A computer engineer by training and programmer in large companies in the IT sector, Juanjo Raya Tena (Sabadell, 1975) has been the CTO of Imaginae, an app, web and e-commerce developer based in Sabadell, Spain, for the last 15 years. After working for companies such as CaixaBank, RACC or Siemens, and being a Software Engineer in London, Juanjo Raya “needed something more” and started his entrepreneurial adventure; first as a freelancer and then at Imaginae, where he has been involved in all kinds of technological projects since 2007.

“As a technician, my vision was very technical to begin with. But by creating a company and accompanying some startups with more or less success, my professional profile has adopted a global vision of marketing and sales. Even so, I am still behind all the technological projects that I lead as CTO. The habit makes the monk, they say 😉 ”

TB: What is the purpose of your project?

JR: We develop web, apps and cloud projects for companies from different sectors, thanks to a team specialized in different development areas. We have worked with companies like Fluidra, Circutor or Alsina, among many other startup projects. We also work on connecting devices for roofing, relays, swimming pools and alarms, and we would like to enter ehealth to contribute with our experience in the sector.

TB: A good idea you’ve had.

JR: Balancing all my personal, family and professional areas.

TB: A bad professional experience.

JR: Some clients who messed us up and didn’t pay, with excuses. And some bad technical decisions that help in learning and maturing from entrepreneur to businessman.

TB: The best advice you’ve been given.

JR: Always be yourself, don’t move only by interests, and try to feel good about what you contribute every day to the people around you, whether they are clients, family or friends.

TB: A professional reference that inspires you.

JR: Well, I don’t have any particular professional reference… They all have something wrong with them: Elon Musk has a lot of ego; and Bill Gates… you don’t know what he’s really into. In this sense, Jeff Bezos might have a better assessment on my part.

TB: A technology that will shape the future.

JR: ChatGPT! We need to see how it will affect marketing, content and technology.

TB: What are your concerns?

JR: People’s health. The stress of day-to-day life is causing us to have more and more illnesses, physical and mental. That’s why we have a startup underway, Healmeapp.com, which aims to be a tool to seek help and improve our physical, energetic and mental health with the help of qualified professionals (physiotherapists, osteopaths, nutritionists, psychologists, chiropractors, reiki and Chinese medicine experts, among others). The idea is that each person finds what works best for them and contacts a professional to help them on their way to a healthier life.

TB: A startup.

JR: Airbnb and Glovo.

TB: A book to recommend.

JR: “The Power of Now” and “A New Earth” by Eckhart Tolle.

TB: A series, movie or song that defines your moment in life?

JR: Maybe “Life is Beautiful.” It’s important to value what we have as if it were the last day. Even if we always look at where we want to go and what we want to improve on, if we were in a difficult moment we would really value other things. These are the ones that have to come first, the rest is secondary.

TB: A recipe, a meal, a restaurant.

JR: I’m a regular steak person, especially in mountain areas. Although lately I also like sushi. In any case, I’m not exactly critical of restaurants, and I love any restaurant that has a good product.

TB: A city or trip.

JR: I’ve been traveling around Europe in a camper for a few years now, so I know quite a few cities. But I would choose London because of my experiences there. Further away, Vancouver. A trip, Patagonia and Nepal: I would love to go to Everest base camp, for example. You can tell that I’m a mountain person 🙂

TB: Where would you invest 100k?

JR: In our projects mainly. In creating new concepts that I have in mind, but have not been able to carry out due to lack of time, focus and money.

TB: What about a million euros?

JR: I would make a diversified investment. I would support projects created by us and other entrepreneurial ideas that motivate us.

TB: If you weren’t an entrepreneur…

JR: I would be a creator. Of what? I don’t really know, but I think it’s part of my essence.

TB: What does Tech Barcelona represent for you?

JR: It’s a group of technology companies that add value. The interesting thing is to have created such a cool ecosystem in the city of Barcelona (although we are in Sabadell) and to be able to take it to the world from here. From Barcelona (and Vallès) to the world!

Based in London, Ariadna Masó (Vic, 1988) is the founder and CEO of SANNO, a digital health platform for clinical research in areas such as digestive health. She studied Business Management at ESADE and worked in finance for nine years, but her chronic gut condition drove her to study Nutrition Science, earn certification from Stanford School of Medicine and create SANNO in 2020. We’re talking to a featured ‘Forbes 30 under 30 in Europe’ and the creator of CEMS entrepreneurs, a community of founders which comprises 32 business schools from around the world.

