Herdit, a leading metal transformation company under the leadership of CEO Marta Barredo, plays a crucial role in strategic sectors such as railway, wind, photovoltaic, and capital goods. The company stands out for its comprehensive technical capabilities, ranging from laser cutting and punching to the final assembly of components for high-speed trains worldwide. This operational excellence is further strengthened by the leadership’s active participation in business organizations such as SEA Empresas Alavesas and CONFEBASK, promoting an industrial ecosystem that drives collective growth across the entire territory.

The province of Álava is positioned as a preferred destination for investing in Álava, thanks to the presence of major anchor companies like Mercedes-Benz and Michelin, which act as engines for innovation and economic stability. This industrial environment fosters synergies between suppliers and clients, making it easier for any new establishment to benefit from a consolidated and efficient value chain. The collaboration between the private sector and local institutions creates a constant support framework that simplifies the process for those deciding to set up a business in the region.

One of Álava’s greatest competitive advantages is its commitment to human capital and specialized training. The territory boasts cutting-edge training centers, both in vocational training and at the university level, guaranteeing the availability of a highly skilled workforce adapted to the needs of Industry 4.0. This direct access to talent, combined with a privileged logistical location, makes the province an incomparable environment for developing solid business projects with international reach.
 

The Basque Association for the development of new advanced manufacturing technologies in Automotive (BaM), led by CEO Mariluz Villamor, serves as a strategic engine for industrial competitiveness in the Basque Country. Through a collaborative innovation model, the entity facilitates the testing of cutting-edge technologies by combining partner funding with grants from the Basque Government and the Provincial Council of Álava. This ecosystem ensures that automotive companies can access digitalization and advanced manufacturing processes in an affordable and efficient manner.

Founded by global industry leaders such as Mercedes-Benz Vitoria, Gestamp Norte, and MB Sistemas (Mondragon Corporation), BaM orchestrates a powerful technological cluster within the province. The association integrates centers from the Basque Network of Science, Technology, and Innovation, universities, and suppliers across the entire value chain, creating a unique environment for cooperation. This structure not only strengthens local businesses but also projects a standard of technical excellence that reinforces the case for investing in Álava as an international benchmark in the automotive sector.

The province of Álava stands out as an unbeatable destination for local and foreign investment, thanks to an institutional framework that offers direct incentives for both large-scale projects and entrepreneurship. Its strategic logistical connectivity with Europe and major economic hubs like Madrid and Barcelona, combined with the high-caliber talent graduating from its universities, guarantees operational success for any business. Ultimately, the robust infrastructure, financial support, and specialized human capital make the region a top-tier choice for those looking to invest in Álava within the Industry 4.0 landscape.
 

On 29 January 2026, the Department of Economic Development and Sustainability of the Provincial Council of Álava presented its 2026 aid programme for businesses. Areas such as Innovation (digitalisation and decarbonisation), Entrepreneurship, Internationalisation, Management and Audiovisual Creation are included in the programme.

You can download the information here

Carlos Bujanda Fernández de Piérola is the owner and founder of Bodegas Fernández de Piérola, a wine company located in Moreda de Álava, in La Rioja Alavesa, which was established in 1996 as an entrepreneurial project by a family traditionally dedicated to vine cultivation. The winery currently has a commercial presence in more than twenty countries, although its main market is domestic, where it focuses particularly on the hospitality sector.

The winery's working philosophy focuses on the continuous production of quality wines with their own personality, characteristics that are achieved thanks to the particular conditions of Moreda: its specific soils and unique microclimate that differentiate its products in the market. Bujanda also highlights the institutional support of the region, where the authorities maintain a close relationship with entrepreneurs and companies, clearly facilitating the development of new business projects.

AJL Ophthalmic is a company specialising in ophthalmic implants and prostheses founded in 1992 by its CEO Pedro Salazar Salegui. The company manufactures products for the cornea, cataracts, glaucoma, retina and oculoplasty, and is particularly renowned for its intraocular lenses. Headquartered in the Álava Technology Park, the company has branches in Chicago and Cali (Colombia) and has experienced remarkable growth, expanding from an initial two employees to a team of 90 professionals.

