CFM with Elhuyar Zientzia Azoka

• Over four days, 640 young people from 60 educational centers will showcase 160 science and technology projects developed during the school year.
• In addition to students from schools in the Basque Country, winners from other science fairs both within Spain and internationally will also participate: 9 external groups will join the fair.
• The young participants have worked on their projects with a focus on sustainability.
• The award ceremony will take place on May 31, and a science show for all audiences will be offered.

The 2025 Elhuyar Zientzia Azoka science fair is now underway. It kicked off yesterday at 11:00 a.m. following the official inauguration.
The opening ceremony featured representatives from the Basque Science and Technology Network who collaborate on the initiative – including the CFM – as well as the fair’s sponsors: Eider Inunciaga Serna, Bilbao City Councilor for Euskera, Citizen Engagement and Participation, the 2030 Agenda, and International Affairs; Isabel Sarrionandia-Ibarra Fernandez, Head of the Business Promotion Service of the Provincial Council of Bizkaia; Eneko Elorriaga Astigarraga, Director of Innovation at Erabi and co-founder of Elhuyar; and Jon Abril Olaetxea, General Coordinator of Elhuyar.

Throughout the four days of the fair, young people aged 12 to 18 will present over 160 STEAM projects developed during the school year. A total of 640 students will participate in this edition.
Alongside students from the Basque Country, winners from other Spanish and international fairs will also join, including 9 groups from Vila-real (Valencian Community), Catalonia, Burgos, Galicia, and Italy.

Each of the 160 projects is linked to one or more Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including Good Health and Well-Being, Responsible Consumption and Production, Sustainable Cities and Communities, Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, and Climate Action.
The students have reflected on global challenges and proposed solutions from a local perspective. This approach has allowed them to go deeper into curricular content while also raising awareness of their role in building a fairer, more sustainable future.

Researchers will also be present in Bilbao’s Arenal to evaluate the students’ projects. Once all evaluations are completed, the awards ceremony will be held on Saturday, May 31, at 1:00 p.m.
The ceremony will bring together the winning students and representatives from various institutions, including the Provincial Council of Bizkaia, the Basque Government, Bilbao City Council, and Elhuyar.
The prizes will include study scholarships and trips to attend other science fairs in Spain and abroad.
The event will be hosted by actor Joanes Echeveste Dernet and researcher Sara Alicante Martínez, who will also perform several scientific experiments.
Additionally, there will be daily raffles for stays at research centers participating in the initiative.

Besides students, Elhuyar Zientzia Azoka also involves research centers and universities from the Basque Country. It’s worth highlighting the commitment of these institutions, which they renew every year.
At the beginning of the academic year, 94 researchers (51 women and 43 men) from universities and technology centers volunteered to mentor students and later evaluate their projects. During the fair, 73 researchers (45 women and 28 men) are carrying out the evaluations.

Erronka Garbia

Elhuyar Zientzia Azoka has received the Erronka Garbia seal from IHOBE.
This seal is awarded to events that implement the Erronka Garbia methodology, which aims to reduce the negative environmental impact of event organization and raise awareness among attendees.

In line with this goal, Elhuyar has set objectives such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions, decreasing energy consumption and ensuring it comes from renewable sources, lowering the environmental impact of purchases and rented infrastructure, and reducing waste.
To this end, it will promote actions such as the use of public transportation and renewable energy, hiring local suppliers, and separating waste for recycling. After the fair, indicators will be analyzed and the environmental impact of Elhuyar Zientzia Azoka will be measured.

Elhuyar Zientzia Azoka throughout the year

The goal of Elhuyar Zientzia Azoka is to provide young people with experiences related to science and to promote and disseminate scientific culture – not just during the fair held at the Arenal, but throughout the year.

Since the first edition in 2013, nearly 4,000 young people aged 12 to 18 have presented their projects at the Elhuyar Zientzia Azoka in Bilbao. In total, more than 1,000 research or technology projects have been submitted so far.

The Elhuyar Zientzia Azoka initiative is organized by Elhuyar and supported by the Department of Education, Universities and Research of the Basque Government, FECYT (Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology), the Provincial Council of Bizkaia, Bilbao City Council, the Government of Navarre, and Erabi.