Who are we?

The Innovation and Development Foundation (FIDBAN), is a non-profit organization that seeks to link profitable entrepreneurial projects in need of financing with potential equity investors.

FIDBAN, based in Santander (Cantabria, Spain) is an International Network with Chapters in 30 countries in Europe, the Americas, Africa and Asia.

FIDBAN encourages the creation of local, national and international Investors Clubs, made up of business angels, family offices, venture capitalists and corporate investors. The goal is to generate business opportunities in more than 30 countries, as well as to promote networking among investors at an international level.

FIDBAN holds International Investment Forums where potentially profitable business proposals will be presented. These meetings give entrepreneurs from each country the opportunity to present their projects to a wide circle of national and foreign investors.

FIDBAN also provides entrepreneurs and investors with a digital platform through which the most attractive business proposals can be submitted and identified for expert analysis aimed at potential investors.

Objectives

Promote transparency in the private investment market.
Promote networking among local and foreign investors.
Disseminate knowledge and experience through academic activities aimed at both entrepreneurs and investors.
Generate investment opportunities anywhere in the world.
Link business plans with high return expectations with equity investors.
Develop a network of contacts for the exchange of ideas and experiences in a collaborative environment between entrepreneurs and investors.
Work to reach agreements and collaborations with other entities and platforms at all levels.

Board of Trustees

FIDBAN is directed by a Board of Trustees, which is the governing body of the Foundation, and which currently includes, in addition to the four founding promoters -the European University of the Atlantic (Universidad Europea del Atlántico), SODERCAN, FUNIBER and CITICAN- representatives of the City Councils of Santander and Torrelavega and the CEOE-CEPYME.

European University of the Atlantic (UNEATLANTICO), located in the Scientific and Technological Park of Cantabria, in Santander (Spain), is a private institution with official academic degrees that provide excellence in knowledge in all business areas. It employs professionals of recognized national and international prestige, promotes entrepreneurship through the creation of an innovation ecosystem that enables the community to participate in new development opportunities in a global setting.

SODERCAN, Society for the Development of Cantabria (Sociedad para el Desarrollo de Cantabria), is a public company attached to the Government of Cantabria with a mission to actively contribute in strengthening the industrial fabric of the region by supporting all activities that enable achieving this objective. It facilitates the processes of business creation, consolidation and growth by promoting R&D activities and/or projects that boost the competitive improvement of local companies, as well as their internationalization.

FUNIBER, Iberoamerican University Foundation, contributes to the project with its international experience developed over the last two decades in more than 30 countries. Its academic, scientific and research activities, as well as cooperation, development and economic growth, are carried out through various agreements and projects.

CITICAN, Industrial Research and Technology Center of Cantabria, (Centro de Investigación y Tecnología Industrial de Cantabria), attached to the European University of the Atlantic, seeks to facilitate business innovation through research and development. It has laboratories equipped with the latest technologies for the research and development of projects, in addition to a team of experienced researchers. It brings together people, governments, public and private institutions in order to create, improve and innovate products, services or processes.

Ayuntamiento de Santander

Ayuntamiento de Torrelavega

CEOE-CEPYME

Collaborating entities

Advisory Board and Technical Committee

To achieve its objectives — contributing to the development of an entrepreneurial culture through the active promotion of a network of entrepreneurs and private investors, bringing both groups into contact — the Innovation and Development Foundation (FIDBAN), has an Advisory Board composed of prominent business leaders and a Technical Committee that advises entrepreneurs and investors and evaluates projects.

Advisory Board

The Advisory Board is made up of leading figures from the business sector, companies, and organizations, and actively participates in the Project, adding value, providing solidity, and attracting both entrepreneurs and investors for future collaboration.

Comité Técnico

The Technical Committee advises entrepreneurs and investors on specific matters and participates in the evaluation of the projects submitted. The Technical Committee also serves as a training source for potentially profitable projects, helping to generate attractive and sustainable business development proposals.

FIDBAN, through the Chair of Entrepreneurial Culture and Employability at UNEATLANTICO, has the support of BBVA’s Financial and Business Collaborator for Spain and Latin America.

FIDBAN Chapters

FIDBAN's International Network is made up of Chapters in each of the 30 countries where it is present. Each Chapter is composed of the Organizing Committee and the Investors Club. To strengthen the Latin American Chapters, a director has been appointed for the region based in Mexico.

The Organizing Committee, may be composed of universities, chambers, associations, governments, professional associations, and public and private companies that collaborate with the entrepreneurial initiative, contributing their experience and knowledge from each of their sectors.

The Investors Club, is made up of business angels, family offices, venture capitalists, and corporate investors from each country, who will participate in the International Investors Forums where the selected projects will be presented.

Through the FIDBAN chapters present in each country, the relationship, experience and business opportunities between:

Investor - Investor: Link between local and foreign investors.
Investor - Entrepreneur: Access to profitable ideas and projects.
Entrepreneur - Investor: Opportunity to obtain direct investment capital, advice and experience from entrepreneurs.
Entrepreneur - Entrepreneur: Networking, opportunity to share experience and knowledge.

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