“I love doing sports and dancing like nobody’s watching!”

TB: What is the purpose of your project?

AM: The goal is to accelerate research and get the right treatment to patients much faster. Right now it takes more than 4 years to make an impact on patients from the evidence complied in a clinical trial for a new treatment. We are here to change this and make healthcare more efficient and personalised with our tech platform.

TB: A good idea you have had.

AM: Pay attention to my nutrition patterns and identify what foods cause me bloating or a foggy head. That’s how the first version of the SANNO app came up! I still use it to log foods that irritate my tummy and find correlations alongside sleep and activity data.

TB: A bad professional experience.

AM: As the saying goes, people don’t quit a job, they quit a boss. During my career in finance, I struggled to find support from managers to grow in my role even when I asked for mentorship and feedback. At SANNO I focus on creating a culture where we empower everyone on the team from day one. The team is everything.

TB: The best advice you’ve ever been given.

AM: Don’t be afraid to fail. As a founder, there’s so much pressure to succeed and to do it fast. Over time I have learned to validate ideas or even commercial terms with short feedback loops and clear metrics. If you fail, do it fast and cheap until you find a pattern that works. Start small, move fast and make it big.

TB: A professional reference that inspires you.

AM: I find Serena Williams very inspiring not only for her career in sports but also as a founder of Serena Ventures which backs underrepresented founders.

TB: A technology that will shape the future.

AM: ChatGPT. I believe this is an incredible tool that will help us speed up many processes in many roles and functions. I feel this has so much potential, and we are still learning how to interact with AI. It’s only getting started.

TB: What are you worried about?

AM: The healthcare system in many countries is under so much pressure with a lack of capacity, fragmented data and poor rewards for doctors who are massively underpaid. We need to make healthcare efficient and open doors to technology. Why does a patient need to wait for 9 months to see a specialist when there can be remote monitoring platforms with evidence-based programs to help patients faster?

TB: A startup.

AM: I really like Salient Bio, a biotech company that’s creating the lab of the future with sequencing testing. They are doing a lot in the women’s health space. One of the cofounders just moved from London to Barcelona; a great win for the ecosystem here!

TB: A book to recommend.

AM: “Lean Startup” by Eric Ries. I have read it twice and I truly think it’s a must-read for any entrepreneur.

TB: A series, film or song that defines your moment in life.

AM: I love the series called “Ted Lasso” and how a coach brings in a fresh positive culture in a football team despite many challenges and haters around him.

TB: A recipe, a meal, a restaurant.

AM: Recipe: sweet potato with avocado. Cook in the pan for 10 minutes until the sweet potato is soft and then add avocado on top. Meal: paella. Restaurant: Martínez in Montjuic.

TB: A city, a journey.

AM: I fell in love with Tel Aviv during the Forbes 30 under 30 summit in 2017. I loved the good vibes, delicious food and the amazing tech ecosystem. I could see some similarities between Tel Aviv and Barcelona with the Mediterranean lifestyle!

TB: Where would you invest 100k?

AM: In climate tech solutions that improve soil quality for better food quality.

TB: And a million euros?

AM: In microbiome studies. 70% of the immune system lives in the digestive tract and yet we know so little about what diseases we can treat from better understanding the microbiome composition.

TB: If you weren’t an entrepreneur…

AM: I would be a dietitian. I started to study nutrition science and it’s a fascinating space. One day I will finish my studies, but the priority is on SANNO first 🙂

TB: What is Tech Barcelona for you?

AM: A very open-minded community of entrepreneurs and operators who care about making an impact. It’s all about the great people in the network and their ambition to make a big impact as well as help each other.

Chenchen Yang (China, 1989), Online Sales Director and CMO at LIVALL Iberoamérica, represents the entrepreneurial, courageous and adventurous spirit needed to succeed in a global technological and digital ecosystem. Having studied Business Administration and Advertising, at the age of 20 she left her home country to “broaden her horizons”. And, in a short time, she has managed to overcome language barriers and cultural differences, perfect her professional skills, and adapt to a new way of working and living. All this from LIVALL – Smart Helmets, a brand specialising in smart helmets that incorporate LED lights, communication systems such as SOS in case of a fall and, of course, the latest technology in accident protection.

“I love the dynamism of the startup world. It forces you to learn new things and constantly extend your skills.

TB: What is the purpose of your project?

CY: LIVALL stands for “live all”. We provide preventive security so that all micro-mobility users can live together more safely.

TB: A good idea you have had.

