The fourth edition of UEmprende Factory gets underway with record numbers. The project incubation program promoted by the Entrepreneurship Department of the Vice-Rectorate for Students and University Life has received almost a hundred applications, from which 15 projects and 28 entrepreneurs from different campuses and alumni have been selected, in addition to external candidates who will join teams led by students or graduates of the institution.
Since its first edition, UEmprende Factory has supported 71 projects and 160 entrepreneurs and has received nearly 300 applications. The program has also achieved two international recognitions: the Emprende MetaRed X 2023 Award from Fundación Universia, as one of the best university entrepreneurship programs in Latin America, and finalist status in the QS Reimagine Education 2025 awards from the QS ranking.
During the welcome ceremony, the Vice-Rector for Students and University Life, Elia Cambón, encouraged participants to make the most of the opportunity offered by the program: “The goal is for you to learn, to be able to develop your idea and to use everything that UEmprende Factory has to offer.” The Vice-Chancellor emphasized the mutual commitment between the teams and the University: “We open the door, accompany you, and push you to the end; in return, we ask for dedication, consistency, and perseverance. Being here already makes you winners.”
Lasting five months, the program combines online and in-person training, individual mentoring, and direct contact with the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Through the Elevatorfy platform, participants work through 29 training modules lasting less than 15 minutes and 17 tasks with feedback to develop their business model step by step. This training is complemented by eight in-person workshop sessions and a minimum of seven hours of individual support from a lead mentor and a panel of specialized advisors, all of whom are entrepreneurs with extensive experience in advising startups.
The advisory panel brings together key profiles for any project. Communication and storytelling, content creation, digital product design, marketing and lead generation, commercial strategy, fundraising, economic and financial planning, and legal services for startups, among other areas. Its mission is to help each team make informed decisions and validate their value proposition in real market conditions.
The ultimate goal of UEmprende Factory is to prepare a minimum viable product (MVP) that can be launched on the market in the best possible conditions before Demo Day in June. At this final event, participants will compete before a jury of professionals for cash prizes totaling €5,000 and other in-kind support aimed at promoting the projects with the greatest potential for viability and scalability.
The entrepreneurship program led by Ruth Álvarez, Head of Entrepreneurship at Universidad Europea, has established itself over its four editions as a central part of Universidad Europea entrepreneurial ecosystem, a space where the experiential academic model takes shape in real projects, where ideas are tested against the market, and where students learn to be entrepreneurs accompanied by mentors, experts, and a community that seeks to transform talent into opportunities for impact.