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This new milestone strengthens the collaboration between the two organizations and the City Council, aiming to position Málaga as a hub for talent and innovation
This past Thursday, Mondragon Unibertsitatea and TeamLabs inaugurated their new lab at Málaga TechPark. The event featured several panel discussions with institutional representatives, business leaders, and leinners, young graduates of the official LEINN (Entrepreneurial Leadership and Innovation) degree, which has been offered in Málaga since 2022.
Speakers at the event included Málaga’s City Councilor for Innovation, Urban Digitalization, Promotion of Technological and Business Investment, and Investment Attraction, Alicia Izquierdo; Dean of the Business Faculty at Mondragon Unibertsitatea, Lander Beloki; General Director of Málaga TechPark, Felipe Romera; and Director of TeamLabs Málaga, César Camps.
Izquierdo said: “Today is an important day for Málaga and its entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystem. Nearly three years ago, the commitment was made between the City Council and Mondragon University to establish one of the innovation labs from its Business Faculty, in collaboration with TeamLabs, right here in our city.”
She then added, “After a successful initial launch of the LEINN degree, today marks the consolidation of Mondragon and TeamLabs’ presence in Málaga. We can take pride in their integration into our Municipal Incubator Network and, even more so, in seeing them develop their full potential here at Málaga TechPark, strengthening and enriching our spirit of entrepreneurship and innovation.”
Beloki, highlighted the following: “It is an honor for Mondragon Unibertsitatea and the Business Faculty inaugurate this innovation lab in Málaga TechPark alongside TeamLabs, a space where we train the entrepreneurial leaders of the future in an environment that fosters creativity and collaboration. Málaga joins our network of 10 Mondragon Team Academy labs, with over 1,100 leinners worldwide.”
Romera expressed: “We are very happy with the arrival of Mondragon University to the park. Our companies are constantly seeking talent, and this space will serve as a talent generation laboratory, which will be crucial for the development of Málaga TechPark.”
Finally, Camps share: “Our learning lab is a hybrid space for creation and learning, connected with businesses and educational centers in Málaga. Here, young people enrolled in the LEINN degree create real companies and projects from day one, making an impact in countries across Europe, America, and Asia. We hope to contribute to the city of Málaga and to the companies at Málaga TechPark by providing a pool of young talent ready to face the new challenges of this uncertain society.”
Inauguration Event
The day began with a warm welcome from Camps, followed by a roundtable titled “LEINNers Entrepreneurship.” The session featured Co-Founder and CEO of Lup (a successful tech solution for people with low vision and/or reading difficulties, winner of the “Impact Social Cup”), Apurva San Juan, ; Co-Founder and CEO of Escape the City (an alternative leisure and tourism platform present in 16 cities across Spain, recognized as the best young freelancer in Navarra 2022), Paula Vera; Co-Founder of Avantis (a corporate cultural transformation consultancy, listed in the 2024 Guide of Women Leaders in the Business Ecosystem by With and Enisa), Irene Ibañez; and co-founder of Dixus, a team company from the 3rd year of the LEINN degree in Málaga, Pablo Oliver. The session was moderated by co-founder of Nova and second-year LEINN student in Málaga, Fernando Sánchez and co-founder of TeamLabs, Berta Lázaro.
Next, the panel titled “LEINNers in Corporations” took place, featuring Open Innovation Lead at Iberia, Marta Dalmases; Project Director at Mindset, Julia Montes; Key Account & Sales Specialist at Bûmerang, Max Papió; and Digital Product Manager at LALIGA, Amaia Giralt. Moderated by Isa Crespillo, co-founder of Dixus and third-year LEINN student in Málaga, and Aitor Lizartza, Academic Coordinator at Mondragon Team Academy (MTA), this session provided valuable insights into integrating innovation and entrepreneurial spirit within the corporate environment.
The event continued with a breakfast and networking session, accompanied by a DJ, followed by a series of presentations on innovation in Málaga. The day wrapped up with a speech by co-founder and General Manager of TeamLabs Ibai Martínez, and presentations from Málaga TechPark companies iUrban and HRider, located in the new TeamLabs building, as well as Torsa. Attendees then visited the showroom featuring entrepreneurial projects from the LEINN degree in Málaga, followed by a meal with food trucks and live music, which provided a dynamic platform for idea exchange and networking.
The LEINN Degree in Málaga
The arrival of Mondragon Unibertsitatea and TeamLabs in Málaga is part of a collaboration protocol signed with the Málaga City Council two years ago, through Promálaga. This initiative aims to position the city as an internationally recognized urban ecosystem for innovation and entrepreneurship, while also boosting job creation by fostering the development of new innovative business ventures.
In September 2022, the first year of the LEINN degree began in Málaga, alongside various activities through which Mondragon Unibertsitatea and TeamLabs have reached over 3,100 young people in the city. Mondragon Unibertsitatea and its learning lab, TeamLabs, are recognized as leaders in the field of entrepreneurship. One of their key features in entrepreneurial education is the official Bachelor’s degree in Entrepreneurial Leadership and Innovation.
It uses a methodology, originally from Finland, where students must create a real company in teams from day one, combining this with trips to different countries. With a 97% employability rate, it trains young people to develop a learning mindset that prepares them to face uncertainty with success, ease, and without fear.