Connected minds
4YFN 2024
Esade - 4YFN: Leaders of Green Tech
Esade empowers entrepreneurship as a motor for a more sustainable future and we led the debate at last year’s 4YFN for the eighth consecutive year. 4YFN was the space dedicated to startups at the Mobile World Congress – the world’s largest mobile telephony and technology event.
Under the theme ‘Connected Minds. Leaders of Green Futures’, Esade focused on bringing the conversation on GreenTech towards innovation and entrepreneurship under the prism of sustainability, technology, and new learning formats.
You are invited to participate in this sustainable transformation.
Leading innovation, technology, and sustainability
The climate emergency requires a rounded education on how recent technologies can generate positive impact. Technology, innovation, and sustainability are the pillars of a training focused on digitization, data analysis, and artificial intelligence. We aim to develop better processes for more sustainable strategies.
Inspired by this vision, we have pioneered innovative programs that reflect this mindset. These programs include the Bachelor in Artificial Intelligence for Business; Bachelor in Transformational Leadership and Social Impact; Master of Science in Sustainability; and the Sustainable Management Program and Agenda 2030.
Our evolving virtual campus in the metaverse provides an immersive experience that helps participants understand the transformational impact of technological disruption on business and society.
Esade’s entrepreneurial ecosystem
Entrepreneurship and business training is part of Esade’s DNA. Since its inception, Esade has connected talent and knowledge with the entrepreneurial world.
Esade has created its own ecosystem in which training, research, and innovation create opportunities to satisfy social and business needs. The Rambla of Innovation ecosystem includes seven labs working closely together with the Esade alumni network of business angels.
Fusion Point
An educational experience that brings together high potential talent in the fields of technology, design, management, and law. The goal is to develop solutions to global challenges that impact positively on organizations and society.
eWorks
A resource for entrepreneurs at any stage of their journey that accelerates the creation of exceptional new businesses.
Generating knowledge for sustainability
Our research and training knowledge centers – such as the Esade Center for LeadershipS and Sustainability, the Center for Social Impact, and the Esade Entrepreneurship Institute –recognize the urgency of the environmental and social challenges and offer tools to create a fairer and more sustainable society.
Esade Speakers
Forget ‘AI ready’ – Now it’s AI FIRST
Esade at 4YFN 2024
How can we make machine learning sustainable?
Esade at 4YFN 2024
Sustainable futures: bridging talent values and corporate success
Esade at 4YFN 2024
Ideas for a greener world
Esade at 4YFN 2024
Program
We invite you to participate in our program of contents and activities.
Monday 26 February
11.45 am – 12.15 pm: Energy transformation: empowering air quality
(Earth Stage, hall 8.0)
Esade is participating in the ‘Air’ element with a panel that will explore the frontier of energy innovation and environmental empowerment. The panel includes the expertise of the Esade Fusion Point and will focus on new AI applications in air pollution mitigation that complement sustainable energy solutions. A groundbreaking prototype for better air quality will be presented by a student active in the ‘Challenge Based Innovation’ program organized by IdeaSquare and the Innovation Department at CERN (the European organization for nuclear research). This discussion panel offers a tangible glimpse into a sustainable future.
Nanita Ferrone, Esade Fusion Point Director (moderator)
Albert Soret, Barcelona Supercomputing Center
Tomas Waisman, Esade Fusion Point, CBI 2023 alumni & current Esade MBA student
Energy transformation: empowering air quality
Prototype Presentation: Guardian Air – From Mold to Gold
Esade stand
Tuesday 27 february
4.00 pm - 5.30 pm: Mentoring Session - Health Tech Startups
(Founder Zone, Hall 8.0)
Dalia Silberstein, Manager of the Impact Community & Social Impact Lab at Esade
Mentoring Session - Health Tech Startups
Esade stand
Prototype Presentation: VisiFibre & TumorDeTech
Green Tech Zone
Wednesday 28 February
9.00 am – 10.00 am: Ideas for a greener world
(Beta Lab, hall 8.1)
This panel brings together the Esade Entrepreneurship Institute, the Esade Center for Social Impact, and pioneering Greentech startups to explore innovative ideas for a sustainable future – where entrepreneurship meets social impact for a greener world.
Davide Rovera, manager Esade eWorks
Alba Forns, COO & Co-founder at Climatize
Alfredo Saenger, COO & Co-founder Electrogenos Ltd
Marc Miralles, Head of Sustainability at Suma Capital
Suzanne Jenkins, Manager, Esade Center for Social Impact
10.15 am – 11.00 pm: Forget ‘AI ready’ – Now it’s AI FIRST
(Beta Lab, hall 8.1)
This panel explores how organizations can transition from mere ‘AI readiness’ to actively shaping strategies around AI. Gain insights on designing and implementing effective AI strategies that lead to innovation and competitiveness.
