Problem addressed

The Asturias region in Spain experienced a sharp decline in its main industries, namely steel and mineral resources, in the late 1980s. This de-industrialisation resulted in a steep rise in unemployment and stagnation of the region’s economic activities. Factories and wider infrastructure were left unused. Reconversion strategies to revive economic activity and boost employment were needed in the region.  

Innovative solution

Valnalón is an agency of the regional government of Asturias that offers business start-up support and entrepreneurship education as a way of tackling the negative impacts of de-industrialisation in the region. Valnalón actively transforms unused industrial spaces into workspaces for budding entrepreneurs. Through the restoration of old steelwork factories, for instance, Valnalón gives new businesses access to much-needed physical space, as well as space for networking and collaborating with other entrepreneurs. Valnalón created the first publicly-funded Business Centre in the Asturias region, which now offers a project incubator programme, supporting start-ups and providing them with a physical space to start and consolidate their businesses.

Initiated by the Department for Industry and Labour of the Government of the Principality of Asturias and supported by European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), Valnalón also offers an array of support services to encourage entrepreneurship among young people. It works with schools, decision-makers, practitioners, and other social agents to design and deliver innovative teaching methodologies. These aim to equip students with key entrepreneurial competences at different levels of their education (from primary education to vocational education or university).

Valnalón adopts a holistic approach, targeting various segments of society. Its activities are not only addressed to students or entrepreneurs but extend to teachers, staff, families and adults, from big cities to small municipalities and rural areas.

Key results and benefits

Since 1992, nearly 5 000 people have benefited from Valnalón’s business start-up support, resulting in the creation of 780 businesses and over 1 000 jobs. Moreover, since the start of Valnalón’s educational projects in 1994, around 600 000 people have participated in its activities. Valnalón has played a key role in the transformation of the region through business creation and the promotion of an entrepreneurial culture among its citizens.

The Valnalón team works closely with the Regional Department of Education, helping develop the entrepreneurship education agenda in Asturias. It played a key role in the development of the First Regional Action Plan for Entrepreneurship in 2005, and in the inclusion of entrepreneurship education as an optional subject in the regional curriculum of secondary education.

Potential for mainstreaming

Building on the experience acquired in Asturias, in 2001 Valnalón started to actively transfer its methodologies and implement its programmes outside of the Asturias region. Valnalón currently operates in 38 regions in national and international territories. Its entrepreneurship education programme (EJE) was translated into multiple different languages (e.g. Basque, Catalan, English and Polish) and has been used on a yearly basis by more than 100 schools in 11 countries.

In the last decade, Valnalón has actively supported knowledge transfer across its regional boarders, most recently through their expert collaboration on the Entrepreneurship Competence Framework, and through their involvement in different European projects (e.g. PEAT-EU, ECOOPE, NEMESIS, TRACKTION). With 30 years of experience in the promotion of entrepreneurial education, Valnalón has established its credibility in this area at national and international level, being repeatedly recognised as a good practice example by regional and national ministries and foundations, as well as at international level by the EU, OECD and UNICEF.