ESDESIGN takes part in the third edition of the Entrepreneurship Award
On 30 September 2026, the third edition of the Entrepreneurship Award took place, an event where students and Alumni had the opportunity to present their projects with the aim of taking them to the next level and turning them into reality. The event, organised by OBS Business School, featured the participation of ESDESIGN, Higher School of Design in Barcelona, and INESDI Business Techschool, three schools that are part of Planeta Formación y Universidades.
An opportunity to drive new projects forward
The Entrepreneurship Award is an event that brings together students, entrepreneurs, investors and other professionals from the entrepreneurial ecosystem of the participating schools, creating a space to present projects, build connections, share experiences and discover new opportunities. In addition to providing visibility and recognition to the finalist initiatives, the award aims to support their professional and business development. The winning project receives €6,000 to continue moving forward with the implementation and growth of its proposal.
The 2026 edition received 27 applications, of which only three projects reached the final stage: Civitphone, a conversational artificial intelligence solution for public administrations, presented by Jordi Gisbert, an alumnus of INESDI Business Techschool; Gricha, a snack concept made with sustainable cricket protein, presented by Diego Reyes, a student at OBS Business School; and Metabolic Nutrition Pro, a SaaS platform connecting nutritionists, clinics and patients, presented by Luis Marcelo Ortiz, an alumnus of INESDI Business Techschool. The project founders presented their proposals to the jury and answered their questions during the event.
An event for sharing projects and experiences
The event opened with remarks from Raquel Clavería, Career Services Manager at OBS Business School, INESDI & ESDESIGN, followed by presentations from the finalist projects. Then, while the jury deliberated on the proposals, a round-table discussion took place featuring Luis Fernández, co-founder and CEO of Elevatorfy and entrepreneurship mentor; Dr María Callís, Director of the Master's in Retail Design & Visual Merchandising at ESDESIGN; and Joana Sánchez, founder of INESDI, board member of OBS Business School, INESDI and ESDESIGN, and founder and CEO of INCIPY. During the discussion, the participants shared their perspectives on the projects presented and discussed the world of entrepreneurship. The event concluded with the announcement of the winning project and the presentation of the award.
The participation of Dr María Callís brought a design perspective to an event focused on the creation and development of new projects. Drawing on her experience in the retail sector, she shared key insights with the entrepreneurs into the relationship between design and strategy, highlighting that “design is part of strategy” and that “any good entrepreneur needs to have a very clear vision and keep in mind what they want to build”. She also emphasised the importance of integrating both disciplines: “The only way for design to work is for it to be linked to strategy”.
ESDESIGN's participation in this event reflects the school's connection with the professional and business world. Dr María Callís' contribution brought a design perspective to a space where innovation and the development of new projects take centre stage, highlighting the role of design as part of the process of creating and transforming new proposals.