CY: One fine day I decided I wanted to see the world and here I ended up, in Spain. I started a life that had nothing to do with the one I had in China.

TB: A bad professional experience.

CY: As a new joiner in a professional environment in a different country, I did not expect to meet people with cultural conflicts. However, the reality is much more complex. I have had to fight against the label “Chinese, young girl and mother”, but fortunately I have not had extremely bad experiences.

TB: The best advice you’ve ever been given.

CY: When you are not well, take good care of yourself, with all the love in the world. And when you are well, take care of the world with all the love you have.

TB: A professional reference that inspires you.

CY: Both in the Eastern and Western world there are brilliant professionals. If I had to name them, I would choose Jack Ma and Elon Musk, for their innovative vision and strength.

TB: A technology that will shape the future.

CY: Artificial Intelligence is changing our lives. ChatGPT, for example.

TB: What are you worried about?

CY: The global situation, from the country’s economy to political decisions.

TB: A book to recommend.

CY: I really like “Le Petit Prince” by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. He manages to narrate conversations that seem simple but are full of practical and philosophical advice.

TB: A series, film or song that defines your moment in life.

CY: Songs by Coldplay and Imagine Dragons.

TB: A recipe, a meal, a restaurant.

CY: I can’t decide on a particular one. I’m a curious person and I’m always trying different foods.

TB: A city, a journey.

CY: I would stay on some little island in Thailand.

TB: Where would you invest 100k?

CY: Right now I would invest in real estate or in expanding my personal skills.

TB: And a million euros?

CY: In VC specialised in sustainable energy tech projects.

TB: If you weren’t an entrepreneur…

CY: I would be a happy country lady with my trees and chickens.

TB: What is Tech Barcelona for you?

CY: An ecosystem made up of people with ideas and a desire to make a positive impact on society.

Two sisters, Elena and Noelia Losantos. One, an architect; the other, a communicator. Both lovers of culture and travel. The perfect combination, together with two developers, to create Identify – Enjoy Culture, a traveltech solution for hoteliers and tourists that, for the moment, has developed an application of cultural information, routes, audios and travel recommendations… with more than 300,000 points of interest around the world! The mobile app, available for IOS and Android for over a year, has already had more than five thousand downloads and draws on multiple open data sources.

On this occasion we spoke to its co-founder and CMO, Noelia Losantos (La Garriga, 1991), “journalist by training and traveller at heart”. After five years in Argentina and Chile working in digital marketing linked to the tourism sector, she returned to Barcelona to join her sister in the Identify – Enjoy Culture project. “Elena has always been curious about unique buildings, places with views or other points of interest, so she decided to materialise her desire in the application with the help of two developers, Esteve Dalmau and Aleix Riba. I’m in charge of the more communicative and commercial part”.

TB: What is the purpose of your project?

NL: Facilitating access to cultural information. Thanks to technology, more people should have the possibility to learn about the importance and value of culture anywhere in the world. In addition to the app, we are creating a B2B solution so that the accommodations can support their hosts beyond the actual hotel; a new platform to help the sector to save time for reception staff or improve the activity booking service.

TB: A good idea you have had.

NL: In business, deciding to join an accelerator. In life… living in another country!

TB: A bad professional experience.

NL: There are no bad experiences, only experiences from which one learns more or less. In one company, where I did not learn much, chaos and disorganisation prevented a good working environment.

TB: The best advice you’ve ever been given.

NL: Think twice.

TB: A professional reference that inspires you.

NL: The Gasol brothers.

TB: A technology that will shape the future.

NL: In general, the application of Artificial Intelligence in different sectors.

TB: What are you worried about?

NL: The power and influence of social networks on young people.

TB: A startup.

NL: Sepiia, a “smart fashion” startup. In other words, clothes that don’t wrinkle or stain. And they’re getting prettier and prettier all the time.

TB: A book to recommend.

NL: “Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood” by Trevor Noah.

TB: A series or film or song that defines your moment in life.

NL: The classic series “Friends”. It never disappoints.

TB: A recipe, a meal, a restaurant.

NL: Cannelloni with tomato, my grandmother’s recipe.

TB: A city, a journey.

NL: Route 7 along the Austral Highway in Chile.

TB: Where would you invest 100k?

NL: In seed projects.

TB: And a million euros?

NL: On land for own housing.

TB: If you were not an entrepreneur…

NL: My training and vocation as a sports journalist still pulls me a lot?

TB: What is Tech Barcelona for you?

NL: A place where you can find safe innovation.

