There are more than 70 Andalusian entrepreneurs, founders of startups. The members of Founders Andalucía, who celebrated their launch today. They have in common that they have all achieved invoice more than a million euros or have raised more than a million from private investors. But what is Founders Andalucía? A club? A network? A lobby? Technically and from today they are an association. But its president, Juan Martínez Barea (CEO of Universal Diagnostics), has described something much more intimate that unites them: “Founders is a community of experiences and dreams. We have all gone through the startup death valley. That’s what makes us a community of equals. To quote Elon Musk, entrepreneurship is peering into the void while chewing crystals. And we have all felt that sensation, we have all looked into the void, into success and failure, into uncertainty.”
Among the dozens of founders present at the event, two milestones among which span almost three decades of Andalusian technological entrepreneurship: German Torradolegendary founder of Arrakis who sold at the end of the 90s to BT for more than 2,000 million pesetas and today is active again in Seville after years in China, Manu Herediawhich Besoccer sold just a few weeks ago. And between the two milestones, almost thirty years of dreams and more than a hundred stories of failures, vertigo and successes. Tremendous successes even in some cases. The entrepreneurs who form the Founders Andalucía Association lead companies that have made a turnover in one year 362 million euros and have staff that adds up to 1,300 jobs.
Today they met at the Caixaforum in Seville under the motto ‘Building the Andalusia of the Future’in the presentation of an entity that aims to be an engine of economic and social growth in the region, generating employment, promoting innovation and actively contributing to the development of Andalusia as a high-value networking network, concentrating leaders and talents with greater capacity for traction and innovation in Andalusia.
All provinces, all areas
The Founders Andalucía Association is already generating links between men and women of the eight Andalusian provinces. There are founders from Almería, Cádiz, Córdoba, Granada, Jaén, Huelva, Málaga and Seville. It is an active community in such diverse sectors such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology, renewable energy, environmental sustainability, video games, digital health, telecommunications, remote training, tourism, mobility, among many others.
To have associate status, it is necessary to have been founder or co-founder of an innovative, technology-based company, with scalable product and business development, that has been able to obtain private capital investment for an amount of at least one million euros, or have invoiced at least one million euros in a year annual tax.
Associate status may also be granted to people who, due to their lnoble professional activityare very valuable for strengthening the entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem in Andalusia, even if they do not develop a business activity with those billing or investment capture parameters.
The million and the valley of death
The board of directors of the Founders Andalusia Association is chaired by Juan Martínez Bareafounder and CEO of Universal Diagnostics. The vice president of the association is Alejandro Costafounder and CEO of Exxita Be Circular. They are also part of the board of directors Manuel Agudofounder and CEO of OpenWebinars; Ana Molinafounder and CEO of Odders Lab; Enrique Ruizfounder and CEO of Wuolah; Victor Ayllonfounder of Novayre and vice president of Appian Corporation; Sam Brocalfounder and CEO of Media Interactiva; Ricardo Torrespartner at Andersen; Antonio Fayafounder of Pacerin; Jose Murillofounder of Sofiathinks, and Hector Morellfounder of Chargy Technologies.
They have participated in the 1st Founders Andalusia Meeting Alejandro Villaranwho was co-founder of Seabery in Huelva; Isabel Pérez Segura and Carlos Padillaco-founders of RealTrack Systems in Almería; Javier Padilla and Federico Quinteroco-founders of El Desmarque from Seville; Jorge Galindowho founded 47 Degrees in Cádiz; J.osé Antonio Pérez Moralco-founder and CEO of CoverManager from Seville; Rafael Navajasco-founder of Interactvty in Córdoba; Jesus Cabrerafounder and CEO of Alfalite from Rociana del Condado (Huelva); Agustin Ramirezfounder and CEO of Aganova in Malaga; Manuel Villalonco-founder of OpenSalud in Seville; Rafael Doradofounder and CEO of Eonesia in Córdoba; Emily González Cebriánco-founder and CEO of Froged in Malaga.
They have also participated German Torradoco-founder of Arrakis and now at the head of VESS Studio; José Miguel López Catalánfounder of Genera Games and Viva Games Studios; Daniel Lopez Ridruejofounder of Bitnami and currently at Bytecode Alliance; Jose Gonzalezco-founder and CEO of Galgus from Camas (Seville); Tom Horseyhead of Eoniq Fund; Onion AngelCEO of Biomedal; Manuel Herediafounder and CEO of BeSoccer; Juan José Infanteco-founder and CEO of Vaxdyn; Salvador Lorafounder and CEO of Kampaoh; Patricia LopezCEO of MyHixel; Hector Garciaco-founder and CEO of Mogu; Andres Barrospresident of Rpow and general director of Kyoto Spain; Hector Ginerco-founder and CEO of Z1 Digital Studio; Manuel Martin Floridofounder of Turbosuite; Antonio Bustamantefounder and CEO of Qamarero, and Luis González-Blanchfounder of Global Incubator.
The association also includes leaders in the creation of technology-based companies with disruptive innovation, such as, among others, Pilar Manchónfounder of Indisys and currently director of artificial intelligence research at Google; Alejandro Sánchez Blanesco-founder of Freepik; Esther Rodríguez Villegasfounder and CEO of Acurable; Chema Roldanco-founder and CTO of Genially; María Ángeles Martín Pratsfounder and CEO of Skylife; Javier Arroyo and Daniel González de Vegaco-founders of Smartick; Jesus Squareco-founder of Clientify; José María Gómez Márquez, founder and CEO of Scoobic; Julian Fernandezfounder and CEO of Fossa Systems; and Manuel Alvarez Ortegafounder and CEO of Woodswallow.
Among the association’s objectives is to act as an authoritative and facilitating voice for influence, guide and support in the development of economic, innovation and entrepreneurship policies that respond to the challenges of the future and current opportunities.
Institutional support
The meeting was sponsored by leading entities such as Santander, CaixaBank DayOne, BDO and Andersen. Fusion Startups and Sputnik collaborated in the production and organization functions of the First Meeting. The next ones will be held in cities in other Andalusian provinces.
The Minister of Innovation of the Government of Andalusia, Gómez Villamandos, highlighted at the event that the Andalusian administration has identified 340 companies in the community that fit the definition of startups, it’s just that more than two-thirds are not even aware of it. In fact, in the state company ENISA there are only 110 recognized.
Villamandos has highlighted the need to increase both the number of startups and their size. For this it has launched incentives worth 5 million of euros. To attract more members for the million euro community that crossed the valley of death.
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