Etxepare Basque Institute

What Etxepare Basque Institute does

Etxepare Basque Institute (legal name: ETXEPARE EUSKAL INSTITUTUA) is a public cultural diplomacy institution under the Basque Government (Eusko Jaurlaritza), established by law of the Basque Parliament in 2007 and operational since 2010, headquartered in Donostia/San Sebastián, Spain. The institute's statutory mission is to promote Basque language (euskara) and contemporary Basque culture internationally through grant programs, digital platforms, academic partnerships, and cultural exchange initiatives. Governance is via a Board of Trustees (Patronatua) chaired by the Basque President, and operations are led by Director-General Irene Larraza Aizpurua (in role since 2018) with a team of approximately 14 staff across Culture, Language & University, Communication, Legal, and Administration departments.

The institute's product portfolio includes INGURA, a digital Basque language learning platform featuring over 100 videos per level with voice recording/comparison, conversational dialogue participation, and immediate feedback; BASQUE. MUSIC for international music promotion; the Kimuak annual short film catalog; the BASQUE. Creativity & Culture Magazine (first edition 2025); and the BASQUE. Podcast (first season 2025). It also runs grant programs (AT! Mobility, AT! Translation, AT! Basque Culture), the Etxepare-LABORAL Kutxa Translation Prize, the Manuel Irujo Scholarship at the University of Liverpool, and a University Programme placing Basque language lecturers and research chairs at universities across 14 countries (Australia, Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Czech Republic, Finland, Georgia, Hungary, Ireland, Mexico, Peru, Poland, Switzerland, and others). Supporting web properties include Basqueculture.eus and Basquebooks.eus portals.

The business model is government-funded cultural diplomacy rather than commercial revenue generation. The institute disburses grants (€654,000 was allocated for AT! cultural internationalization grants in 2026) and provides services to Basque creators, international universities, Basque diaspora communities, and global language learners without commercial pricing. Customer segments span Basque cultural professionals seeking international mobility, international Basque studies communities, and international Basque language learners. No revenue, ARR, or total budget figures are publicly disclosed. Strategic partnerships include EUNIC (Brussels cluster, since 2015), Instituto Cervantes, the University of the Basque Country, and the Aquitaine.eus cross-border cooperation project spanning Basque Country, Navarre, and Nouvelle-Aquitaine.

Name

Etxepare Basque Institute

Legal name

ETXEPARE EUSKAL INSTITUTUA

Website

https://etxepare.eus

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Public cultural diplomacy institution under the Basque Government promoting Basque language and contemporary culture internationally through grant programs, the INGURA digital language-learning platform, university lector placements in 14+ countries, and cultural exchange initiatives for creators and diaspora communities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural Diplomacy and Language Promotion Services

NAICS

Language Schools (611630), Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Online-to-Offline Hybrid Language Immersion Programs (EDAIAEAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Consortia & Network Exchange Programs (EDAIABAF), Study Abroad Provider Networks, Consortia & Membership Organizations (EDAIAAAK)

Keywords

• Cultural diplomacy services
• Language learning platforms
• International cultural grants
• Creative mobility programs
• Public cultural institute

Headquarters

HQ city

Donostia-san Sebastián

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: Public institution funded by the Basque Government (Eusko Jaurlaritza), operating since 2010. Established by law passed by the Basque Parliament (Eusko Legebiltzarra) in 2007. Provides grants and subsidies for cultural internationalization projects, creator mobility, and Basque language promotion programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Etxepare Basque Institute is a public institution of the Basque Government that promotes Basque language (euskara) and contemporary Basque culture internationally. Its substantive offerings comprise: mobility and translation grants for Basque creators and publishers; academic programs placing Basque language lecturers and research chairs at universities across 14+ countries; the INGURA digital platform for learning Basque; cultural exchange programs such as Kultur Konexioak, ZABAL, Ça colle au basque and Aquitaine.eus; and media properties including BASQUE. Podcast, BASQUE. Creativity & Culture Magazine and the Kimuak short-film catalog.

