Stories
IESE Launches the School of Founders
Teams up with top entrepreneurs to boost development of scale-ups in Europe
The school, which is a new business unit within IESE´s executive education division, will offer dedicated executive programs and resources for founders of scaleups.
March 9, 2022
IESE has launched a new School of Founders (SoF) to foster the development of founders and their teams at fast-growing small and mid-sized companies.
The school, which is a new business unit within IESE’s executive education division, will offer dedicated executive programs and resources for founders of scale-ups. Through the IESE Founders Club, it will also provide an active community where international entrepreneurs can come together to learn and grow.
SoF is being supported by several leading entrepreneurs, including Germán Loewe, co-founder of Netquest and Shalion, and Oriol Vila, co-founder, former CEO and board member of Holaluz. Both are also co-presidents of the IESE Founders Club.
Other entrepreneurs and international thought leaders who will collaborate as mentors for the School of Founders include: Elena Betés, international CEO of RVU; Timo Buetefisch, founder and CEO at Cooltra; Jerry Colonna, renowned coach to many Silicon Valley startup founders and co-founder of coaching and training firm Reboot.io; Lucas Carné, co-founder of Privalia and 011h; Raj Sisodia, co-founder of the Conscious Capitalism movement; and Verne Harnish, founder of Entrepreneurs’ Organization and author of Scaling Up.
With only seven percent of European Union firms employing more than nine people, the SoF can provide a needed boost to Europe’s entrepreneurship system, say IESE professors Thomas Klueter and Juan Roure, Academic Directors of the School of Founders. “If starting a company is hard, scaling it is even more demanding, with most new ventures struggling at this crucial transition stage. Yet, by bringing together peers who are at the same stage and providing high-impact training which specifically addresses the unique challenges that founders face when scaling their business, the School of Founders can help entrepreneurs turn the odds of success in their favor.”
The first program being offered by the SoF is Foundations of Scaling, which is scheduled to start in July 2022. The 12-month-long program will support founders in the transition from startup to scale-up with mission-critical knowledge, enriching peer groups, and a powerful mentoring network. The comprehensive curriculum provides practical insights on how to build a senior leadership team, create strong cultures, expand internationally, find strategically aligned investors and many other challenges of the scaling journey.
Delivered in English, the program will combine face-to-face and online sessions. Program participants will also automatically become members of IESE’s Founders Club for one year.
The School of Founders forms part of IESE´s exceptional offering for entrepreneurs, covering all aspects of the ecosystem for entrepreneurship, innovation and new ventures.
