On 13 June, MBA students interested in launching their own business pitched their ideas to the MBA Venture Award panel comprised of IMD alumnus and serial entrepreneur Thierry Maupilé (MBA 1988), Adjunct Professor of Entrepreneurship and Management Jim Pulcrano, venture capital investor Olivier Laplace (MBA 2014).
The MBA Venture Award aims to strengthen the IMD startup community by providing budding entrepreneurs with the funding and mentorship needed to launch and grow innovative new business ideas. The award – made possible thanks to the generosity of Maupilé, CEO at ELEO Partners, who launched the award in 2022 – includes a financial grant of CHF100,000 as well as mentorship.
The four finalists, out of 20 pitches, share an overview of their ideas below and are preparing for their final pitch which will take place at the end of September:
Naga Arapaho and Jakob Johansson
“Joro is an idea that originated in between accounting classes at IMD. The original idea was a data-sharing platform used by entire industries to enable standardization and shareability. We have since researched and refined the idea to enable companies to become truly sustainable.”
Mariana Otarola
“My app connects women with menstrual needs and during period emergencies to nearby products, information, or specialists, syncs with health data, and offers a way to support those in period poverty. Inspired by the power of community, I aim to bridge the equality gap by providing women with easier access to this essential healthcare need.”
Juan Romero
“As a youngster in Colombia, I spent everything my family gave me without thinking twice. When my son Joaquin was born, I wanted to ensure a different path for him. This inspired me to create Finstarter, a fintech-edutech app that empowers young people to manage finances wisely, offering practical tools and personalized advice for a secure financial future.”
Ananya Bala
“I discovered swing dancing on a date and fell in love with the community and energy of Lindy Hop. Six months into my journey, I wanted a pair of dance shoes and struggled to find a pair I liked. I even paid $200+ to get some online, only to find out when I finally received them that they were too big for me. As a consumer brand that offers dancers stylish, comfortable, and accessible shoes, marleys aims to solve this problem for good. We should all dance more – whether that’s at a dance class or a night out with the girls – and marleys will be there every step of the way, making your dancing feet happy.”
We wish all of our finalists the best of luck with their final pitches and ideas!
