Gipuzkoa-based sme Akting is the winner of the Ixo Group challenge set through Gipuzkoa Open Future to address innovation and excellence in its customers’ overall experience

05/12/2018 - Actualizado 28/06/2023

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The business group specialising in the restaurant sector includes the Mugaritz, Nerua Guggenheim Bilbao, Bistró Guggenheim Bilbao, Topa Sukaldería, Ni Neu and Bodegón Alejandro restaurants

The Gipuzkoa-based SME Akting, located in the Gipuzkoa Science and Technology Park in Donostia, will provide a comprehensive solution based on managing data processing designed to enable customer relationships to be developed in a distinctive way.
The solution will be based on implementing digital tools, innovating in customer experience, gaining more knowledge about their preferences and opinions, and activating friendly, accessible communication.
A total of 36 entries were submitted by local, national and international candidates for the first challenge launched by the initiative promoted by the Guipuzkoa Provincial Council and Telefónica to support the digital transformation process in the catering industry, one of the key strategic areas in the region.
The winner will conduct a real pilot paid for by IXO Grupo and obtain a EUR 15,000 prize, plus support in accessing subsidies from the Gipuzkoa Provincial Council.

Donostia, 5 December 2018.- The Gipuzkoa-based SME Akting is the winner of the challenge set by IXO Grupo – a group specialising in the restaurant sector, which includes the Mugaritz, Nerua Guggenheim Bilbao, Bistró Guggenheim Bilbao, Topa Sukalderia, Ni Neu and Bodegón Alejandro restaurants – with the goal of fostering the best, personalised experience at its restaurants for its customers and of consolidating the experience of visits to its venues as unique, stand-out events. This challenge was announced one month ago and is the first launched through Gipuzkoa Open Future, the initiative promoted by the Gipuzkoa Provincial Council and Telefónica to support strategic sectors within the region.

Akting is a small/medium-sized enterprise specialising in creating customer applications through innovative processes and technologies, with extensive experience in analysing data to help strategic decision making. The Gipuzkoa-based company will conduct a pilot of the proposal it entered for the IXO Grupo challenge, which will help the group to develop customer relationships in a distinctive way through managing how the data regarding their culinary experiences are processed. It will also receive a prize of EUR 15,000 awarded by the Gipuzkoa Provincial Council. Likewise, and provided that the official conditions are met, it will receive support from that provincial institution to enjoy the aid provided for entrepreneurship envisioned by the council and to implement the project.

The challenge set by IXO Grupo received a total of 36 entries, submitted by startups, SMEs, technological centres and universities based locally, nationally and internationally. Of the 27 entries received from within Spain, almost 50% originated from the Basque Country. Before the winning entry was chosen, Akting and a further six projects were selected to take part in an immersion session lasting three days around Gipuzkoa (Gipuzkoa Immersion Trip), financed by the Gipuzkoa Provincial Council, in which the participants and the IXO Grupo shared their knowledge and co-creation and networking was fostered. Following the Gipuzkoa Immersion Trip, the projects were defended by their teams on Demoday via a virtual pitch for each solution, from which the winning entry emerged.

IXO GRUPO

Founded in 2009 by Andoni Luis Aduriz and Bixente Arrieta, IXO is the name of the business group specialising in the restaurant sector which includes the Ni Neu, Bodegón Alejandro and TOPA Sukaldería (Donostia-San Sebastián, Gipuzkoa), Mugaritz (Errenteria, Gipuzkoa), Nerua Guggenheim Bilbao and Bistró Guggenheim Bilbao (Bilbao, Bizkaia) restaurants. It was created with the goal of creating culture through cuisine with a dynamic, non-conformist and idealistic spirit.

IXO Grupo’s activities are not limited to strictly culinary areas; they also extend to other disciplines such as research and development of knowledge and to business consultancy. It brings together cultural and social aspects of food, while finding innovative solutions to the challenges faced in its sector.

GIPUZKOA OPEN FUTURE

The Gipuzkoa Open Future programme is the result of the alliance between the Gipuzkoa Provincial Council and Telefónica to boost talent and entrepreneurship in “strategic sectors of the future”, that is, in cyber security, digitalisation of cuisine, sustainable mobility and biosciences, with special emphasis on medical devices. Two challenges have already been set through this initiative. The first was set by IXO Grupo and the second, which is currently active, by the Basque Culinary Center (BCC), one of Telefónica’s technological partners, which seeks to develop the experience of pupils and teaching staff in a distinctive and innovative way in order to optimise inventory management.

Gipuzkoa Open Future combines the Gipuzkoa Provincial Council’s interest in attracting talent and generating quality employment related to new technologies with the need for companies to digitalise their processes, an area in which Telefónica has extensive experience.

Contact:

Ania Elorza, Communication at IXO Grupo

Telephone: 608922271

Email: [email protected]

Maria Beloki, Communication Officer, Economic Advancement Department. Gipuzkoa Provincial Council

Telephone: 943113362

Email: [email protected]

www.gipuzkoa.eus

Rafael Ossa, Communication Officer, Telefónica

Telephone: 944883661

Email: [email protected]

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