Laura García Maraña (Bilbao, 1974) is an agricultural engineer and CEO and founder of SialSIG SCCL, a consultancy in Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Among some of her projects, she has created maps of mortality risk in the event of emergencies in areas far from hospitals, or other maps of areas of ecological agriculture in Catalonia by municipalitie.. Because the geographic representation of data has multiple uses and functionalities.

“I became an agronomist because I wanted to help farmers sell their produce directly to the consumer. I didn’t understand, and still don’t understand, that they work so hard and then part of their income is lost along the way. Now I analyse and display data at SialSIG SCCL, a non-profit cooperative”.

TB: What is the purpose of your project?

LG: That small entities and companies can take advantage of the valuable data they generate and hold. To be more efficient in collecting that data, in displaying and analysing it, seeing how it evolves and keeping it up to date. And I am not referring to internal business intelligence data – I leave that to others – but to shared and open data, of resources, services and information that are offered and demanded, with the added bonus of a geographic component. Data of many types that we use and need on a daily basis, and many others that help us to make decisions.

TB: A good idea you have had.

LG: From what I’ve been told, one of the phrases most used by me since I was a child was “I have an idea”, which was followed by invented games and various activities. Now I don’t say that sentence, but I invent projects and make GIS designs of the most everyday things; it’s an obsession I’ve had since I discovered them. I would apply them to almost anything.

And, of course, I took a break to take care of my children while I matured the idea of creating a company. It’s still not very profitable, but for the moment the pros of work-life balance and personal and professional fulfilment win out.

TB: A bad professional experience.

LG: I left a job because a colleague was unfairly dismissed in a bad way. Also when I have seen in previous jobs attempts to “sell motorbikes” or do things knowing that they are not necessary or correct. But they are still done, often with everyone’s money. That’s why being able to choose the projects, as well as their technical and moral form, was one of my objectives. And hence SialSIG, SCCL.

TB: The best advice you’ve ever been given.

LG: Decide by what you want and think, not by what you think others want or think. In the past, I made decisions based on what I thought others wanted, which led me to do something I didn’t feel like doing. I thought it was more appropriate, generous, less selfish, but it was complicated and less accurate. Now I practice counselling, I ask directly what they want and we reach a consensus. Benefits of age. Also, if you act true to your principles, and to those of others, the decisions will also favour them.

TB: A professional reference that inspires you.

LG: I admire several people I have met in the ‘maps’ environment, who work, do webinars, create associations, collaborate in charitable causes, conciliate and also know languages. I am amazed. Some people are very active and proactive, and we have to thank them for what they contribute to energising groups, sharing knowledge and promoting social causes.

TB: A technology that will shape the future.

LG: I believe that there will be many technologies, but what will mark the future is knowing how to use them for the right purposes and making them accessible to all. And there is no need to rush, just slow and steady.

TB: What are you worried about?

LG: People not being upfront, not being transparent and taking advantage. Also the lack of involvement.

TB: A startup.

LG: The truth is that it would be difficult to choose just one, because with the networks of women that we are weaving, I meet a few every month, and there are many that catch my attention. I have a special weakness for those who are dedicated to health and people with special needs. And a special mention to Blue Ocean Nutrition and Mayte Corbino, with whom I have found a project with a common purpose.

TB: A book to recommend.

LG: I have highly recommended and borrowed “Los renglones torcidos de Dios”. I read it many years ago, when I was very young, and it made me think about the great fragility of the mind, the great variety of “failures”, changes, and manifestations it can have. And then I liked the way it easily convinced you of one thing and the opposite, I thought the plot was super well designed. I also went to see the movie recently, of course. Although I almost always like a book better; it leaves you more room to think and interpret.

TB: A series or film or song that defines your moment in life.

LG: The song “Ebony and Ivory” by Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder. I like music, I play several instruments, and I sing (privately), but I listen less and less, and I can’t even keep the names of the bands. Nowadays, videos and podcasts take up more of my time, so what can I do?

TB: A recipe, a meal, a restaurant.

LG: Well, simple ones that don’t take me too much time. I like to make the most of my time, and spending a lot of time on a meal, if in the end what I value is the “food” part of it, doesn’t pay off for me. I’m not much of a sybarite or a foodie. I often prefer to eat a sandwich in the countryside or in a park rather than going to a restaurant.

TB: A city, a journey.

LG: I’m more of a people and nature person than a city person. Anywhere quiet. In fact, when I studied agricultural engineering, my idea was to live in the countryside, but then life makes you make other decisions. I would like to visit Ireland and Australia.