AJL Ophthalmic has an international presence through 87 distributors who market its products in 82 countries around the world. According to Salazar, the location in the Álava Technology Park offers significant advantages such as excellent communications with the rest of Spain and international connections, as well as favourable financial conditions and access to qualified personnel, making the province an ideal location for investors. Despite the constant challenge of finding more talent, the company continues to successfully develop its products and contribute to the development of the region.

Jacek Andreas Michalec is the CEO of Pferd Rueggeberg SA, a company with sixty years of history in Álava specializing in the manufacture of cutting, grinding, and polishing tools for the metal industry. The company operates two production plants: one in Vitoria, specifically in Jundiz, where it produces approximately forty million discs annually, and another in Araia, thirty minutes from Vitoria, dedicated to coated abrasive tools for fine polishing.

Michalec arrived nine years ago and fell in love with Vitoria and Álava, highlighting its beautiful landscape, excellent gastronomy, and the quality of its inhabitants, many of whom have become personal friends. The executive points out that one of the main reasons to invest in Álava is the favorable treatment and close relationship with official administrations, valuing the collaboration with organizations such as employer associations and the Chamber of Commerce, which are fundamental for business development.

Saray Zárate, Deputy for Economic Development and Sustainability at the Provincial Council of Álava, highlights the attractiveness of the Álava territory for business investment. Despite its small size, more than 30% of the provincial GDP comes from industry and it hosts internationally renowned companies. This industrial strength translates into greater economic stability, better working conditions, and an excellent quality of life for its inhabitants.

Among Álava's main competitive advantages is its educational ecosystem, especially the Basque vocational training system, recognized at European and international levels for its close ties with the business sector. The Provincial Council designs specific training programs tailored to the talent needs of each business project. Additionally, the territory offers an exceptional quality of life thanks to its five natural parks, green areas, greenways, and its strong connection with sports, health, and nature, making it an ideal place for both professional and personal development.

Enara Iriarte is the manager of Mecanizados Iriarte, a family business now in its third generation with more than fifty years of experience in the market.

The company specializes in the machining of all types of parts and has achieved sustained growth over the decades thanks to the close, trusting, and lasting relationships it has established with its customers. 

The distinguishing factor of Mecanizados Iriarte is its team. The organization has thirty highly professional people with extensive experience and a strong commitment to the company. The company positions itself as an external maintenance department for its customers, with the ability to respond as if it were an integral part of the companies it serves.

Mecanizados Iriarte has maintained its location in Vitoria, Álava, throughout its history, consistently supporting local industry. It believes that both the territory and the quality of life offered by the region constitute the ideal environment for developing an entrepreneurial activity.
 

CIC energiGUNE is a research centre with the strategic support of the Provincial Council of Alava and the Basque Government. The centre is dedicated to the development of new technologies and science associated with electrochemical and thermal storage, as well as their conversion. Its main objective is to drive strategic industries for a more sustainable future, including batteries, supercapacitors, thermal management and hydrogen.

Iñigo Careaga, Head of Communication, tells us that CIC energiGUNE leads numerous European consortia that are driving these industries, being recognised by the European Commission itself as a reference centre in competitiveness for Europe's energy transition.

From its experience, it considers that there is no other territory like Alava to develop its activity, due to several key factors: institutional support, the existing education and training network in universities and institutions, and the quality of life that attracts talent to society.

Alava is a unique ecosystem with different ingredients that make it a launching pad and promoter of projects such as those developed at CIC energiGUNE. As proof of this quality of life and value of the territory, they point out that their own team has more than thirty nationalities, people from different parts of the world who have always expressed how happy they are in Alava and everything they have been able to find to develop both their professional and personal careers.

Aner Garmendia is the director of the company EgaMaster. It is a family business, created by his father 52 years ago. Today he manages it together with his brother. They manufacture hand tools for industry. They sell all over the world, and about 90% are exports. They have sold in more than 150 countries on all continents. They try to guarantee safety and efficiency for the industry, always customer oriented.

