BBVA expands in Latin America the Innovators under 35 awards

* BBVA’s renewed agreement with the Spanish edition of MIT Technology Review will enable the search for young talent to be expanded in Latin American countries
* The 2013 Innovators Under 35 awards are being announced in Spain, Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Argentina and Uruguay, Chile, Central America and Brazil
* BBVA is working actively in this initiative in order to build an international talent network to support its innovation strategy

BBVA has announced a new and reinforced agreement with the Spanish edition of MIT Technology Review whereby it becomes its global partner in the organization of the Innovators under 35 awards (formerly TR35) in the main Latin American countries.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), one of the main promoters of innovation worldwide, has been organizing these awards for more than a decade. The MIT Technology Review Innovators Under 35 awards have become a benchmark in the discovery and support for emerging talent.

The aim is to recognize young researchers and entrepreneurs who are using technology to come up with creative and inspirational projects to provide solutions to real problems. This philosophy fits perfectly with BBVA’s vision, which has made interaction with entrepreneurs one of the cornerstones of its innovation strategy.

“With this alliance, BBVA supports the creation of an international community of innovators that will lead technological progress and business in the future,” said BBVA Retail Banking Director Ignacio Deschamps, when announcing the agreement with the MIT Technology Review during the Emtech conference held in Mexico. “We want to be close to talent and the new ideas that will help us build a better future for people,” he added.

With this new agreement, BBVA becomes the main partner of Innovators under 35. BBVA has supported these awards since the first edition in Spanish was organized. In 2012 it made the leap into Latin America with the launch of these awards in Mexico, Colombia, Argentina and Uruguay.

This year, Innovators under 35 extends its announcement with regional awards in Spain, Mexico, Colombia, Argentina and Uruguay, Peru, Chile, Brazil and Central America, with BBVA’s support.

The awards cover all areas of technology such as biomedicine, energy, materials, telecommunications, computer technology and the Internet. The only requirements for taking part are being a national of the country where the awards are organized and being under 35 years of age.

The winners are recognized not only for their advances in a field of research, but also for their capacity to make an impact on society as a whole, and to lead the future of technology.

BBVA renews and expands its support for the Innovators under 35 awards in its search for talent in Latin America.

For more financial information about BBVA visit:
http://shareholdersandinvestors.bbva.com


About BBVA

BBVA is a customer-centric global financial services group founded in 1857. The Group has a solid position in Spain, it is the largest financial institution in Mexico and it has leading franchises in South America and the Sunbelt Region of the United States. Its diversified business is biased to high-growth markets and it relies on technology as a key sustainable competitive advantage. BBVA ranks among the leading Euro zone banks in terms of ROE and efficiency. Corporate responsibility is at the core of its business model. BBVA fosters financial education and inclusion, and supports scientific research and culture. It operates with the highest integrity, a long-term vision and applies the best practices. The Group is present in the main sustainability indexes.