- Marianela García, entrepreneur, ViveBiotech, a company that promotes female innovation and talent, and María Muñoz Cafarell, a researcher of excellence, have received the award.
- Eneko Goia: “You are an example to follow. The commitment to the present and future of the city. Your example, without a doubt, will encourage many more innovative companies to bet on female talent, as well as help women to start off entrepreneurial projects”.
- Marisol Garmendia: “Intelligent and fair societies welcome and promote female talent, which is 50% of their creative potential, innovation and knowledge and, therefore, of their capacity to develop and the create of well-being".
On the occasion of the celebration of International Women's Day, Fomento San Sebastián has recognized women who contribute to the development of entrepreneurship and the promotion of innovation in the city, in three categories: women entrepreneurs, companies that are committed to innovation and female talent, and women researchers who promote STEAM vocations. The winners of the EmakumeEkinn award, in the three categories, were: GOXONELA Marianela Guarda (entrepreneur), ViveBiotech (company) and María Muñoz Cafarell (researcher).
The award winners were selected by Fomento San Sebastian with the participation of entities such as Aspegi, Emakumeak Zientzian or SShops. The awards were presented by the Mayor, Eneko Goia, the Councilor for Local Economy and Employment, Marisol Garmendia, and the Managing Director of Fomento San Sebastian, Iñigo Olaizola. Numerous entities related to the promotion of women in entrepreneurship, science and other professional sectors attended the event. The event took place in the space EKINN dedicated to entrepreneurs, which was inaugurated on Monday last week. These awards are part of Fomento San Sebastián's commitment to promote equality policies linked to employment and entrepreneurship. Two million euros are allocated annually to these policies.
During the award ceremony, the Mayor, Eneko Goia, congratulated all the winners and thanked them for "the hard work that each of you are doing in your field to show future generations that regardless of gender, it is possible to develop a successful career in any field". Thus, he pointed out that "you are an example to follow. The commitment to the present and future of the city”
The Councillor for Local Economy and Employment, Marisol Garmendia, remarked that San Sebastián needs the talent of women to continue moving forward: "We represent half of the citizenship and intelligent and fair societies welcome and promote female talent, which is 50% of their creative potential, innovation and knowledge and, therefore, of their capacity for development and creation of well-being. That is why it is so important to visualize this reality and create references that stimulate women to grow and develop their professional projects, to achieve their full potential, overcome inequality gaps and contribute with their skills to the development of our city. Your example, without a doubt, will encourage many more innovative companies to bet on female talent, as well as help women to start off entrepreneurial projects”.
The women who build the city
Marianela Guardia, entrepreneur
“Through this recognition, we want to give visibility to women who work every day to build the city, and who develop their entrepreneurial projects. Goxonela is a Basque-Argentinian bakery, founded in 2021 and located at 33 Ametzagaña St., in the Egia neighbourhood, where passion for gastronomy and good work combine to offer the best sweets and pastry products from Argentina and the Basque Country. The creative capacity to develop a proposal that fuses cultures, to build a commercial offer that complements the existing one in the city and to promote an entrepreneurial and innovative initiative that comes from Argentina, have been the values that have been considered to reward Marianela Guardia as an entrepreneur.
ViveBiotech, a company committed to female talent and innovation
ViveBiotech is a company located in San Sebastian, dedicated to the development and production of lentiviral vectors that are applied, among others, in gene therapies to treat cancer or rare diseases. More than 70% of its workforce are women. Values such as equality, diversity and inclusion are key elements of this business project, facilitating the personal and professional reconciliation of all members of the team. The company's commitment to a corporate culture that places equality at the core of the company's governance and CSR has been deemed worthy of this recognition.
María Muñoz Caffarel (researcher of excellence)
PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the Complutense University of Madrid, she is a researcher in Ikerbasque and Miguel Servet and head of BioGipuzkoa Research Group, where she has been leading the Breast Cancer Group since 2020. In addition, Maria is firmly committed to the promotion of scientific vocations in girls and the visibility of women in science. She is a member of Emakumeak Zientzian and actively participates in awareness actions to promote STEAM vocations.This award praises her commitment to encourage the presence and participation of women in the field of science and research, as well her work to increase awareness among young generations.