TB: Where would you invest 100k?

LG: In education, research and training in sustainability. In changing the way many processes are done and seeking their circularity.

TB: And a million euros?

LG: On the above, but I would focus on improving the agricultural sector, on redirecting it towards better agricultural practices. Really focus on the health of soils and plants, and with them we will get the health of animals and people. Agriculture must be one of the solutions to climate change. I would like to make it attractive and accessible to new generations, as continuity and generational renewal are urgently needed.

TB: If you were not an entrepreneur…

LG: I would love to work in an NGO or in an engineering company that focuses on social, agricultural or environmental issues, and that does not base its activity only on economic profit. Yes, I know, I have to balance desire and reality…. But there must be ways to do it, and for the moment I am not giving up.

TB: What is Tech Barcelona for you?

LG: A meeting and support point, a place to keep up to date with what is happening in the sector. And with a powerful team that knows, works and moves to create synergies, activate and disseminate. It is very necessary to give visibility, create movement, give voice to ideas and have a place to turn to in many situations that may arise in the company or as an entrepreneur. And the facilities are amazing! Due to personal and professional circumstances in recent months, I have not participated in all the activities I would have liked to. Also, sometimes I feel “too small” for certain events, but I consider myself to be part of the sector and, even if it is on a small scale, it all adds up.

Acquiring the largest number of customers or users, in the shortest possible time and with the least possible resources, is the dream of many companies and the main objective of Luis Ignacio Díaz del Dedo (Ávila, 1983) as CEO and co-founder of Product Hackers, an expert in Growth Hacking. A digital marketing methodology that has accelerated the growth of some of the largest companies in the world.

A computer engineer with a degree in Business Administration and two masters in information technology, Luis Díaz del Dedo has been a professor at important business schools and a startup mentor at companies such as Telefónica and Wayra. “Until I decided to invest all my time in just one thing: Product Hackers“.

TB: What is the purpose of your project?

LD: To be the most powerful Growth company in the world, with the measurable goal of a turnover of 100 million euros.

TB: A good idea you have had.

LD: To dedicate myself to Growth, even before the concept as such existed.

TB: A bad professional experience.

LD: I have learned from almost every experience. And when I’ve had a bad one, I’ve left the project as soon as possible.

TB: The best advice you’ve ever been given.

LD: Invoice. Everything else is important but secondary.

TB: A professional reference that inspires you.

LD: Elon Musk.

TB: A technology that will shape the future.

LD: In the short term, expert information synthesis systems such as ChatGPT and their impact on the education of highly skilled and motivated young people who want to take advantage of them. In the medium term, technologies that make it cheaper to extract kilos of material from the Earth’s atmosphere. And, in the longer term, asteroid mining.

TB: What are you worried about?

LD: The incompetence of governments, as well as the possible economic and energy bankruptcy of Spain.

TB: Una startup.

LP: SpaceX.

TB: A book to recommend.

LD: “Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business, by Gina Wikman. The best step-by-step guide to overcome at least four of the five crises defined in “The Greiner Curve” [a curve that reflects the growth phases of a company]. In addition, you can use a different book for every moment and situation; that’s why I compile and publish – in Books for Executives, every two weeks – books recommended by executives of start-ups or high-growth companies.

TB: A series or film or song that defines your moment in life.

LD: Nothing better than a classic for everyone to understand: “The Eye of The Tiger”. I train from sunrise to sunset, with the goal of winning with Product Hackers. It’s not going to be easy, and it’s very likely that we won’t make it, but we’re willing to die training.

TB: A recipe, a meal, a restaurant.

LD: Mixed salad, my father’s stew and the Yokaloka restaurant in Madrid.

TB: A city, a journey.

LD: NYC and Japan.

TB: Where would you invest 100k?

LD: In Bitcoin (BTC).

TB: And a million euros?

LD: In real estate, BTC, shitcoins, startups and any crazy project I could think of.

TB: If you were not an entrepreneur…

LD: I would be a super Growth specialist in a company that would allow me to grow as a professional. I would work at Product Hackers as Head of Growth, although I would have to compete against Juanma Varo, and it wasn’t going to be easy! 😀

Storm Gloria in 2020 left a devastating landscape on the Catalan coast: flooded fields, washed-out beaches and a long list of other ravages caused by the force of the wind and water. Months later, the startup Earthpulse, set up that same year, began a pilot test to evaluate, by analysing high-resolution satellite images, the critical points of the territory that were at risk of flooding. The consolidation of its technology has come with the need to calculate the latest climatological risks, from the impact of the Filomena storm on Madrid’s road network, to the effects of other storms in Cambodia or East Timor.

