Language

Spanish

Start date

March 2027

Frequency

Afternoon

Duration

10 days

Credits

30 Hours

Course Coordination

Idoia García de Cortázar

Price

1.100

Full immersion in this macrotrend and its impact on a wide variety of markets: tourism, culture, leisure, fashion, health and well-being and technology.

The Bootcamp in Service Design for the Silver Economy is an intensive course that analyses the significant economic and sociocultural impact of this macrotrend, the role design plays in proposals, and the innovative business models linked to it. 

The ageing of the population poses a number of considerable challenges, but also the need to satisfy the growing demands of people over 50 who are interested in living new experiences in a global and technological environment. 

The course was developed with Nagusi Intelligence Center (NIC) a collaborative project promoted by the Provincial Council of Bizkaia to turn the challenge of population ageing into opportunities for economic and social development. In addition to classroom classes, you’ll also be attending sessions at the NIC, to gain direct experience with the work being done in the sector.   

In 30 hours you’ll learn to use the tools you need to understand the characteristics of a senior customer and their impact on a number of markets: tourism, culture, leisure, fashion, health and well-being and technology. You’ll also discover the role design plays as a strategic factor for the Silver Economy and consolidate this learning by developing a final project of your own. 

Information to decide

An intensive course to discover and analyse the strategic value of design and learn how to use it to innovate the Silver Economy sector.  

The course includes a variety of theoretical content, and we’ll put this theory into practice in hands-on exercises. You’ll also develop and present a final project on a topic of your choice.  

Face-to-face classes are complemented by online sessions to provide follow-up and support to develop your project.  

You’ll take half the course at IED Kunsthal Bilbao, and the other half at the Nagusi Intelligence Center (NIC). 

  • Students and professionals who want to offer their products and services to people over 50, also for their own projects, and to encourage and manage competitiveness. 
  • Designers with a global, innovative and technological outlook, whose goal is to facilitate and improve the usability and understanding of products and services. 
  • Perfect for professionals looking for new business opportunities, who already have experience working with public bodies or companies.  
  • Entrepreneurs, managers and people working in intermediate positions in companies, institutions or administrations interested in finding solutions to improve the care offered to seniors, and make them more autonomous. 

The duration and format of the course in Service Design for the Silver Economy is an immediate immersion in the Silver Economy ecosystem, an experience in which you’ll acquire knowledge and tools you can put to good use in your professional career, or do the groundwork for further subsequent studies in this field. 

The classes held at IED Kunsthal Bilbao go hand-in-hand with sessions held at the Nagusi Intelligence Center (NIC) bootcamp, promoting the co-development of products and services for the silver economy. This experience is an excellent opportunity to gain personal experience in a real project, interacting with the professionals innovating this field. 

You’ll discover the impact this macrotrend has on a wide variety of sectors, and acquire an intimate understanding of innovative solutions for each of them: cohousing, wearables, new mobility systems, etc.  

You’ll analyse trends, study real case scenarios, come up with creative ideas, to propose and present a project based on your own specific interests.   

As the field is of interest to a wide variety of professional profiles, this learning experience is an excellent opportunity to connect, exchange views and share knowledge with other students, as well as the teaching team of professionals working in the sector.   

Syllabus

SILVER ECONOMY: THE MOTOR OF THE FUTURE

What is the Silver Economy? 

Keys to Silver Economy development 

Silverization Trends 



A NEW CUSTOMER: THE SILVER CUSTOMER

Characteristics 

Senior consumer behaviour 

Redefining ageing: levels and needs 



THE LEISURE MARKET

Culture 

Tourism 

Analysis of business situations and success stories



THE HEALTH MARKET

Sport and well-being 

Telecare services 

Analysis of business situations and success stories 



THE HOUSING AND HOME MARKET

Care homes 

Cohousing 

Analysis of business situations and success stories 



THE TECHNOLOGY MARKET

Wearables 

Self-driving cars 

Health Tech B2C 

New mobility resources 

Analysis of business situations and success stories 



DESIGN AS A STRATEGIC FACTOR FOR THE SILVER ECONOMY

Design culture in organisations 

People-centred design: age friendly & gender friendly 

Design with a transformational value: impact on society 

Design Thinking & Business Design: characteristics and strategies 



CONCLUSIONS AND PROJECT

Faculty

Course Coordinator

Idoia García de Cortázar

Teacher

Virginia Matesanz Riaño

Teacher

Argiñe Calleja Fontecha

Course partner

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Sense of Dubai, a Project by Two IED Madrid Students, Wins at the Accor Design Awards 2026

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