Three scholarships were awarded in mid-June, but there are still vacancies, which will be reserved for the new call that opens in the fall. Students and researchers from various faculties of Mondragon University (Polytechnic High School of Mondragon University, Faculty of Humanities and Educational Sciences and Faculty of Business Sciences), as well as professionals and entrepreneurs outside the university, have submitted to this first call.
A total of nineteen projects have been submitted to the competition, and these ideas have provided technological and sustainable solutions, among others in the automotive industry, health care, industry and manufacturing. The following companies have supported the scholarships: Grupo Fagor, Orbea, Centro Stirling and Fagor Ederlan. All of them also promote technological talent and the creation of employment and wealth in the territory.
The finalists presented their proposals in the grand final held at the Gartzia technology park on June 16, and the winners were chosen by a jury made up of representatives of the participating companies and organizations.
Winners of the INGENIPRENEURSHIP and TEKNOEPRENEURSHIP categories
In the first call for 2023, two prizes were awarded in the ENGINEERING category and one in the TECNOPRENEURSHIP category. The first is looking for business ideas based on innovative and sustainable technology to try to bring to market. However, in the second, only the idea is rewarded; there is no need to develop.
Focused on ENGINEERING, the INCLUSIVE Design and SATOP projects have been awarded. The first one has been developed by Amaia Beitia and Arantxa González de Heredia, professors and researchers at Mondragón University. It is a project based on inclusive design, and aims to market a platform and advice on more inclusive products and services, which make it easier for companies to reach more potential customers or users in the market. For its part, SATOP was born from Mondragon University professor-researcher Aritz Esnaola, and proposes a business model for the production of sports shoe soles taking advantage of the benefits of 3D printing. The prize in this category is a scholarship, a scholarship for an engineering student from the University of Arrasate to join the project in the 2023 – 2024 academic year, and it also offers a financial bag of 10,000 euros for project expenses and investments.
It should also be noted that the SATOP project also received the award for the best pitching/presentation. The citizens chose by voting, and in this case, the winner, Aritz Esnaola, also received a prize of 500 euros.
Finally, in the second category, TECHNO-ENTREPRENEURSHIP, the Allergenius initiative was the winner. This project has been developed by Ainhoa Artola, Malen Herruzo and Judith Zubia; They are students of the Master of Biomedical Technologies at Mondragón University and want to develop non-invasive solutions to control allergies. It is a microfluidic chip based on the Basophil Activation Test and the AllerGenius app that detects types of allergies.
In the autumn, the second call for Enpresa Sortuz 2023 support will be made, and the rest of the support and financial prizes will be distributed, until the end of the 100,000 euros planned to support the technological and sustainable ideas presented this year.
The Enpresa Sortuz initiative of the Polytechnic Institute of the University of Arrasate has been running for several years, and in recent years the support given by companies and organizations has increased significantly, especially the Arrasate Center for Technological and Sustainable Entrepreneurship of Arrasate, led by the Universities of Arrasate and Arrasate, will soon be inaugurated with HIREKIN. The Gizabidea Foundation, which is part of the Fagor Group, is the main sponsor of Studied Businesses, together with Orbea, Stirling Center and Fagor Ederlan. On the other hand, the sponsors of the competition are: MONDRAGON Corporation, Saiolan, Galbaia, the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa, the Basque Government, LABORAL Foundation Kutxa Gaztenpresa and GARAIA Technology Park. Thanks to all these collaborating entities, the Enpresa Sortuz competition will distribute more than 100,000 euros in 2023, in the form of scholarships and financial aid.
Do you have a startup or business idea and want to add an engineer to your team? Are you a student or former student and want to get a grant to help make your idea a reality? Are you a researcher at Escuela Politécnica Superior de Mondragón University and want to promote an interesting research result? The Enpresa Createz competition can give you the resources to bring that project or idea closer to reality next year!
The Enpresa Sortuz competition aims to promote sustainable technological entrepreneurship and, for this purpose, seeks innovative and sustainable product, service or business ideas, people with disabilities. This competition, sponsored by the Higher Polytechnic School of Mondragón University. It has the support of companies like agor Group. Orbea Scoop and Stirling Center, and in the 23/24 school year 6 grants will be distributed to carry out these business ideas.
- ENGINEERING Category: What is wanted: innovative, sustainable and technology-based business ideas.
- WITHOUT ENTREPRENEURSHIP Category: What is wanted: innovative and sustainable products or services based on technology.
- TALENT Category: Win a dual program scholarship to join a startup team!
