAIDATA Awards, reinforcing the practical and market-oriented nature that characterises the forum.

Bizkaia, an international hub for the data economy

With this year’s event, Data Economy Week has reinforced Bizkaia’s position as one of Europe’s leading centres for innovation in data, artificial intelligence and digital sovereignty. Over the course of three days, experts, companies and institutions shared knowledge, experiences and solutions that are already transforming the way organisations collaborate and generate value from data.

The high level of business participation, the international presence of leading figures and the hands-on nature of the event confirm that the data economy is no longer a vision of the future, but a reality already in progress.