UIC Barcelona brings together successful entrepreneurs and students in the final of the Startup Pioneer Programme 2025

The Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences, the Mentoring and Personal Development, the Innovation Hub, and the Alumni Department spearheaded the fourth edition of the Startup Pioneer Programme – an initiative and competition that enables students to launch their business or social impact projects.

Out of the 17 projects submitted this year, the jury selected six finalists, with Omnia and NeuroBiome emerging as the winners. Omnia is a personal assistant that combines AI with human expertise to manage any task, while NeuroBiome is an innovative treatment for central nervous system conditions that optimises key compounds by reducing dosage and increasing efficiency. The Omnia team consists of students Abril Jané, Isabella López, Santiago Aras, Jan Serraviñals, and Benjamin Donoso, whereas the NeuroBiome team includes Luis Sanz, Estel Gubianes, Alex Garcia, Xavier Bernal, and Tomás Tomeo.

Cristina Tresserres, a lecturer at the Faculty, opened the event by recalling the words of Alibaba’s founder, Jack Ma, who described entrepreneurship as “the pursuit of a dream”. During the opening session, Mónica Argemí, director of Personal Development and Institutional Culture, emphasised the significance of this programme, which showcases students’ ability to turn knowledge into real societal impact.

The event featured a round table moderated by Óscar Porcel, managing partner of Solutia, in which three successful entrepreneurs participated. Martin Cohen, CEO of MIXO, explained how his beverage robot arose from a personal need during a trip across Europe, highlighting the product’s evolution from its initial concept. Sira Mogas, leading Koa Biotech, explained how data on fish farms led them to simplify their technology to better fit the market. Meanwhile, Guillermo Preckler, founder of Brickbro, affirmed that his vision of becoming the go-to platform for commercial properties remains unchanged, although the methods to achieve it have evolved.

The participants outlined their business models, ranging from MIXO’s flexible system adapted for various events to Koa Biotech’s SaaS model with monthly subscriptions and Brickbro’s hybrid approach combining transaction-based value with data analytics sales. They also offered practical advice to students, stressing the importance of pitching to investors, having in-depth knowledge of project metrics, and building a strong network of contacts.

Rector Alfonso Méndiz closed the event by stressing that the Startup Pioneer Programme represents a platform for ideas with the potential to transform society. This programme has established itself as one of UIC Barcelona’s key entrepreneurship initiatives, providing students with mentorship and connections to the local business ecosystem.