The IESE Private Equity & Venture Capital Club hosted its annual conference in Barcelona, drawing over 350 participants, including investors, founders, students, and alumni from around the world. The event featured 30+ speakers discussing topics ranging from early-stage innovation to large-cap value creation, impact investing, and emerging markets. Entirely student-led, the conference shows IESE students' commitment to leadership and global outlook. Explore more about the event on the PE&VC Club's LinkedIn page.

What happens when alumni become entrepreneurs? They come back – to inspire, to grow, and to hire. Earlier this month, IESE Barcelona hosted the MBA Startup Career Fair, where startups led by IESE alumni connected with global MBA talent. Over three days, ventures across industries pitched their missions, shared growth stories, and met future team members. With 30% of alumni founding a business within five years, the event shows how IESE’s entrepreneurship ecosystem continues to support and grow through its own community.​​​​​

In a new IESE Elevator Tips video, Professor Yuliya Snihur pushes back against the “fake it until you make it” mindset often seen in startups through the concept of “hype in entrepreneurship”. She highlights the importance of honest communication, realistic goal setting, and building trust through transparency. For entrepreneurs, real leadership means being authentic: focusing on small, consistent wins rather than big, inflated promises. This approach not only strengthens relationships with stakeholders but also leads to more sustainable growth. Watch the full video here.

For Richard Porstmann (GEMBA’18), being part of the IESE community means continuous growth. “Every visit to campus feels like a system update,” he says – an opportunity to reconnect, learn, and recharge. Since completing his GEMBA, Richard has embraced entrepreneurship, driven by IESE values like purposeful leadership and social impact. His story is a powerful reminder that the IESE experience doesn’t end at graduation: it evolves into a lifelong journey of learning, connection, and giving back. Watch Richard’s full story in this video.

Does your company face a strategic challenge in its business model? IESE MBA students are ready to help. Led by Professor Chris Zott and starting this September, select companies will collaborate with our MBA teams to tackle real-world business model issues – offering fresh, actionable proposals grounded in rigorous analysis and diverse thinking. Gain access to proven methodologies, academic insight, and a global talent pool ready to drive innovation. More information here.

From 2 to 4 April, startup and SME leaders gathered at IESE’s Barcelona campus for a bootcamp on adopting emerging technologies through open innovation, organized by the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center as part of the DIH4CAT ecosystem. The sessions explored open innovation strategies, leadership, startup scouting, pitching, and practical user cases and learnings. Participants left with actionable plans and valuable connections to integrate innovation in their businesses. Curious about open innovation? Discover more at IESE’s Open Innovation and Corporate Venturing Institute.​​​

As search funds grow globally, maintaining their unique culture of trust is more important than ever. A new IESE study by Professor Jan Simon and Ann-Sophie Kowalewski explores how shareholder engagement (SE) can help. By encouraging active involvement, knowledge sharing, and value alignment, SE helps preserve collaboration even as institutional investors join the space. This publication offers practical ways to strengthen relationships between investors and CEOs, ensuring growth doesn’t dilute what makes search funds special. Find it here.

A recent article in Corporate Venturing Insider highlights insights from Professor Mª Julia Prats and Josemaria Siota, Executive Director of IESE's Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center, on how lessons from the past can guide the future of corporate innovation. Beyond Corporate Venture Capital (CVC), other tools must be explored – like BMW’s venture-client model or Corporate Venturing Squads for smaller and medium-sized corporations. Alongside other experts in the field, their insights help companies navigate innovation by blending academic research with real-world impact. Read the full article here.