IESE’s scale-ups mentoring initiative WeGrow 2024 edition kicked off at IESE’s Madrid campus on Thursday 22 March. In this edition, WeGrow will see 16 companies and 48 mentors convening for a journey of business and personal growth. Led by Professor Mª Julia Prats, the event began with words of gratitude to mentors and a warm welcome to participants. Whilst mentors highlighted the transformative power of mentorship, testimonials from former mentees echoed the impact of WeGrow in their journeys as entrepreneurs. Discover this edition’s mentors and mentees here. 

Representatives from Tecnalia, EBAN, and IESE joined forces to promote cross-regional collaboration at the 10th anniversary of 4YFN in Barcelona supporting EU-LAC Digital Accelerator. Hosted by Wayra, a rich program of events facilitated connections between investors, startups, and corporates from Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean. IESE’s Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center hosted two discussion panels: ‘Exploring opportunities for investors in EU-LAC Digital Accelerator’ and ‘Learning the potential of EU-LAC Digital Accelerator for Startups, corporates and business partnerships’. Read the full news report here.

Female entrepreneurship is on the rise, yet it remains a minority. In the latest 'Forbes Talks', Forbes and McDonald’s gathered experts to discuss 'Empowering Female Entrepreneurship: Keys to Success'. Laura Caballero, Associate Director at the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center, alongside other female entrepreneurship experts, discussed challenges like self-confidence, funding access, and work-life balance. The consensus? The movement is unstoppable, as Caballero asserts, “with talent and confidence, women can reach their goals.”

With approximately 30% of graduates starting a business within five years, IESE is known for being a school for entrepreneurs, innovators, and investors. But what if there was an easy way to get closer to our entrepreneurs and follow their impact? IESE's Founders Radar does just that. Powered by Crunchbase, the platform provides an initial directory of IESE alumni-founded businesses with their latest news, funding rounds, raised amounts, and much more. Whether you're an alum looking to showcase your venture, or you are looking to search and connect with IESE entrepreneurs, Founders Radar provides the platform. If you haven’t yet, discover Founders Radar today.

If you're a seasoned Non-Executive Director with expertise in corporate or venture investment, M&A advisory services, or scaling deep-tech companies, and want to play a pivotal role in European deep tech development, apply now to be an EIC Scaling Club mentor! The European Innovation Council (EIC) Scaling Club is an initiative that aims to support a curated community of 100+ deep-tech companies in their path to unicorn, and IESE is a proud partner of this European consortium. Interested? Apply until 13 March 2024, 09:00 CET.

Ana Maiques (IESE AMP'2015) is the CEO and Founder of Neuroelectrics, a medtech company dedicated to enhancing the lives of individuals with brain disease through personalized brain stimulation therapy. A firm advocate of women CEOs, Ana Maiques encourages women "to stand up and take the lead in the companies and believe in themselves to be ambitious.” In this IESE Alumni Series interview, Ana shares her motivation, drive, and resilience as an entrepreneur. 

Unlocking innovation requires more than just ideas: it demands a mindset shift. Embracing an opportunity mindset, having long-term vision, reducing social distances, and fostering a spirit of service are only half of the qualities necessary for next-level innovation. Collaboration, resilience, self-awareness, alongside ethical leadership are the other half. These 8 qualities, outlined as essential for innovation in this IESE Insight piece, provide a roadmap for organizations and individuals aiming to thrive in a rapidly evolving landscape.

Led by Professor Heinrich Liechtenstein and co-authors, the 2023 edition of the Venture Capital and Private Equity Country Attractiveness Index has recently been published. Whilst the United States and the United Kingdom remain the most attractive private capital markets, the latest report reveals a shifting landscape, with some countries gaining traction while others face declining appeal. Discover the latest index and the report’s interactive website to learn more about the individual countries — with graphs, in-depth analyses and benchmarking tools.