Laura Moreno (Barcelona, 1980), co-founder and CEO of Earthpulse, has a real passion for this world. As a telecommunications engineer and mother of three, she worked at the European Space Agency for three years before making the leap to the private sector, where she realised the importance of space technology and its practical effects on our lives.

“I have an entrepreneurial spirit, and a desire to see satellite data used and democratised.”

TB: What is the purpose of your project?

LM: That satellite data can be used by industry… and even by you! and even by you! As well as understanding what it’s for, of course. Our product has a software that makes it easy to understand this data, without having to be an expert in anything.

TB: A good idea you have had.

LM: Many of them. The difficult thing is to carry them out. The best thing I’ve done lately is to surround myself with great people and gradually build a team.

TB: A bad professional experience.

LM: Allowing people with inappropriate behaviour to enter the team. This is a mistake I have made in the past.

TB: The best advice you’ve ever been given.

LM: “Nothing is so terrible”. And it is true; in the end, perseverance is the solution to many ills.

TB: A professional reference that inspires you.

LM: Entrepreneur and investor Jordi Altamira. He creates very good and useful content for startups. Straight to the point.

TB: A technology that will shape the future.

LM: Artificial intelligence is undoubtedly the transformative technology of our age, at all levels.

TB: What are you worried about?

LM: The economic and social context. The level of education in this country is falling every day.

TB: A start-up.

LM: MIXO, a drink mixing machine. No more queues in bars. Ideal.

TB: A book to recommend.

LM: For those who want to start a business or are already doing so, I am reading “Vender como cracks” by Victor Kuppers and I am enjoying it (I need to push for sales!). And outside the entrepreneurial theme, I recommend “Wonder”, by Raquel Palacio. I recently took this book from my son and read it in one sitting. It is very beautiful.

TB: A series or film or song that defines your moment in life.

LM: The series “The Recruit”. It’s about getting into big trouble and learning as you go along.

TB: A recipe, a meal, a restaurant.

LM: I love baking. Lemon pie and anything with chocolate are my weakness.

TB: A city, a journey.

LM: New Zealand is unsurpassed for its incredible nature: spectacular beaches, volcanoes, geysers… You name it! But it’s so far away…

TB: Where would you invest 100k?

LM: In my company, of course.

TB: And a million euros?

LM: The same, without the slightest doubt.

TB: If you were not an entrepreneur…

LM: I would try my luck in the real estate sector. I think it’s a long-term and fairly safe investment, but right now I’m looking forward to creating a project that has an impact.

TB: What is Tech Barcelona for you?

LM: A ten out of ten ecosystem for entrepreneurs in Barcelona. A must.

Come to 4YFN-MWC to meet the Earthpulse project in person, from 27 February to 2 March, at Tech Barcelona’s stand.

We have reached 50 TB Members Calling! At Tech Barcelona we have been interviewing our members every Thursday for more than a year. A number that will continue to grow week after week so that the community can get to know the more than 1,000 members that represent the association. The journey ahead is long…

To celebrate this milestone, we want to share some interesting answers to the last mandatory question of the format: “What is Tech Barcelona for you? Because we love to find out what our members do and how they think, but we are also proud to know that we are on the right track.

What is Tech Barcelona for you?