They are very proud of their origin in Alava. In fact, they started selling and manufacturing years ago with Eusko Giltza or Llave Alavesa. And they have taken the name of Alava all over the world. They have chosen Alava because they feel it is theirs, but also because it has very good infrastructures for setting up a company, to which we must add the local talent. There are many young people who are very well prepared and eager to work. Human capital is guaranteed in Alava.

Azucena Hernández, CEO and founder of EUROCYBCAR, introduces her company based in the Álava Technology Park, which specializes in evaluating and certifying the cybersecurity of vehicles, fleet management systems, mobility applications, and infrastructures. What sets EUROCYBCAR apart is its proprietary ESTP technology, protected by an international patent, making it the only one of its kind in the world. Their work is crucial as it directly impacts both personal privacy and safety.

The company’s success is closely tied to the supportive innovation ecosystem in Álava. Local institutions such as the Provincial Council, City Hall, Technology Park, and BIC Araba played a key role in helping the company grow. Additionally, the dual education system of the University of the Basque Country contributed significantly by training a new, globally unique professional profile: cybersecurity and mobility specialists.

Thanks to EUROCYBCAR's efforts and its location in Álava, both the province and Vitoria-Gasteiz have gained recognition as international leaders in mobility-related cybersecurity. Azucena expresses pride in what has been accomplished so far and conveys excitement for what lies ahead—emphasizing that this is only the beginning.

LANTEK is a developer of software solutions for industry, with a portfolio ranging from machine tool systems to plant management solutions, both on-premise and in the cloud, including artificial intelligence applications. Its work is considered the ‘brain of the machine’, providing the ‘grey matter’ that enables machines in the forming sector to operate diligently and efficiently.

The company operates internationally from Álava, with 85% of its turnover coming from abroad. Its location in Alava represents a strategic advantage, being at the epicentre of the three Basque provinces, which facilitates recruitment by being close to Vitoria-Gasteiz and Alto de Eva with its important engineering universities, allowing them to attract the necessary technological profiles.

The environment of Alava provides LANTEK with proximity to powerful and leading clients in the machine tool sector that compete internationally. This proximity facilitates collaboration with demanding customers, driving the company to maintain high standards of quality and innovation in its products and services.

Data Value Management is a company specialising in data analysis and artificial intelligence. Borja Balparda and Ana Asillero introduce us to it. Its main activity involves developing applications that enable other businesses to leverage their data in a simple and convenient manner.

Among its key services is the development of predictive systems that help companies anticipate future events, such as sales projections, as well as the creation of dashboards that facilitate data consultation. All these applications are deployed on the clients' own servers, ensuring data security.

They chose Álava as their base due to its strong entrepreneurial ecosystem, specifically mentioning BIC Araba, where they started their operations, as well as the various support and funding programmes provided by the Diputación Foral de Álava, which have contributed to their establishment and growth since they began their activity in 2018.

investin.araba.eus is an initiative of the Provincial Council of Álava aimed at attracting companies wishing to establish and grow in the province of Álava.

Ander Larrinaga, Director of Economic Development and Innovation, tells us about Álava's strengths as an ideal location for industrial projects. With a prominent industrial sector, representing nearly 31% of GDP, the province is home to key sectors such as automotive, aeronautics, biosciences, and energy. Furthermore, 66% of its exports are exported internationally, consolidating its global profile.

Álava stands out not only for its industrial infrastructure but also for its high quality of life and its location on the European axis. With the highest GDP per capita in Spain, it offers an attractive lifestyle supported by a vibrant cultural, sports, and gastronomic sector recognized in Europe.

Furthermore, Álava's fiscal model, which includes its own framework for managing taxes and offering tax incentives, allows for supporting strategic projects related to innovation, digitalization, and sustainability.

The investin.araba.eus website is an essential tool for those looking to invest in an environment with significant economic opportunities, a favorable tax framework, and a high quality of life. If you'd like to learn more about establishing your business in this region, visit the website and explore all the advantages Alava offers. Don't hesitate to be part of this dynamic and constantly growing environment!