More than 1,000 students from all over the world strengthen their entrepreneurial mindset through IE University’s Venture Lab

More than 1,000 students from IE University, from all over the world, are participating in IE Business School’s startup accelerator, the Venture Lab, this year. This space allows students to design their own startups, strengthen their entrepreneurial mindset, and expand their network with access to key figures in the business world. The Venture Lab is a transformative experience where students develop their ideas from the earliest stages and turn them into solid proposals with market potential and scalability.

Entrepreneurship is one of the fundamental pillars of IE University and is embedded in the academic experience. All IE University students develop business plans and receive training in entrepreneurship throughout their programs, regardless of their area of specialization. As a result, 30% of IE University graduates become entrepreneurs at some point in their professional careers, a figure that reflects the innovative spirit of the IE Community. The startups launched by IE students continue to strengthen the global entrepreneurial ecosystem. A leading example is unicorn Poolside, which recently secured a $626 million Series B funding round. This AI-driven software development platform is led by IE University alumni Eiso Kant and Margarida García, alongside Jason Warner.

IE University’s commitment to entrepreneurship is consistently recognized by leading international media such as Financial Times, Poets & Quants, and PitchBook, which rank IE among the world’s top institutions for entrepreneurship in their annual rankings. IE Business School ranks 4th globally in the 2024 Poets & Quants ranking of the best MBA programs for entrepreneurs. It also holds the 3rd spot in Europe in the 2024 PitchBook MBA Ranking, one of the most prestigious rankings for entrepreneurship, with 256 founders and 224 startups created by MBA graduates who have raised $5.7 billion in funding. Similarly, Financial Times ranked IE Business School 4th worldwide and 1st in Europe for entrepreneurship education in its 2022 MBA ranking.

"We work to foster an entrepreneurial mindset in our students, encouraging them to see opportunity in uncertainty. We’re proud to see the efforts of our institution reflected in a strong entrepreneurial ecosystem driven by our graduates with global impact."
Paris de l’Etraz, Managing Director of IE University’s Venture Lab

IE Venture Day 2025

Each year, the 1,000+ students who participate in IE University’s Venture Lab receive one-on-one mentorship from professors, entrepreneurs, and investors, along with practical training in key areas such as business model design, market positioning, fundraising, and scalability. This approach ensures students not only gain entrepreneurial tools, but also develop essential skills like strategic thinking, innovation, and leadership.

As the final stage of the Venture Lab, Venture Day 2025 was held this week at IE Tower, IE University’s sustainable tech campus in Madrid. The event brought together entrepreneurs, innovators, and investors from all over the world and featured leading figures in the tech startup ecosystem. Among them were Uri Levine, co-founder of Waze and Moovit, and Michael Baum, founder and former CEO of Splunk, who led an inspiring fireside chat on the future of innovation. Uri Levine also shared his experience as a mentor and his strategic vision as a unicorn founder.

Awarded Projects: Exvirience and Verdaverse

This year, the Venture Lab registered record numbers: 170 startups participated, more than 130 competed in the semifinals, and 10 reached the Venture Day 2025 finals, where they pitched their projects to a panel of international investors and experts. The winning project was Exvirience, an XR-powered platform that revolutionizes industrial maintenance through real-time remote support. Designed for machinery manufacturers, Exvirience uses interactive 3D models, CAD integration, and computer vision to reduce downtime and eliminate costly technician travel by enabling remote expert guidance.

The event concluded with the presentation of the IE Sustainability Award, given by Isabela del Alcázar, Chief Purpose and Sustainability Officer at IE University, to Verdaverse. This startup transforms textile waste into high-impact materials, offering a scalable and sustainable solution. Using a modular system that converts cotton waste into recycled fiber, eco-friendly paper, renewable bio-crude oil, and other valuable byproducts, Verdaverse achieves 90% recovery efficiency and significantly reduces CO₂ emissions. At the intersection of sustainable fashion, packaging, and clean energy, Verdaverse helps brands meet climate targets and comply with European regulations.