Empowering Entrepreneurs: A Glimpse into the Founder Institute Spain with co-Director Ana Duro

Salamanca, 09/06/23. At the recent Startup Ole ’23 event, we had the pleasure to converse with Ana, the Director of the Founder Institute Spain. Based in Madrid, the institute is a global leader in pre-seed startup acceleration, with a presence in over one hundred countries and two hundred cities around the world. Ana shared insights into the institute’s structured program designed to support entrepreneurs in the initial stages of their business journey.

A Vision for Supporting Entrepreneurs

At the recent Startup Ole ’23 event, we sat down with Ana, the director of the Founder Institute Spain. She introduced the institute as part of the world’s largest pre-seed startup accelerator, emphasizing its presence in over a hundred countries.

“In Spain we have a national contribution to help entrepreneurs who are starting their business or just have an idea.”

In Spain, their tailored approach focuses on supporting entrepreneurs during the pivotal early stages. Ana detailed the institute’s four-month structured program, designed for flexibility. This approach allows participants to continue their regular commitments while exploring their project’s viability. Over the past fourteen years, this method has guided numerous entrepreneurs towards success.

Salamanca, 09/06/23. At the recent Startup Olé ’23 event, Sarah Haddadin, Innovation Lead at EIT Health RIS Innovation Call, sat down with us for an exclusive interview, shedding light on the organization’s commitment to fostering European collaborations in healthcare innovation.

A Bridge for Innovation

Sarah Haddadin began by emphasizing the core belief of EIT Health, stating, “At EIT Health, we firmly believe that no one can innovate alone. Our primary focus is on building European collaborations with health tech providers, suppliers, startups, and partners. It’s about creating a fertile ground where we can all collaborate, ensuring that innovative ideas transition seamlessly into reality.”

She further delved into her role as the Program Manager for the RIS Innovation Call, highlighting the organization’s dedication to supporting startups in the proof-of-concept phase. “We handpick high-quality projects from Eastern, Southern, and Central Europe, regions where we believe innovation remains untapped. Our goal is to bridge this gap by offering a plethora of services, from mentoring and bootcamping to networking,” said Haddadin.

The benefits of the RIS Innovation Call Programme

The EIT Regional Innovation Scheme (EIT RIS) was created by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology to close the gap between regions that are leaders in innovation and those that are still progressing.  One of the flagship programmes that bring the EIT Community closer to this goal is the RIS Innovation Call led by EIT Health InnoStrars, one of the eight geographical areas of EIT Health. covering half of Europe, including Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia.

The RIS Innovation Call is designed to bridge the funding gap in several moderately progressing EU countries. It offers a comprehensive package to innovators, including funding, mentoring, bootcamping, and networking opportunities. The selected balanced and strong projects need to target EIT Health’s focus areas to be developed by local actors, including both business and academic/research/healthcare institutions.

Elaborating on the benefits of the programme and EIT Health’s presence at Startup Olé ’23, Sarah shared, “Being here in Salamanca at Startup Olé is an integral part of the entrepreneurial journey for the start-ups participating in our programme. It offers our teams a unique opportunity to exchange knowledge and insights with various stakeholders, potential investors, and other startups attending the event.”

More details and further information about the RIS Innovation Call and other accelerator programmes offered by EIT Health can be found on the EIT Health Website

Salamanca, 09/06/23. – In a recent exclusive interview at Startup Ole ’23, Oscar Cantalejo, the man at the helm of Iberdrola’s PERSEO program, shared insights into the company’s commitment to fostering innovation and collaboration with startups for a sustainable future.

Program’s Vision & Support

“We started launching this program 15 years ago to collaborate with innovative startups, and for that, we have different tools”, began Cantalejo. He highlighted the primary tool as investment, emphasizing the establishment of a corporate VC aimed at investing in companies that resonate with Iberdrola’s business ethos.

Detailing the program’s objectives, Cantalejo shared, “The goal was to include these new technologies in our business units and accelerate the main business units of our company.” He proudly mentioned Iberdrola’s position as one of the world’s leading renewable energy producers and their mission to decarbonize and electrify demand, aiding customers in transitioning from fossil fuels.

PERSEO Program

Iberdrola’s PERSEO program stands as a testament to the company’s dedication to innovation and collaboration. Launched to identify competitive and innovative technological solutions, PERSEO aims to lead the energy transition towards a more sustainable model. The program actively scouts for technologies and business models in the early stages, offering them the technical and financial support to test their solutions in real environments. Startups collaborating with PERSEO not only gain a strategic partner in Iberdrola but also access a vast market, as the solutions are integrated into the different businesses of the Iberdrola Group.

For startups eager to collaborate with Iberdrola, the PERSEO program remains open throughout the year. Cantalejo encourages potential partners to reach out, stating, “We have a form on our website, and they can contact the team. Also, the main point of contact is our email. We have no time limitations, so happy to receive any proposal at any time.”

With leaders like Oscar Cantalejo and initiatives like the PERSEO program, Iberdrola continues to solidify its position at the forefront of sustainable innovation and collaboration.

For security reasons, we decided not to post the email address but you can contact us and we will be more than happy to share it with you. You can read more details about the program and further information here