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Davos, Switzerland, 25 January 2013. Telefónica today unveiled sweeping 2015 ambitions to combat unemployment and close the digital skills deficit in Europe, reinforcing the company's long-standing commitment to social change and economic recovery in the region.

Among its 2015 targets, Telefónica pledged to create more than 1,000 start-up opportunities worldwide through various initiatives such as Wayra and Talentum; build a Telefónica Think Big community of more than 300,000 young people working to build a more entrepreneurial Europe; enrol 50,000 students in Think Big School, teaching digital literacy such as coding and robotics; and transition 5,000 young people and graduates from education into the workplace via its Talentum programme.

Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Telefónica Chief Operating Officer José María Álvarez-Pallete said: "We believe the technology industry can and should play a part in addressing issues in the society in which they operate.  In Europe, Telefónica is promoting a spirit of entrepreneurialism particularly among young people to contribute to a positive change in the region.”

Álvarez-Pallete added: "The transition to a knowledge-based and innovation-driven economy is accelerating, but skills shortages and gaps are negatively impacting growth, competitiveness, innovation and employment in Europe. We believe that Commissioner Neelie Kroes' Grand Coalition for Digital Jobs is a very helpful catalyst to help European recovery. The private sector has a critical role to play and we will be working actively to build a real momentum across Europe".

Álvarez-Pallete announced that Telefónica is working towards bringing the world's largest festival of technology – Campus Party Europe – to London in September 2013, gathering more than 10,000 of the brightest young minds from around Europe to share digital skills, explore new innovations and encourage entrepreneurship.

Telefónica also announced at Davos that it has commissioned the most comprehensive global survey of Millennial adults ever conducted – with a view to gaining a deeper insight into the hopes, fears and expectations for the future of 12,000 adults aged 18–30 from 27 countries.

In just 12 months, Telefónica has proactively encouraged innovation and entrepreneurialism in Europe through a number of successful initiatives, including:

• Launching five start-up academies in Europe, providing intense incubation and support for over 60 young digital businesses
• Training and mentoring 4,180 young people to start their own social projects, with a further 65,000 young people actively participating in these projects
• Starting a program teaching digital skills, with 1,000 young people taking part so far
• Becoming the main delivery partner of Campus Party – Europe’s biggest open technology festival, attracting 10,000 people to Berlin to share and explore the new frontiers of digital technology
• Recruiting 1,400 interns, apprentices and graduates into our own business

With 100 million customers – representing roughly 20 per cent of Europe’s population – and 57,000 employees in six countries, Telefónica is one of the largest digital companies in Europe.  In its role as a leading European ‘digital citizen’, Telefónica is strongly committed to regaining the Bloc’s leadership in technology and innovation.  To this end, Telefónica has created innovation hubs across the region to encourage entrepreneurial spirit.  Key to this has been Telefónica Think Big – an umbrella initiative which includes the start-up accelerator, Wayra; Telefónica’s graduate scheme Talentum; and the Start Up Europe project in partnership with the Lisbon Council.   

Notes to Editors

Telefónica Think Big is a connected set of innovation programmes with one goal:  A more entrepreneurial young Europe and Telefonica.  Bought together in an ambitious and growing action plan, Telefonica is implementing its vision through five central initiatives: the Think Big Youth programme, Wayra, Talentum, Campus Party and Start-Up Europe.  Each one is making a distinct but complimentary contribution to the overall aim.

• Think Big Youth Programme – Investing in the ideas and digital literacy of tens of thousands of young people (including Think Big School & Think Big Inspire)
• Talentum – Creating job and digital learning opportunities for thousands of young people and university graduates.
• Wayra – supporting young digital start-ups. To date, Wayra has received more than 17,000 submissions it one of the world’s largest technology accelerator programmes and trend detector. On average Wayra worldwide has invested in a new startup every three days since it launched operations and created nearly three new jobs every day.
• Campus Party Europe – bring together the brightest young digital minds to innovate for Europe
• Start Up Europe – Working to understand the barriers and opportunities that will drive a successful next generation Europe.

Collectively, the programmes foster a spirit of entrepreneurialism by encouraging innovative thinking, digital literacy and young enterprise – stimulating young ideas and young business across the European region. 

About Telefónica / Sobre Telefónica

Telefónica is one of the largest telecommunications companies in the world in terms of market capitalisation and number of customers. From this outstanding position in the industry, and with its mobile, fixed and broadband businesses as the key drivers of its growth, Telefónica has focused its strategy on becoming a leading company in the digital world. 

The company has a significant presence in 25 countries and a customer base that amounts close to 314 million accesses around the world. Telefónica has a strong presence in Spain, Europe and Latin America, where the company focuses an important part of its growth strategy.

Telefónica is a 100% listed company, with more than 1.5 million direct shareholders. Its share capital currently comprises 4.551.024.586 ordinary shares traded on the Spanish Stock Market (Madrid, Barcelona, Bilbao and Valencia) and on those in London, New York, Lima, and Buenos Aires.

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