• MC #1 | Carla Zaldúa. “It is an opportunity”.
• MC #7 | Elena Rico. “One of the initiatives that really implements the concept of think global and act local.”
• MC #11 | Rubén Bonet. “A great platform from Barcelona to the world and a reference for many who are starting their projects. I would have liked to have had something similar in my city when I started”.
• MC #12 | Marc Cortés. “The demonstration that ideas and dreams have to be pursued. Someone thought that Barcelona deserved a meeting place linked to talent and a way of understanding how digital was going to transform the world and business. Together we are building it”.
• MC #15 | Josep Coll. “The basis for Barcelona to be the most cutting-edge city: a project with a long history and very well underway”.
• MC #18 | Roger Sendra. “Tech Barcelona has presented the city to the world: its entrepreneurship, its capacity to do new things and to think differently. It is also a point of inspiration for all of us who – in some way – are connected to it”.
• MC #21 | Adela Martínez. “A range of possibilities. Plus, they do great afterworks!”
• MC #22 | Marc Lite. “The most authentic and sensible energiser in the digital entrepreneurship sector”.
• MC #26 | Paola Pardo. “A space to give a voice to the entire startup ecosystem in the city. It is support and solidarity”.
• MC #31 | Francesc Font. “A great example of private and public collaboration”.
• MC #34 | Astrid Camprubí. “It is the essential piece in the startup ecosystem of our country and who, with its good work, puts Barcelona on the map to attract talent and investment”.
• MC #37 | Carles Brunet. “It is the innovation hub of reference in the ecosystem of technology companies in Catalonia and, at the same time, a place where we can grow day by day and share workspace with professionals who allow you to keep your focus and create synergies”.
• MC #39 | David Cascón. “I love the fact that there are associations dedicated to supporting the entrepreneurial ecosystem without expecting a return and, without a doubt, everything you organise is ‘top’, so for me today you are a 10”.
• MC #40 | Judit Camargo. “It was the first contact with the entrepreneurial ecosystem. It was here that I saw that entrepreneurship was possible and I decided that I wanted to do it.
• MC #44 | Alberto Villalobos. “The unifier and booster of the startup ecosystem in Barcelona. It plays an extremely important social and economic role for Barcelona. You realise when you look for the same thing in Madrid or Malaga and it doesn’t exist”.
• MC #45 | Stefano Melchior. “It is the navel of the world of entrepreneurship ecosystem in Barcelona. It has been the launching point for many success stories. And I love its policy of encouraging exchange to help colleagues (with a beer in hand)”.
• MC #49 | Enric Solé. “Everything happens here: the success of some benefits others”.
• MC #50 | Mariale Ortega. “A pioneering community and space”.

Making the leap from science to business is complicated; the number of researchers who undertake and lead the technology transfer journey is low, a ‘rara avis’ that -when it happens- must be highlighted.

Química, física, bioingeniera y, desde 2021, emprendedora. María Alejandra Ortega Machuca (Maracaibo, 1986) graduated and postgraduated in Chemistry in Venezuela, and then went on to do a PhD in Physics at the UPC and the Institut de Ciències Fotòniques de Castelldefels, and worked for five years as a researcher at the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC). Another example of how Catalonia has a consolidated scientific system capable of attracting excellent international talent..

But science, without innovation and impact on society, is of little use. After taking technology transfer courses at leading business schools, Mariale Ortega co-founded Vitala Technologies, an IBEC spin-off that uses hyperpolarised magnetic resonance techniques, intracellular technology and data analysis to test the efficacy and safety of pre-clinical drugs. Technology with impact.

“We are in the process of technical validation, running pilot tests, so we expect to make the commercial launch of our solutions during the last quarter of 2023.”.

TB: What is the purpose of your project?

MO: To be able to bring safer and more effective drugs to the clinical stages of Drug Discovery. Unlike other companies, at Vitala we act at an intracellular level in matrix organs, without destroying the cells, to see how they interact with the drug.

TB: A good idea you have had.

MO: Undoubtedly, making the decision to be an entrepreneur.

TB: A bad professional experience.

MO: My time as a doctoral student is not my best memory of my professional life, but it allowed me to grow and to appreciate what is really important in my life.

TB: The best advice you’ve ever been given.

MO: Put love into the little things of everyday life and it will make a difference.

TB: A professional reference that inspires you.

MO: All the women entrepreneurs I have met. Their successes and failures have been – and continue to be – models for me. In this sense, the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs programme has allowed me to discover many of their projects.

TB: A technology that will shape the future.

MO: ChatGPT or similar technologies using artificial intelligence.

TB: What are you worried about?

MO: People around me must be happy.

TB: A start-up.

MO: There are many I would like to name. But for their passion, leadership and impact on society I would highlight Doctomatic. I know personally how its co-founder Carmen Ríos and her excellent team works.

TB: A book to recommend.

MO: “Tu vida, tu mejor empresa”, by Esther Bauset.

TB: Una serie o película o canción que defina tu momento vital.

MO: I am a Tolkien fan and I think that “The Lord of the Rings” defines my life as an entrepreneur very well.

TB: A recipe, a meal, a restaurant.

MO: A recipe: my mother’s recipes, but I would highlight the quesillo and the chicken salad. One food: Italian food without a doubt. And a restaurant: Il Golfo di Napoli.

TB: A city, a journey.

MO: The city of Rome and the trip I made in 2019 to Porto with my family. Unforgettable!

TB: Where would you invest 100k?

MO: In Vitala 🙂

TB: And a million euros?

