About BBK Kuna

BBK Kuna, Home of SDGs, is a space for social innovation in which different agents linked to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) participate in order to offer the society of Bizkaia numerous solutions to respond to the challenges of the future.

BBK has always been linked to the reality of Bizkaia and engaged in resolving its challenges. It has been leading projects for over 100 years to meet the needs of Bilbao and Bizkaia at any given time. Society has become increasingly more complex and so have the challenges.

The Home of SDGs promotes innovative projects, from the heart of Bilbao La Vieja, providing solutions to challenges such as the ageing population and the loneliness of elderly persons; climate change, the technological revolution, the transformation of cities or migration. Challenges linked to Agenda 2030 that have be addressed in order to continue to grow as a society without leaving anyone behind.

Quadruple helix

We work in a joint and transdisciplinary manner with the agents of society: citizens, universities and research centres, public administrations and private businesses.

Participative methodologies

We are committed to using different participation formats promoting gender equality, and inclusively by means of different types of projects always generated collaboratively: Kuna Lab, Citizen Participation and Training.

Think Tank

All our participation projects are led by using the Think Tank or laboratory of ideas methodology, in which each one of the participants presents their knowledge in order to analyse the challenges of a society and proposes solutions.

A place to think about the future

We want to be a benchmark in the future of Bizkaia, and in order to achieve this we have an open and transformative space, capable of promoting positive changes in the social fabric by empowering citizens.

Vision

Stakeholders who participate in defining BBK Kuna’s vision and focus

BBK Kuna is an inspiring project which draws on the experience of other agents for developing initiatives that contribute to the growth and well-being of society. In order to achieve this, we rely on the participation, strategically as well as operationally, of the BBK Foundation and BBK Kuna Institutoa as drivers to define the goals and objectives to be reached.

  • BBK Fundazioa
  • BBK Kuna Institutoa

Ecosystem

Agents that take part in the BBK Kuna Social Innovation ecosystem.

At BBK Kuna we work participatively with all of the agents in society using different socialization plans in order to respond to the challenges of the future together.

Quadruple helix:

  • Private company
  • Academy and research centres
  • Organised citizens
  • Public authorities

Process

Ecosystem phases and activation tools.

Our working methodology is divided into three phases: the first one, listening, in this phase we will analyse and interpret the proposed challenge; the second, mediating and participating, in which we generate connections and develop solutions that make an impact; and the third, activating, where the approved projects are modeled and implemented.

  • Listening
  • Participation and mediation
  • Activation

Impact

Real actions targeted at creating programmes with social impact.

This will all result in promoting and creating new businesses, neighbourhood participation through consultative bodies, forming learning communities and creating living labs

Partnerships

We build solid partnerships to make BBK Kuna a benchmark in Social Innovation.

Vision partners

Logo Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies

Social innovation and local reality

BBK Kuna working methodology

At BBK Kuna we are committed to the Think Tank method as a resource to tackle different subjects from a multi-disciplinary perspective, which in turn encourages the different agents to investigate, combine and interiorise knowledge in a practical way through 3 phases.

Listening

From the global to the local and from the macro to the micro

This phase is essential in order to understand the implication and magnitude of the social challenges. The more theoretical focus points and themes selected by BBK Kuna will be put into practice and find a more tangible application in this phase.

Measuring and participating

Connecting to mobilise and build solutions

The second phase is more associated with building solutions for the challenges and relationships of the ecosystem. Using the quadruple helix as a basis, we generate heterogenous working environments to ensure different views on one social challenge.

Activating

Prototyping, implementing and scaling

Once the possible solutions have been defined, the activation phase of the solutions commences, since BBK Kuna seeks to set ideas in motion and so they can really generate a positive social impact. These solutions to the challenges go through a modelling phase to validate their potential impact in order to implement them.

A building with history

Since it was built in 1916, the building designed by Ricardo Bastida, the Casa Cuna, right in the heart of Bilbao La Vieja, has been a benchmark in generating well-being, equal opportunities, social integration and cutting-edge pre-school education in Bilbao and Bizkaia.

1914 – 1916

Construction of the Casa Cuna by Ricardo Bastida.

1916 – 1930

Casa Cuna becomes a benchmark in well-being, hygiene and family care in Bilbao and Bizkaia.

1930 onwards

Opening the San Antonio Sala Cuna Nursery and extension of the model to all of Bizkaia.

2018

BBK launches an open call to submit ideas for the use of the space and «KUNA is selected: Ecosystem for conceiving and developing cutting-edge initiatives» as the winning idea.

2018 – 2020

Designing the project adapting it to the role played by BBK and the reality of Bizkaia together with expert agents to give shape to BBK Kuna, the space for thinking about the future.

2021

Opening of BBK Kuna.