EDEN Fund: How Dedicated Students Are Shaping Education at IE University
After its first year of activity, EDEN Fund has made remarkable strides, growing from a visionary student project into a fully operational endowment fund, serving the IE community by creating impact on the education of current and future generations.
For Edoardo Nicotra Menéndez, President of the EDEN Fund, this initiative is far more than figures and financials. It’s a vibrant, student-driven movement powered by passion—one that sharpens financial skills while creating opportunities and driving positive change within the IE community.
Since its inception in late 2021, EDEN Fund has been redefining how IE University students gain hands-on finance experience while nurturing the community around them. As Spain’s first student-run endowment fund, supported by IE Foundation and rooted in IE University’s practice-based learning ecosystem, EDEN offers students a unique opportunity: a real investment experience while still in university.
In November 2023, EDEN began managing real assets, starting with an initial investment of €5,000. This marked its transition from theoretical exercises to hands-on management of tangible resources, bringing the fund’s mission to life. Since then, the fund has grown to over €12,000 in assets, expanded the team by 45%, and yielded a cumulative 12.08% return on its portfolio.
But the transformative impact of EDEN isn’t limited to the students involved, it serves a dual purpose. EDEN contributes to the already active IE Foundation scholarship fund by redirecting its returns to a higher purpose, eliminating economic barriers to education and nurturing a culture of giving forward.
What began as an ambitious project by IE University students Santiago Quintana, Carlo Masera, Edoardo Sebastio, Niccolo Manenti, and Kris Ross has now evolved into a fully operational endowment fund with over 35 active students and over 60 members. Guided by esteemed finance professors Laura Núñez Letamendia and Rafael Hurtado Coll, with additional support from Henry Bradford, Vice Dean of BBA at IE Business School, EDEN Fund is more than just an investment initiative—it’s a testament to the power of education and community support.
“We’re not just investing in markets; we’re investing in the future of the IE community,” says Nicotra Menéndez, reflecting the fund’s commitment to long-term impact.
Looking ahead, EDEN aims to raise €60,000 by May 2025. With each new contribution and every student who steps up to the challenge, EDEN’s potential continues to grow, now becoming an integral part of IE University’s financial education program and poised to make a lasting impact for years to come.
Learn more about EDEN Fund and how to contribute here.