International MBA students and start-ups strengthen ties at ESADE
At the fifth edition of ESADE’s Quest for Talent, held today at ESADECRAPOLIS, MBA students from countries around the world – including Brazil, Peru, China, Japan, Taiwan, New Zealand, Kuwait, Lebanon, the United States, Panama, Germany, Turkey, Ukraine, Nigeria, Namibia and many others – came face-to-face with numerous international start-ups. The Quest for Talent is the most important entrepreneurial event organised by the ESADE MBA. Start-ups, fast-growing companies, business angels, venture capitalists and students come together to discuss entrepreneurial dynamics, analyse success stories, address challenges, network, recruit, attend seminars and more.
Companies from a diverse range of sectors come to this event in search of MBA students with specific skills. The participating students boast profiles oriented towards corporate finance, marketing, operations, technology, sales, consulting, etc.
This edition of the Quest for Talent featured the participation of Michael Wolfe, serial entrepreneur and founder of four start-ups. Mr. Wolfe led a seminar and participated in a panel discussion.
Venture capital competition
The Quest For Talent also featured a venture capital competition. "In this competition, a group of entrepreneurs and students who hope to launch their own companies make a pitch to a panel of venture capital experts who assess their analysis, feasibility, disruptive capacity and innovation," explained Rodrigo Valiente, a member of the executive team of the ESADE MBA Entrepreneurship Club, which organised the event.
The venture capital firms in attendance included Inveready – a group specialised in advising and investing in tech companies – as well as Active Partners, Nauta Capital, Alpha Investment Ventures and Catalunya de Inversores.
Start-ups from a diverse range of sectors
The companies participating in this edition of the Quest for Talent represented a wide range of sectors, including technology, consumer goods and healthcare. Participants included Doctoralia, an online guide to doctors, clinics and other healthcare professionals; Cooltra, a leading Spanish motorcycle and moped rental company; Kantox, a platform that allows the direct exchange of currency between companies; and Ofertia, a multi-brand showcase of sales, catalogues and new products.
Other high-profile participants were Comunitats, a start-up created by two Catalans based in León, and ClubKviar, Europe’s premier private gastronomy club, which offers direct discounts at top restaurants in Madrid, Barcelona, Paris and other cities. Other participants included TacaMaca, Idapt, Jal21, Heartmade and Siempre Vivo.
A challenge for MBA students
At workshops and panel discussions, more than 60 MBA students presented solutions to problems faced by the participating companies. The student-generated solutions included financial models, creative marketing ideas, budgetary adjustments and more. Most of the problems submitted by the participating companies were related to marketing, finance or expansion.
