Success of the Innovation Week

Nearly 400 youngsters from different universities have taken part in the fourth edition of the Innovation Week, an initiative promoted by Universidad CEU San Pablo, which purpose is to challenge undergraduates to propose innovative solutions and with a social approach to actual problems that affect us in our daily life within the scope of health and wellbeing, new ways of collaboration in the workplace, access to the digital offer of the local commerce or new opportunities offered by the development of intelligent and sustainable cities.

To enrich their proposals, participants have held different encounters with experts and professionals of the 22 collaborating companies this year.

Challenge 1: New work methods

(Des)conéctate, formed by students of the Degree in Education of Universidad de Sevilla, Elena Cuevas, Elena Jurado, María Martín and Laura Martín, has won this challenge with a prototype applicable to schools to tackle digital disconnection problems of kids and parental control in classrooms. The jury to decide the winner was composed by Encarna Maroño, from Adecco Group; Julia Rodríguez, from Manpower Group; Martín Beitia and Marta de Dalmases, from Iberia; Iñigo Dorronsoro and Isabel Amor, from NTT Data; Ana Palomares, from Ufounders; Fernando Gómez and Álvaro Sartorius, from Accenture; and Javier Rubio, from Xiaomi.

Challenge 2: Local and global commerce

The winning team has been Treetech Community, formed by the students Enrique Delgado, Germán Chamón, María Sendino and Oriana Zurga, from the Degrees in Economics and International Relations of Universidad CEU San Pablo, with a proposal to develop a network company between the producer, seller and client based on sustainability, efficiency and technology to solve problems of the food production chain.

The jury was formed by Antonio Magraner, from Confederación Española de Asociaciones de Jóvenes Empresarios (CEAJE); José Domínguez, from Martínez-Echevarría & Rivera Abogados; Carlota Martínez, from the Federación Española de Industrias de Alimentación y Bebidas (FIAB); and Xavier Virgili, from Glovo.

Challenge 3: Health and Wellbeing

Mind Work, the group formed by the students Jimnson Anderly, Rut López, Elena Sierra and Alejandra Santamaría, from the Degree in Nursing, Business Administration, Marketing, Digital Communication and Marketing and Public Relations of Universidades CEU: San Pablo (Madrid) and Abat Oliba (Barcelona), has been awarded this challenge thanks to an App that offers workers a healthier lifestyle and motivates them and creates a healthier atmosphere in the companies.

To decide on the winner, the jury has also been assisted by Bárbara de Benito, from Merck; Raquel Larena, from Randstad; Mercedes López, from ICON Group; Elena García, from Cluster E-Health; Antonio López de Ávila, from Hi Card.

Challenge 4: Intelligent and sustainable cities

The winner has been the group Supermanzanas, formed by Manuel Fustamante, Ana Fernández, Natalia Ramos, Tais Guevara, Judith Chuquicallata and Patricia González, from the Degrees in Economics, Law and Architecture of Universidad CEU San Pablo, with a project consisting on the location of small pieces of street furniture of indoor spaces of “superapples” to create inclusive and cosy spaces with multiple uses: relax, sports, work, leisure…

The jury to decide the winner has been Óscar García, from ThyssenKrupp Elevators; David García and David Solla, from Madrid WCC; Alejandro García, from Agbar; Laura González del Viso, from ACM; Juan Bru and Marina Martín, from Huawei; Ignacio González de los Reyes, from Reingeniería Digital; and Idoia Salazar, from OdiseIA.

Innovation and company

This encounter fostered by the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Director of Universidad CEU San Pablo, María Losana, in collaboration with the Department of Professional Careers and the coordinator of the University Degree in Values and Leadership, Sonia Martín Gómez, has combined university talent with different experts in innovation, companies and entrepreneurs. During this encounter, José Domínguez, from Martínez-Echevarría & Rivera abogados has taken part with a speech on Tokens, cryptoassets and cryptocurrencies; Íñigo Dorronsoro, engagement manager at NTT Daa Europe, about People Analytics focused on workplace; and Carmen Ballesta and Enrique Del Río, from the Financial Intelligence Unit at WeCollect, about NFT´s and cryptoart.

Moreover there has been a round table chaired by Laura González del Viso, Sponsor of the National Gamers Foundation on Metaverse and its imminent revolution in Internet. The managing director of E-Squad The Esports Academy, José Ruiz has also taken part; the collaborator and member of the diffusion of Esports Bureau and Communication & Student Manager Virtual de Voyagers Academy, Gonzalo García de Vinuesa Díaz del Río; the Vice-president of Dassault Systèmes and Simulia Brand Leader, David M. Holmam; the founder and creative director of Cuarta Pared, Jorge Esteban; and the official instructor of Unreal Engine and partner of Bim2vr, Diego Hernández Camarasa.

Innovation and University

Twenty six colleagues of PAS and PDI took part in the workshop Innovando. Divided in teams, they proposed innovative solutions to the challenges proposed: how can we reinvent the learning process in classrooms? How can we improve integration of international students? And how can we improve the experience of students at university beyond classes?