Entrepreneurship in Spain: UC & IE University Alumni Panel

Join us for a conversation with four UC and IE alumni entrepreneurs who have successfully grown businesses in Spain. This hybrid event will offer insights into starting a business — from the first idea to overcoming obstacles, navigating EU regulations, and sustaining a successful business.

The panel will be moderated by Dr. Ikhlaq Sidhu, who is the Dean of the School of Science and Technology at IE University and founding director of UC Berkeley's Sutardja Center for Entrepreneurship & Technology since 2005. 

Whether you're just beginning to explore entrepreneurship, developing a business idea or preparing to launch a start-up, this discussion will provide valuable insights on the evolving landscape of entrepreneurship, business development and honest advice from those who’ve done it.

You can attend this event in person at the IE Tower in Madrid or virtually. Both in-person and virtual options offer guests the opportunity to participate in the Q&A portion of the panel.

Schedule of Events:

18:30 - Drinks Reception

19:00 - Panel begins

20:00 - Drinks Reception

Speakers Include:

Anthony Awadallah (UC Santa Cruz, Kennedy Languages) 

Anthony is from California, received his degree in Economics from the University of California, Santa Cruz and has international experience including Accountancy at the University of California Santa Cruz, Risk Management at Barclays head office in London, England and in Marketing for a leading entertainment franchise in Dublin, Ireland.

He moved to Madrid in 1996 and began working as an English teacher for various language academies and leading national and international businesses. He detected a gap in the market with respect to the quality and focus of the language services provided and founded Kennedy Languages in 2001, which provides integral result’s-based solutions for executives and corporate clients leveraging technology and a commitment to excellence.

Eric Freeman (UCLA Anderson, Alpha Unmanned Systems)

Eric is the Co-founder and CEO of Alpha Unmanned Systems, one of Europe’s leading developers of small tactical helicopter UAVs. Originally an entrepreneur in the United States, Eric has lived in Spain for more than 20 years and has spent the past 12 years building Alpha into a globally recognized provider of unmanned helicopter drones for defence, security, and industrial missions.

Eric is a vocal advocate for defence innovation and the critical role of SME's in modernizing Europe’s defence and dual-use sectors. He is committed to shaping smarter policy, unlocking investment, and building bridges between tech innovators and defence customers to accelerate meaningful adoption of advanced unmanned systems.

Eric frequently speaks on the challenges faced by SME's in Spain, UAV innovation and defence procurement.

Angel Lopes Samartino (Berkeley Haas, Ozone Drive)

Angel is a Sustainable Mobility expert and founder. He holds an MBA and Certificates in Management of Technology, Entrepreneurship, Venture Capital and Data Science from the University of Berkeley, California. He also holds a Double Degree in Industrial Engineering from ICAI Madrid and Ecole Centrale Paris, as part of the ‘Top Industrial Managers for Europe’ Program.

From 2005 to 2008, Angel worked in the Engineering Department at Renault S.A. In 2009 he joined the Global Infrastructure Deployment Department at Better Place Inc. in Palo Alto, California, where he gained first-hand expertise on the implementation of disruptive technology and business models applied to electric vehicles, which later represented the foundations for Ozone Drive Switch. He is also the founder of Startup University Ventures, a startup accelerator ‘boutique’ that has helped to successfully launch 25+ technology startups in Spain.

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