Product overview

Etxepare Basque Institute operates as a public cultural promotion agency offering a portfolio of programs, platforms, and services for promoting Basque language and contemporary culture internationally. The core offerings include: INGURA, a digital language learning platform with over 100 videos per level; BASQUE. MUSIC, a music promotion program with international showcase opportunities; BASQUE. Creativity & Culture Magazine (publication); and BASQUE. Podcast (content series). The Institute manages grant programs including AT! Mobility Grants for creators across theater, dance, music, plastic arts, cinema, and literature; AT! Translation Grants supporting international literary dissemination; and the Etxepare-LABORAL Kutxa Translation Prize. Academic programs include Basque Studies Lectors at international universities and Basque Studies Chairs at prestigious institutions, plus the Manuel Irujo Scholarship. The BasqueBooks.eus and Basqueculture.eus web portals facilitate international access to Basque literature and culture information. Culture Konexioak programs include Ça colle au basque, Scotland Goes Basque, and Québec-Pays Basque exchanges. The ZABAL Program promotes contemporary art exchange, while the Euskara Munduan program supports Basque language learning in diaspora communities worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• INGURA: Digital platform for learning Basque language online
• Basquebooks.eus
• Basqueculture.eus
• Aquitaine.eus
• Ça colle au basque
• Kultur Konexioak (#KulturKonexioak)
• ZABAL
• AT! (Euskal Kultura Kanpoan Zabaltzeko Laguntzak)
• BASQUE. MUSIC.
• Kimuak
• BASQUE. Creativity & Culture
• BASQUE. Podcast

Products and services

• INGURA Basque Language Learning Platform Digital self-service platform for learning Basque (euskara), offering over 100 videos per level, voice recording and comparison, conversational dialogue participation with immediate feedback, communicative activities and group learning options. Available to international learners via inguraonline.eus.
• AT! Mobility Grants (Euskal Kultura Kanpoan Zabaltzeko Laguntzak) Subsidy programme funding Basque creators' international mobility across theater, dance, music, plastic arts, cinema, literature and non-professional cultural activities. Applications are open throughout the year with multiple deadlines, supporting €654,000 in grants allocated for 2026.
• AT! Translation Grants Grants supporting the translation of Basque literary works and samples into foreign languages, enabling international publishers and translators to bring Basque literature to new readers and cultural contexts.
• Etxepare - LABORAL Kutxa Translation Prize Annual prize recognizing translators and publishers for their work bringing Basque literature to new readers, languages and cultural contexts. The 12th edition was referenced in 2026.
• University Programme - Basque Studies Lectors Programme placing Basque language and culture lecturers (lectors/irakurletzak) at international universities through collaboration agreements, supporting teaching positions worldwide.
• Basque Studies Chairs Academic research chairs at prestigious international universities promoting research in Basque language and culture, including the Jon Bilbao Chair, Frank Bidart Chair and Alan R. King Chair.
• Manuel Irujo Scholarship Postgraduate scholarship offering £5,000 for multidisciplinary research in Basque Studies, hosted at the University of Liverpool, with the new cohort starting September 2026.
• Euskara Munduan (Basque Language Worldwide) Programme promoting Basque language learning among Basque diaspora communities worldwide through subsidized Basque classes at Basque houses outside the Basque Country.
• Training Course on Teaching Basque Language and Culture Abroad Annual training course co-organized with the University of the Basque Country (EHU/UPV) for teaching Basque language and culture at foreign universities, providing methodology, tools and resources for international teaching contexts. The 12th edition runs October 2 to November 27, 2026 in Donostia.
• Kultur Konexioak (Culture Konexioak) Cultural Exchange Programme Cultural exchange programme fostering dialogue between Basque culture and other world cultures, including Scotland Goes Basque, Saison Québec-Pays Basque, Vlaanderen-Baskenland, and Ça colle au basque cooperation strands.
• Ça colle au basque Programme Programme promoting Basque culture in the French-speaking world through cultural exchange and collaboration, including cross-border events and productions.
• ZABAL Contemporary Art Exchange Programme Programme promoting exchange and cooperation in contemporary art between Basque and international artists and institutions, supporting residencies and joint projects.
• BASQUE. MUSIC. Programme Programme promoting Basque music internationally through grants, showcases and participation in international music festivals and conferences, including open calls for BIME Bilbao and Monkey Week.
• Kimuak Short Film Catalog Annual selection of Basque short films (fiction, documentary, animation) for international distribution through the Kimuak catalog, with the 2026 selection referenced.
• BASQUE. Creativity & Culture Magazine Magazine featuring interviews, reports, cultural recommendations and original content about contemporary Basque culture and creators, available in English and Basque; the first edition was issued in 2025.
• BASQUE. Podcast Podcast series offering a window onto Basque contemporary culture and creativity from an international perspective, featuring interviews with Basque artists and creators, hosted by Oier Aranzabal; first season launched in 2025.
• BasqueBooks.eus Portal Web portal providing Basque literature samples and information for international publishers and translators interested in translating Basque literature into other languages.
• BasqueCulture.eus Portal Web portal about Basque language, art, creativity and contemporary culture providing information for international cultural agents, professionals and the general public.

