We are in a world in constant transformation, marked by challenges such as climate change and also by the endless new opportunities offered by digitization. The world changes rapidly, and, of course, we must be able to change with it. For this reason, we need, more than ever, to take advantage of all the talent and disruptive ideas of young entrepreneurs who are willing to innovate and provide solutions to build a better society.
Companies and organizations have a critical role in helping to drive new ideas. That is precisely what Banco Santander is doing through its flagship Explorer entrepreneurship programme, which, since it was launched eleven years ago, has supported more than 8,000 entrepreneurial initiatives in Spain (where more than 6,800 have emerged), Portugal , Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Mexico, and this year it has launched its journey in the United Kingdom and Uruguay.
Business initiatives whose germ is in “absolutely transformative, innovative ideas that seek solutions to real problems. Ideas that need that push to become real, tangible projects, and that is where we support them”, explains Diego Calascibetta, global director of Entrepreneurship at Santander Universities.
The Basque biomedical engineer Sugoi Retegui and the Iranian chemical engineer Neda Khatami met at a research center. Both decided to work together to launch a technology company project in the field of health that, as Sugoi explains, "could generate, through different manufacturing methods such as 3D printing, injection molding, electrospinning, etc., personalized structures for use in regenerative medicine, such as skin, bone, muscle or heart tissue”.
This is how they began to shape NESU Technologies, a start-up project whose name comes from the first syllable of each of the first names of its creators. Neda and Sugoi had the necessary scientific knowledge, but they needed training and advice on entrepreneurship. That is why, when they discovered the call for the 2021 Explorer program, they did not hesitate for a moment to register.
Four years earlier, Rocío Martín had a similar experience. This young trainer and communicator specialized in digital speaking had created a concept called Neotelling, which in 2015 became a book and, later, would be the seed of her own business project. Participating in the Explorer program also changed her life: “They helped me ground the idea, to be able to explain it in a simple way so that it could be understood. In addition, I had the opportunity to meet various people who have helped me open doors, putting me in contact with potential clients”.
Rocío launched the Neotelling Oratory Academy with the aim of democratizing access to knowledge in digital communication. During the pandemic, many people were encouraged to promote academic projects through the Internet. Probably, many verified that they needed to have some keys to move comfortably in this environment. To do this, Rocío has created an automated course, available for a very affordable price. In addition, she teaches live and online classes, both in Spain and in Latin America, and offers personalized advice.
Explorer lasts 12 weeks and is aimed at young people between 18 and 31 years old. The program allows participants to connect with an international community, receive online training through learning by doing technology, be mentored by experts, validate their business idea and develop the necessary skills to transform it into a viable and sustainable solution, because, In the words of Calascibetta, “young people are our future and it is their innovation and drive that helps, and will help, to solve the challenges we face as a society”.
For Sugoi, “having the support of a large bank like Santander has been fundamental”. This young engineer does not hesitate to define the Explorer program as “simply spectacular. They provided us with technical information on how to start a business from scratch and put us in contact with a mentor who helped us evaluate the idea and regularly monitored its evolution.”
Rocío also especially values the opportunity to “go hand in hand with professionals who had launched their own projects and could give examples of real cases. In the Explorer program I was able to follow the entire process, from ideation to testing the project and bringing it to market”.
Sugoi and Rocío are two examples of talented new entrepreneurs who are already part of the great Explorer family. As explained by the global director of Entrepreneurship at Santander Universities, "one does not participate in Explorer, but rather becomes Explorer". The difference is substantial, since Banco Santander has not only designed "an itinerary to learn to navigate in the early stages of entrepreneurship, but also offers a unique opportunity to be part of a community full of initiative and concerns", according to Patricia Araque, executive director of the program.
The goal is to be able to stimulate creativity and initiative in a collaborative environment. As Jazmín María Gedikian, a participant who presented the Maiti project last year, an application aimed at increasing the quality of life of people with Alzheimer's, points out, “we stay motivated all the time, cheering ourselves up. When someone feels stuck, there is always a person who helps them continue”.
After 11 years of history, all those who want to submit their project to the 2022 edition will be able to do so until August 11. To all that has been said, we must add an extra incentive to formalize the registration: the teams that lead the 14 most outstanding projects will also enjoy the Explorer Trip, which consists of a week of immersion with hundreds of entrepreneurs in a renowned European innovation hub. .
Explorer, which Diego Calascibetta defines as "a fundamental tool that, at the disposal of young entrepreneurs, seeks to generate a better future", is part of the continuous commitment to education, entrepreneurship and employment that Banco Santander has been developing through of Santander Universities for more than 25 years. Since its launch, the bank has already allocated more than 2,100 million euros and has supported 790,000 students, professionals, entrepreneurs and SMEs through agreements with nearly 1,000 universities and institutions of 15 countries.
