50 entrepreneurs from the Chair of Entrepreneurial Culture invited 5 established entrepreneurs and 15 outstanding students to form together the first Experiential Campus in Morocco. From 12 to 18 July the group were concentrated in Agdz and Erg Chegaga in southern Morocco. The First stage crossing was via the Atlas Mountains on the highest passable road in Africa to reach the Draa Valley, the largest palm grove in the world. The first #experienceCCE is a milestone for the dynamic entrepreneurs.

The Chair of Entrepreneurial Culture of the University of Valencia, within the framework of the University-Business Foundation of Valencia ADEIT, was created to promote entrepreneurship in young university students and thus, through many more classic formulas, such as courses, workshops and mentoring, to learn first-hand what it means to be an entrepreneur, in addition to strengthening the connection between the company and the University. What the 15 young students selected from different disciplines never imagined was that a group of entrepreneurs would invite them to the first University Experiential Campus outside Valencia, specifically in Morocco.

To learn essential skills and values for an entrepreneur, to learn first-hand how they undertake outside our borders and to be aware that perhaps our difficulties are just cardboard barriers, to open our minds and “generate” ideas, but, above all, to receive the witness of 5 passionate entrepreneurs who, with their success stories,  also showed them how the paths of entrepreneurship are inscrutable.

The programme was concentrated in two locations, Agdz and Erg Chegaga, where they  received classes by the displaced teachers, share experiences with local entrepreneurs, and fostered the skills and attitude that are key to creating and leading a company. They also visited a Casbah, took a camel ride through the desert to see the sunset, rode a 4×4 on the way to an Oasis and celebrated their trip with drums.

The entrepreneur-teacher-coaches were led by the organiser and designer of the experience, Juan Manuel Baixauli, president of Consultia Business Travel, who has not only carefully selected the experiences but has also been able to get many other entrepreneurs to support and finance them because, as he explains, “… we all want to encourage entrepreneurship because we are all entrepreneurs …if there are more entrepreneurs, there is more wealth and more welfare and it has a positive impact on society as a whole” and adds: “Entrepreneurs are not Martians, we are people with a high level of risk, a lot of vocation and tenacity, and who give everything for a dream that, if you put all your efforts and find the right dynamics, it becomes a reality”.

Miguel Angel Juan Bellido, from S2 Grupo, Ángela Pérez from Health in Code, Juan Bueno from Myrentgo Mobility and Guzmán López from Explorando el Kilimanjaro, form the team of teachers who are sure to find support in several alumni of the Chair who have joined this intense networking: Asier Rojo of Arat Natura, Javier Ortizá of Quasar Dinamics, Giancarlo Matos de Almeida of Boook, Loreto Crespo of Genotipia, economist Jennifer Carmona and nutritionist Lorena Jericó. Alumni who were once students of the Chair, and who carried out their projects, creating companies and today will also be able to share their experiences with the new students. A more real networking because they did it under the stars in the desert, on a camel, sleeping in a Haima or on the way to an oasis in a 4×4.

The students are: Alberto Almonacid from Gastronomic Sciences, Lucas Bandín from Law-Criminology, Antonio Bono from ADE-Law, Sergio Cambronero from Economics, Martín Cordero from ADE, Rocío Delgado from ADE-Law, Jorge González from Economics, Nereida Jerez from Law-Criminology, Alicia Navarro from Law, Julieta Pellicioli from Public Relations and Digital Marketing, Manuel Redondo from Chemical Engineering, Marina Rojano from ADE-Law, Sarah Soler from Early Childhood Education, Adrián Tarancón from International Business, Alba Velasco from Degree in Entrepreneurship.

About the Chair of Entrepreneurial Culture
The Chair of Business Culture, within the framework of the University Business Foundation ADEIT of the University of Valencia, is an institution with more than 20 years of activity whose ultimate goal is the transmission of knowledge from the university forum to the Valencian business community and the promotion of business culture in Valencian society in general and in the university community in particular.

Report by ’24/7 Valencia’ team

Article copyright ’24/7 Valencia’