Quantifiable outcome

• 12th edition of training course for teaching Basque abroad conducted with University of the Basque Country
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and flagship.

• University of LiverpoolminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Host institution for Manuel Irujo Scholarship offering £5,000 for postgraduate multidisciplinary research in Basque Studies starting September 2026.
• EUNIC (European Union National Institutes for Culture)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Etxepare is a founding associate member of the Brussels cluster since 2015, being the first institute in the network not representing a state. Cooperates with European cultural institutes on joint cultural projects including Brussels Comic Festival (Fête de la BD), Book Fair (Foire du Livre), and Transpoesie poetry festival.
• Aquitaine.eusflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCross-border cooperation project promoting Basque artists in New Aquitaine festivals and cultural programming. Develops cooperation between creators from Basque Country, Navarre, and New Aquitaine (9 million inhabitants, 2% of EU population) within the Euroregion.
• Instituto CervantescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Spain's official language and culture institute to promote Spanish-state Basque culture internationally alongside Institut Ramon Llull and Consello da Cultura Galega.
• University of the Basque Country (EHU/UPV)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizer of annual training course for teaching Basque language and culture abroad, now in its 12th edition (October 2 - November 27, 2026, in Donostia).
• Vianan Prince (Nafarroa)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Aquitaine.eus cross-border cooperation project representing Navarre in the Euroregion.
• EKE (Euskal Kultur Erakundea) - Northern Basque CountrycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Aquitaine.eus cross-border cooperation project representing Northern Basque Country (French Basque Country) in the Euroregion.
• International Universities NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership agreements with universities worldwide for Basque studies programs, including Freie Universität Berlin, University of Leipzig, University of Chile, Tbilisi State University, Sorbonne Université, University of Nevada Reno, California State University Bakersfield, and others across 14 countries.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Instituto Cervantes: Spain's official state institute for promoting Spanish language and culture globally. Directly comparable as a public cultural diplomacy body and named partner of Etxepare for joint international programming across Spanish-state Basque, Catalan and Galician cultures.
• Institut Ramon Llull: Public consortium promoting Catalan language and culture internationally. Directly comparable mission and structure — a sub-state government-backed institute supporting language teaching at foreign universities, mobility grants, and cultural exchange, and named alongside Etxepare in joint Instituto Cervantes collaborations.
• Istituto Italiano di Cultura: Italy's official network promoting Italian language and culture worldwide. Closely aligned as a public cultural diplomacy operator running language courses, scholarships, and cultural events across a global network of country offices.
• Consello da Cultura Galega: Galician cultural institution promoting Galician language and heritage internationally. Same sub-state cultural diplomacy model as Etxepare, and explicitly named as a parallel Spanish-state partner alongside Institut Ramon Llull.
• Alliance Française: Global French-language and culture network with centers in many countries. Comparable as a public-interest cultural institute delivering language instruction and cultural programming abroad; same EUNIC member network context.
• Japan Foundation: Japan's public organization for international cultural exchange and Japanese-language promotion. Comparable as a government-backed entity running language instruction, translation support, and artist exchange programs globally.
• Goethe-Institut: Germany's official cultural institute operating worldwide for German language and culture promotion. Closely comparable mandate, scale of international network, and EUNIC membership profile to Etxepare's international cultural diplomacy work.
• British Council: UK's international organization for cultural relations and educational opportunities. Comparable as a publicly-funded body promoting a national language/culture abroad, running grant and exchange programs with a global footprint.

Others

• Fulbright Commission: International educational exchange program with comparable activities to Etxepare's scholarship offerings (e.g., Manuel Irujo Scholarship). Relevant for international scholarship administration and university exchange comparisons.
• EUNIC (European Union National Institutes for Culture): Brussels-based cluster of European national cultural institutes. Etxepare is a founding associate member since 2015; relevant as the network platform through which the institute cooperates with peer institutes on joint programming.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/etxepare-euskal-institutua

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Etxepare Basque Institute