{"id":7248,"date":"2017-10-08T14:05:12","date_gmt":"2017-10-08T12:05:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ie.edu\/exponential-learning\/blog\/?p=7248"},"modified":"2018-11-06T14:17:31","modified_gmt":"2018-11-06T13:17:31","slug":"presenting-scaling-internationalization-spanish-technology-based-startups","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ie.edu\/lifelong-learning\/blog\/business\/presenting-scaling-internationalization-spanish-technology-based-startups\/","title":{"rendered":"Presenting Scaling Up: The Internationalization of Spanish Technology-Based Startups"},"content":{"rendered":"

On Wednesday, June 21<\/span>st<\/span>,\u00a0\u00a0Scaleup: How to successfully manage growth<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0<\/span>professor <\/span>Joe Haslam<\/b><\/a> introduced <\/span>Scaling Up: The Internationalization of Spanish Technology-Based Startups (<\/span><\/i>Internacionalizaci\u00f3n de start-ups espa\u00f1olas de base tecnol\u00f3gica<\/i><\/b><\/a>) \u00a0<\/span><\/i>in Madrid\u2019s iconic Casa Am\u00e9rica building. Attendees were graced with two panels, as well as a presentation of the study by Joe Haslam. The IE Business School study was sponsored in conjunction with <\/span>Correos<\/b><\/a>, <\/span>Lufthansa<\/b><\/a>, and <\/span>ADigital<\/b><\/a> (The Spanish Digital Economy Association). <\/span><\/p>\n

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The third edition of this study, in the words of <\/span>Igor Galo Anza<\/b><\/a>, Director of Communications for Latin America aims to measure in which markets Spanish tech-based startups are setting up shop and the rhythm of which they are doing so. For many tech-based companies, the market in which they operate is international just about from day one. <\/span><\/p>\n

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The event first began with a panel from three distinguished guests (and sponsors of the study): Director of International Business at Correos <\/span>Enrique S\u00e1nchez<\/b><\/a>, Casa Am\u00e9rica Programming Director <\/span>Carlos Blasco<\/b><\/a>, and Pierre Braque, Senior Sales Products for Spain & Portugal at Lufthansa Airlines. S\u00e1nchez, who is an IE alumnus, talked about how Correos, the Spanish national mail service is aiming to become a world leader in global e-commerce by growing export services for Spanish companies into international markets.<\/strong> These efforts include collaborations with the relevant stakeholders in relevant emerging markets such as China.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Presenting the Study<\/h4>\n

Haslam\u2019s presentation of the report first began with an overview of his activities both in business and at IE. From his beginnings at Marrakech, Hot Hotels, and his variety of offerings at IE. These include the Owners Management Program, his Scaling Your Startup elective, and of course, the Scaleup: How to Successfully Manage Growth HiOP. Of the different course formats, Haslam commented that the online format allows students to review the material multiple times<\/strong>. <\/span><\/p>\n

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After the personal introduction, Haslam gave a general overview of what the term \u201cscaleup\u201d entails. While we go more into detail about this in The Scaleu<\/strong>p<\/strong> in Brief<\/strong><\/a>, the scaling phase, as highlighted in this image, the scaleup is about crossing the bridge that comes from transitioning from validating the business model and then contemplating the next steps needed to grow. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Metaphorically, as Haslam exemplified in the title of this slide, if you are a hunter in the startup stage, in the scaleup stage you are transitioning towards being a farmer. You\u2019ll find the scaleup in between the steps of the product-market fit and product-market dominance.<\/span><\/p>\n

Who participated?<\/h4>\n

73 Internet-based companies with their headquarters in Spain, founded in Spain, with both local and foreign capital, and are their entities. These companies comprise about 5,000 jobs, and they bill more than \u20ac600,000,000. They were surveyed in 2016. Participating companies included <\/span>Ticketbis<\/b><\/a>, <\/span>Spotahome<\/b><\/a> (founded in IE\u2019s Area 31 startup incubator), <\/span>Glovo<\/b><\/a>, and <\/span>Atr\u00e1palo<\/b><\/a>. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What did the study measure?<\/b><\/p>\n

Survey participants were asked questions related to the markets outside of Spain, the proportion of their revenues coming from abroad, and what parts of the world they are looking to grow in 2017 and 2018, the growth prospects at home and abroad. They were also asked questions regarding the distribution of their labor force between employees, collaborators, and freelancers, the proportion of women in their companies (both in management and as part of the total workforce), and challenges. <\/span><\/p>\n

What does internationalization hold for their future?<\/h4>\n

84% of those subjects believe that in 3 years, their business abroad will exceed their domestic one. <\/span><\/p>\n

What are the main impediments for the surveyed companies as they develop their businesses?<\/h4>\n

Those surveyed see these as their primary challenges:<\/span><\/p>\n