Esteve Almirall, Professor at the Esade Department of Operations, Innovation and Data Sciences
Markus Reinisch, VP Public Policy Europe and Global Economic Policy at Meta
Tatxo Benet, CEO of Mediapro
César Velasco, Innovation & Digital Strategy Director, AstraZeneca
Gloria Macías-Lizaso, Partner at McKinsey & Company - Digital Transformation Advisor
11.15 am – 12.00 pm: Sustainable futures: bridging talent values and corporate success
(Beta Lab, hall 8.1)
Embark on a journey into the future with our Mobile World Congress panel – where student values, professional insights, and HR strategies converge for a dynamic discussion. Join us as we explore the vital link between companies embracing sustainability and their ability to attract top talent. Let’s discover how the sustainability ambitions of the rising generation align with the trends and strategies shaping corporate environmental innovation.
Maja Tampe, Academic Director of the Esade Master of Science in Sustainability Management (moderator)
Alexandre Téchy, Product Analytics Manager, Ecovadis
Alicia Paricio Martin, Director of HR for Southern Europe, ERM
Borja Segura, Sustainability Manager, ClimatePartner
Ximel Bladh, Autodesk Sustainability Ambassador
12.15 am – 1.00 pm: How can we make machine learning sustainable?
(Beta Lab, hall 8.1)
Learn about the environmental impact of training AI models and how machine learning can contribute to environmental mitigation. Experts will reflect on the balance needed for using AI responsibly and so avoiding unintended environmental consequences.
Irene Unceta, Academic Director of Esade Bachelor of Business Administration & Bachelor in Artificial Intelligence for Business (moderator)
Idoia Salazar, Founder and President of the Observatory of the Social and Ethical Impact of Artificial Intelligence (OdiseIA)
Paloma de la Puente, Sustainability expert. Partner Conese
Joan Ramon Mallart, Director, IBM Consulting Experiences
3.00 pm – 4.30 pm: Mentoring Session - Green Tech Startups
(Founder Zone, Hall 8.0)
Suzanne Jenkins, Manager, Esade Center for Social Impact
Ideas for a greener world
Forget ‘AI ready’ – Now it’s AI FIRST
Sustainable futures: bridging talent values and corporate success
How can we make machine learning sustainable?
Mentoring Session - Green Tech Startups
Thursday 29 February
From 10 am: Developing ideas for a brighter future
(Hall 8.0)
Academic activity with BITLASI students at 4YFN – MWC 2024 (Matteo Prato)
Bitlasi students will dissect the strategies of companies at 4YFN-MWC by delving into aspects such as competitive positioning, resources, and business models. They will then formulate innovative ideas regarding the future trajectory of their industries and propose growth strategies tailored to the competitive landscape.
11.30 am – 12.30 pm: Esade's choice: best startup at 4YFN 2024
(Pitching Stage, hall 8.0)
In this challenge organized by Esade, Deloitte, and 4YFN, Esade’s MSc in Innovation and Entrepreneurship students will use knowledge acquired in the master's degree course to select the best startups at 4YFN. The six selected groups will detail the reasons for their selections in a pitch. The Best Startup at 4YFN Award Ceremony takes place on Thursday 29 February on the Pitching Stage. We want to reward talent and the ability to respond to the challenges facing society. Come and discover Esade’s choice and the winning startups!
11.52 am – 12.14 pm: Investing in a Sustainable Tomorrow
(Earth Stage, Hall 8.0)
Journey into the realm of impact investing, where stories of projects with deep and enduring influence uncover the pivotal role of investments in innovation. These tales illuminate ventures that prioritize social impact and environmental sustainability, reshaping the financial landscape. Yet, this path is not devoid of hurdles. These stories also illuminate the challenges faced by impact investing and the unwavering determination required to surmount them. Join us in this session to immerse yourself in a realm where investments extend beyond monetary gains, propelling us toward a more promising and sustainable tomorrow.
Fireside Chat: Maximizing Impact: Achieving Sustainable Returns Through Purpose-driven Investment
Moderator: Dalia Silberstein, Manager, Esade Social Impact Lab
Katrien Buys, Head of Strategy, Innovation and Sustainability, Grupo Ageas Portugal
Andy Lurling, Founding Partner, LUMO Labs