Last week, IESE Business School hosted the 6th International Search Fund Conference alongside the inaugural Women in Search Forum in Barcelona. Across three days, these events brought together investors, entrepreneurs, and searchers from around the world, offering engaging panel discussions, case studies, and interactive networking sessions focused on the latest in search funds and entrepreneurial finance. Attendees forged connections with industry leaders and strengthened the global search fund ecosystem. Read the Professor Jan Simon and Sara Rosenthal’s notes on the conference here. The next edition will take place at Stanford in 2025. See you there!

From November 5-7, the Barcelona Deep Tech Summit will once again make the city a hub for leading-edge technology at the heart of the deep-tech scientific and entrepreneurial ecosystem. IESE is a strategic partner for this three-day event bringing together industry leaders, visionary investors, and new businesses to explore global challenges in energy transition, connectivity, industry tech, and health tech. IESE’s Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center will be hosting two sessions on corporate venturing on November 6. Don’t miss the chance to get your seat – Register here. For more information, visit the Barcelona Deep Tech Summit website. 

Originally from Finland, Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship and software entrepreneur Liinus Hietaniemi’s journey spans from snowball fights in Helsinki to co-founding startups in the U.S. After getting involved in the startup world during college, he transitioned from early employee to co-founder, and later, academic researcher. At IESE, he’s passionate about teaching driven students and exploring how AI and blockchain will transform startups. According to Hietaniemi, “entrepreneurs have a critical role in our society.” His advice to future entrepreneurs? "The startup paradigm is shifting - design for the new order." Read the full interview on our blog.

We are thrilled to announce that several startups founded by IESE alumni have been featured in LinkedIn’s Top Startups 2024 list for Spain. Congratulations to Flanks (Alvaro Morales, MBA’92), Multiverse Computing (Enrique Lizaso, MBA’91), Olistic (Pedro Luis González-Atienza, MBA’00), Qilimanjaro Quantum Tech (Jordi Blasco, AMP’08), Shakers (Nico de Luis, EMBA’21), and VICIO (Oriol de Pablo, EMBA’14). These companies are making waves in their respective fields, showcasing the entrepreneurial spirit of our IESE community. It's inspiring to see our alumni leading innovation and shaping the future across such diverse industries. Keep up the fantastic work!

We recently hosted a WeGrow gathering in our Madrid Campus with a select number of IESE alumni entrepreneurs, featuring Entrepreneurship Senior Lecturer Mathieu Carenzo, who shared his insights on early-stage investment with entrepreneurs and investors from IESE’s Business Angels Network. Participants had the chance to ask questions and drive the conversation, getting first-hand guidance from Mathieu. WeGrow is a dynamic community of high-potential entrepreneurs and experienced mentors dedicated to supporting initiatives and people making a positive impact on business and society.  

The EMBA Madrid Entrepreneurship Club has been actively organizing insightful gatherings for the IESE community. Recently, the club hosted a Search Funds Panel featuring IESE entrepreneurs, moderated by investor and Senior Lecturer Jose Martín Cabiedes. Other highlights included the talk "So You Want to Start a Venture" with entrepreneur and investor Ian Banerjee (EMBA’04), and "Beyond Success in Search Funds," featuring experts Nicolás Fernández de Cuevas (MBA’21), Ricardo Velilla (MBA’15), and Sebastien Chartier. These events continue to inspire and engage our entrepreneurial community.

Search funds are expanding globally, maturing into a powerful entrepreneurial pathway across diverse markets. IESE’s 2024 International Search Fund Report highlights the continued growth and geographic expansion of search funds outside the U.S. and Canada, covering 320 funds across 40 countries on 5 continents. Last year set new milestones with 59 new funds launched, 6 new countries involved, and 31 acquisitions completed. Spain has led the way, launching the most International Funds in the past decade. Interested in learning more? Download the report for key insights. 

In a recent Forbes article, Associate Professor Yuliya Snihur highlights the dangerous culture of excessive ambition in startups, where founders may blur the line between visionary leadership and deceit. Using examples like Elizabeth Holmes and Sam Bankman-Fried, Snihur emphasizes the role investors and employees play in perpetuating or preventing dishonest behavior. The article urges a critical re-evaluation of "fake it till you make it" and calls for greater transparency and ethics in entrepreneurship. For more, read the full article here.