UOC opens new call for applications for its tech entrepreneurship in education programme

The Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC), through the Hubbik platform, has launched a call for applications for the latest edition of its EduTECH Emprèn programme, a pre-acceleration initiative for entrepreneurial projects in the field of educational technology (EdTech). This free programme is aimed at entrepreneurs with innovative ideas capable of transforming the way we learn. EduTECH Emprèn offers training, mentoring and expert support to help participants turn initiatives that address the challenges of the education sector into reality.

A comprehensive and fully online programme

The programme, which will run from 1 October to 31 December, consists of 80 hours of training and 100 hours of personalized mentoring. The training includes specialized sessions on innovation and technology, and on business management, with a focus on validating the business model (business model canvas), drafting an executive summary for the project and preparing a 90-second pitch. The entire programme will take place online through the Hubbik platform's virtual incubator. The deadline for applications is 15 September and the number of places is limited.

Over a 10-week period, participants will receive training in business management to execute their ideas, as well as in innovation and technology in the EdTech sector to broaden their understanding of the industry. All this will enable them to confirm the feasibility of their projects and prepare them for future growth, investment and acceleration phases.

Definitive training and mentoring for successful projects

Nil Gallego, a student on the Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Engineering, is one of the founders of Authory.tech, a platform that uses specific data to detect whether a student has inappropriately used AI for an academic assignment. Gallego participated in the previous edition of EduTECH Emprèn and rated it very positively: "The programme is well suited to people who may have no prior knowledge of entrepreneurship and who need a foundation to start developing their project". He said that the training sessions were "interesting" and "intense", and emphasized that the mentoring component was particularly useful for improving his pitch and other aspects of the project. "I found it an interesting and well-structured initiative, while also demanding for participants."

Regarding the contribution of the entrepreneurship programme to Authory.tech, Gallego stated that it had "made the difference between having just a business idea and having a project with working pilots and future prospects". He highlighted "the commitment of the Hubbik team and the relevance of some of the speakers in the sessions," as well as the fact that the programme can be followed online, which makes it ideal for people with limited time.

Gallego's positive comments were echoed by Óscar Herrero, a graduate from the Bachelor's Degree in International Relations programme and founder of Edurantia, a project consisting of a gamified app that motivates students through the management of a virtual city. "It was a fairly intense programme in terms of content and information." Herrero said that he felt very well supported and highlighted "the opportunity to go to 4YFN and develop the project to the point of becoming a finalist in SpinUOC" as particularly positive aspects. He added that these two experiences had had "a very significant impact on Edurantia". He also pointed out that participating in the programme represented "a valuable opportunity to meet interesting people, including other entrepreneurs developing projects like mine, as well as mentors, experts and other key figures from the Barcelona business and EdTech sector".

Applications

For more information or to apply, go to the EduTECH Emprèn website.

Transformative, impactful research

At the UOC, we see research as a strategic tool to advance towards a future society that is more critical, responsible and nonconformist. With this vision, we conduct applied research that's interdisciplinary and linked to the most important social, technological and educational challenges.  

The UOC’s over 500 researchers and more than 50 research groups are working in five research centres focusing on five missions: lifelong learning; ethical and human-centred technology; digital transition and sustainability; culture for a critical society, and digital health and planetary well-being.

The university's Hubbik platform fosters knowledge transfer and entrepreneurship in the UOC community.

More information: www.uoc.edu/en/research

Programme funded by the Catalan Ministry of Business and Work and co-financed by the European Social Fund Plus (ref.: SEC072/25/000033).