Impuls UPC - Entreprenurial Talent 2024

I. Objective

• Recognize a total of 10 projects from entrepreneurial students linked to a specific entrepreneurship support initiative at UPC, with the aim of helping to finance initial expenses in the process of identifying a business opportunity.

II. Characteristics

• Beneficiaries: Undergraduate, master's, and doctoral students at UPC in the academic year 2022-2023 and/or 2023-2024 who are developing an entrepreneurial project (without having legally constituted the company) linked to a UPC entrepreneurship support initiative, for example:
  • Emprèn UPC Program
  • Business creation (innovation) subjects and/or project subjects
  • Explorer Contest
  • From Science to Market | Industrial Tech Programs
  • Others
• Grant funding:
  • The maximum amount allocated to this call for the 2024 edition will be €30,000 charged to budget item G/48312/ESP.
  • The maximum amount granted to each entrepreneurial project will be €3,000
• Evaluation criteria for proposals:
  
  • Grants will be awarded through competitive bidding and until the total number of grants allocated for each category is exhausted
  • The assessment criteria and scales applied will not be discriminatory and will respect the principle of equality
  • Proposals will be assessed according to the following criteria:
    • (1) Problem - Solution (15 points) 
      • Identification of the problem to be solved or the need addressed by the solution
      •  Associated value proposition: differentiation from the competition
      •  Innovative character (own developments will be especially considered)
      •  Relation to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
    • (2) Impact (15 points)
      • Market segmentation (identification of the target user – client)
      • Social and/or environmental impact associated with the project
    • (3) Viability (15 points)
      • Description of the business model
      • Main risks associated with the project
    • (4) Team (15 points)
      • Knowledge and experience of the entrepreneurial team
      • Complementarity of profiles
      • Dedication and ambition (continuity perspective)
    • (5) Milestones achieved (20 points) 
      • Preliminary validation: problem-solution fit and product-market fit.
      • Description of prototype or proof of concept carried out.
      • Roadmap: next steps.
    • (6) Relationship with UPC (10 points)
      • Proportion of UPC students and/or alumni and/or faculty linked to the project
      • Participation in UPC entrepreneurship support initiatives
    • (7) Purpose of the grant (10 points) 
      • Concepts to be financed
      • Motivation
  • Different proposals will be prioritized based on the score obtained according to the criteria established above. In case of a tie, the scores obtained in the "Relationship with UPC" criterion will be specifically evaluated
    

III. Submission of applications

• Deadline: June 16, 2024
• Who: UPC students
• How: by filling out a form through the website  Emprèn  and  Santander X

Remember to contact the technical staff of national projects of your USR/Campus.