IE University rolls out hybrid format for Venture Day Madrid 2020

IE University today celebrated Venture Day Madrid 2020 using a hybrid format for the first time at an event bringing together entrepreneurs and international investors with the goal of strengthening the entrepreneurial ecosystem by connecting the best startups with investors, corporations and accelerators. This event was the first Startup demo day to carry out serological tests on the 100 people who attended in person, as part of social distancing and safety measures. This year, IE University has been recognized as the second-best university in the world in the Entrepreneurship category, according to Bloomberg BusinessWeek.

Some 14 startups participated in the finals of the Venture Day Madrid to access the three awards for the best startups. In addition, the IE University Sustainability Startup Award has been launched. Despite the lockdown restrictions of recent months, this year has seen a record 106 startups participate, created by students and alumni from all IE University schools and programs. The 14 startups were selected from the teams that participated in the Venture Lab and Knowledge Incubator.

The winning startup was Rentchester. Created by alumni of the Master in Management, Rentchester is a simple and affordable furniture rental platform. The Dome App, an innovative talent search application developed by Information Systems Management alumni, was awarded second place. Third place went to My Card, a smart card that optimizes a wide range of uses in a single card, created by students from the International MBA.

In addition to these three awards, the IE University Sustainability Startup Award was launched. Isabela del Alcázar, Head of Global Sustainability at IE University, presented the prize to Stay Humble or Not, the Master in Management alumni startup that regenerates high-quality clothing from recycled materials.

The keynote speaker this year was Ned Taleb, the Lebanese entrepreneur who has founded a total of 12 companies, including B-Yond, AccuV and Nexius in the United States. Taleb shared his entrepreneurial experience with participants, emphasizing the theme of this year's event: 'Opportunities in Times of Uncertainty'.

Venture Day Madrid is IE University's demo day where IE students and alumni showcase their startups to top international investors and experts. All teams prepare for months in IE University's Venture Lab, developing and optimizing every detail of their startups. In recent years, more than 40 International Venture Days have been held around the world in cities such as Shanghai, Tokyo, Miami, Bogotá and Paris, among others, with the aim of promoting business creation.