The BIRDS Project Boosts the Technological Dimension of Social Innovation at a Conference in Madrid

On June 9th, the conference “The Technological Dimension of Social Innovation” was held at the headquarters of the Centre for the Development of Technology and Innovation (CDTI) in Madrid. The event was jointly organized by the CDTI and the State Secretariat for Social Rights of the Ministry of Social Rights, Consumer Affairs and 2030 Agenda, the entity coordinating in Spain the European project BIRDS (Boosting Initiatives & Resources to Develop Social Innovation).

The Secretary of State for Social Rights, Rosa Martínez, emphasized that “innovation and technology are not parallel paths, but rather dimensions that intersect. Only when we place technology at the service of inclusion, social justice, and the effective guarantee of rights does it become a true driver of collective transformation.”

During the conference, the digital strategy of the Social Innovation Competence Centres and various models for assessing social impact in technological innovation policies were presented. Discussions also focused on how to integrate the social dimension into CDTI’s support instruments, while experiences linking social and technological innovation were shared by different levels of public administration and research centres.

In the afternoon session, progress made by the BIRDS working groups was presented in four key areas: ecosystem mapping, impact assessment, financing mechanisms, and the scaling-up of innovations. A collaborative process was also carried out to identify complex social challenges, with particular attention to the intersection between technology and care, one of the major strategic challenges that the future Social Innovation Competence Centre will address from a mission-oriented perspective.

The conference took place right after the first international meeting of the BIRDS consortium in Portugal, where the Spanish delegation — including representatives from four ministries, UAFSE, regional governments, and local entities — had the opportunity to learn first-hand about the Portuguese experience in using European funds for social innovation, as well as in implementing social impact contracts and pay-for-results models.

Through this initiative, the State Secretariat for Social Rights and the CDTI reaffirm their commitment to working collaboratively to consolidate a robust ecosystem of social innovation in Spain, interconnected with the digital, ecological, demographic, and social transitions currently shaping Europe.