MO: I would put them in an investment fund for early-stage companies.

TB: If you were not an entrepreneur…

MO: I would love to be able to make my way as an investor or investment analyst.

TB: What is Tech Barcelona for you?

MO: A community and a pioneering space in Barcelona that encourages, motivates and makes Catalan technological and digital entrepreneurship visible.

In 2001, long before WhatsApp or any other mobile messaging platform existed, SITmobile revolutionised the use of SMS worldwide with Enric Solé at the forefront of the company. After several years working in Palo Alto, and following multiple projects all over the world, the entrepreneur is committed to Barcelona with a vital project that seeks to welcome digital nomads.

Enric Solé (Barcelona, 1978) is a father of three, an engineer trained at the UPC and École Centrale de Lyon, a prolific investor and serial entrepreneur. At the age of 22, he travelled to the United States to experience the Internet boom from Silicon Valley. After that, he has not stopped creating business projects, both in Spain and in fifteen other countries spread over four continents, including Doyo Tech, Bettymovil, Gelpiu.com and Circles.house: his latest venture.

“It is the life project shared with Natalia Juncosa, my wife, and which we conceived during our time in the United States.”

TB: What is the purpose of your project?

ES: At Circles.house we welcome this new wave of collaborative economy and new lifestyle of remote work, which of course is better than the solitary work I experienced during my early days as an entrepreneur. Located on the Vallvidrera to Tibidabo road, it is the best place to live -coliving- and work -coworking- for nomadic digital entrepreneurs, facilitating connections and forming a community that creates value for everyone.

TB: A good idea you have had.

ES: To emulate the coliving experience that I had at École Centrale and that also works in the hackerhouses of Silicon Valley, to offer it to today’s entrepreneurs. It is a unique experience, with an exceptional design that makes you feel home away from home and more added value than staying in hotels or flats.

TB: A bad professional experience.

ES: Be very careful with partners! At the time I prioritised growth over good people, and I ended up learning a lot from this mistake. Especially in SITmobile, and I’m not saying this because of my partner, cousin and bosom friend Marc Bonavia, but because of another partner we had.

TB: The best advice you’ve ever been given.

ES: “If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed” by William H. McRaven. Very much applicable in the coliving 😉

TB: A professional reference that inspires you.

ES: Elon Musk; I shared a few beers with him at Antonio’s Nut House in Palo Alto and I think he is not only a good person, but also the greatest venture builder in history. And I say this now that he is in a low point and it is easy to criticise him for possible mistakes he has made. But taking risks, making mistakes and persevering makes him greater for me.

TB: A technology that will shape the future.

ES: Without a doubt, Artificial Intelligence. Whoever knows how to use it better and sooner wins the game.

TB: What are you worried about?

ES: That artificial intelligence is in the wrong hands. As Elon Musk, founder of OpenAI as a non-profit organisation – which ceased to be a non-profit organisation with Elon’s departure – says, the only way to fight an AI with bad intentions is to create a better one with good intentions.

TB: A start-up.

ES: Innovamat is spectacular! I would also like to mention some “solopreneurs” like Pieter Levels or Joshua Browder, who are on the rise and will take the world by storm.

TB: A book to recommend.

ES: “Shantaram, by Gregory David Roberts. Although I haven’t seen the series yet, I loved the book during my time in India with a startup and Royal Enfield. Or “The Wealth and Poverty of Nations” by David Landes, which has always been in my thoughts when I travel.

TB: A series or film or song that defines your moment in life.

ES: “The Boys”, “Black Mirror”, “Finch”… I don’t usually watch films. And as a song, clearly “Ay Mama” by Rigoberta Bandini.

TB: A recipe, a meal, a restaurant.

ES: The escudella we prepare at home; the calçotada is my favourite food; and the Carballeira restaurant in Barcelona, which was my grandfather’s favourite.

TB: A city, a journey.

ES: The island of Bali as a family. It’s a great experience, culture shock.

TB: Where would you invest 100k?

ES: 5k in 20 different and serious artificial intelligence startups or colivings.

TB: And a million euros?

ES: 50k in 20 different and serious artificial intelligence or colivings startups. By the way, we are crowdfunding!

TB: If you were not an entrepreneur…

ES: I would dedicate myself to an NGO that inspires me. I have worked for companies before – for example, when they bought mine – and I would not do it again.

TB: What is Tech Barcelona for you?

ES: A great platform for Barcelona startups and a way for entrepreneurs to help each other. Everything happens here: the success of some benefits others!