Good communication, key to promoting an entrepreneurial project and obtaining financing

VALENCIA. With much to think about but with the satisfaction of having taken a step forward on his path through entrepreneurship. This is how the attendees left the Workshop for Entrepreneurs organized by the General Directorate of Entrepreneurship and Cooperativism, of the Department of Sustainable Economy, Productive Sectors, Commerce and Labor, in collaboration with Valencia Plaza, held at Veles e Vents.

Entrepreneurs mostly participating in the Llamp program, an acceleration program aimed at supporting, guiding and empowering companies in achieving the triple impact: social, environmental and sustainable economics, and aligning them with the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goal). “From the Ministry and the General Management we are committed to accompanying and consolidating these projects that are for the benefit of society so that they become the companies of the future and that help in the transformation of the productive fabric of our Community”, said Teresa García, General Director of Entrepreneurship and Cooperativism of the Ministry of Sustainable Economy, Productive Sectors, Commerce and Labor.

For this, the Workshop for Entrepreneurs was organized into four blocks. The first was directed by the editor-in-chief of Valencia Plaza, Estefanía Pastor, who explained how to communicate with clear objectives, knowing which target audience they want the message to reach. A message, which, as she pointed out, you have to know if it is attractive or not, because it may be that "the most important thing for you is not for the rest."

Thus, Estefanía Pastor gave them some guidelines on what topics are usually the ones that seduce journalists and those that don't, advice on how to write and send press releases, she recommended "don't get angry if they tell you no and don't be heavy, insisting that they publish information» and exposed «the ten commandments of the relationship between the entrepreneur and journalists»: find out who is the journalist with whom you have to talk; don't send journalists all the articles they've written for you, they're looking for new stories; you will not ask to read the text; maintain a long-term relationship with the journalist; remember the 'off the record'; you will not tirelessly insist that they publish information; you will attend to the good and bad news: you will not send a press release in pdf, but in word; you will not send photos that are 'chrome size' and you will not lie.

After the Communication training class, it was the turn of Noelia Hernández, CEO and Innovation and International Projects Consultant at Hernández Sánchez Asesores, who was going to teach the Financing training class. “Getting financing is a game of seduction. You have to be able to sell the best image of the company, but there always has to be a foundation, a credible value proposition to convince investors». After all, in most cases they have to invest in intangibles (a team, a brand, a project) because at the beginning there are no assets, no liquidity, no equity, "that is why it is important to create an image of trust , in your project and in what lies behind».

Noelia Hernández explained to the attendees the types of financing, public and private, that exist, in addition to other options such as prizes, open innovation, accelerators, "which are not financing in themselves but can grant resources, in addition to knowledge, experience, contact networks and visibility».

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— SERAP Mon Feb 10 11:53:56 +0000 2020

Advice from other entrepreneurs

After a short break so that they could soak in what they had heard, it was time for the inspiring talks of three entrepreneurs who have been able to move forward and their projects and from whom the new entrepreneurs could obtain advice and take advantage of their successes and mistakes. "Entrepreneurship is difficult and expensive, but if you are sure of what you have, you must follow the path, take your time and believe in yourself," said Natalia Olmo, CEO of Maminat, a natural cosmetics company that started as a hobby, and a need, in the kitchen of his house and little by little it has been growing, it has won several international awards and has successfully closed its second crowdfunding campaign.

For his part, Gerson Beltrán, geographer at Play & go Experience, took a tour of his professional career. Beltrán has created two companies, has worked at the university, was dean of the College of Geographers of Valencia, has worked for the public administration, has written several books and is now part of the Play&go Experience team, which develops gamified digital experiences and smart data. That tour served him to advise the attendees on the importance of knowing how to reinvent oneself, learning from mistakes and above all "not to become obsessed, it is important to combine work, the company, with other activities that contribute to you and with those that you enjoy".

Eleven triple impact projects

But, without a doubt, the most important moment for many of the attendees was the Elevator Pitch round. In it, eleven entrepreneurs from the LLAMP program of the General Directorate of Entrepreneurship and Cooperativism had four minutes to present their projects and be assessed by Belén Bordils, director of Speech Comunica, who indicated the strong points of their presentations and what aspects they had to improve when they meet potential investors.

Thus, one by one Emplogreen Ecosocial (ecosocial network of professionals where to find employment and talent with triple positive impact towards a more social and sustainable economy); Miss U Pet (which makes jewelry with genetic material from pets); Mininot (a platform that connects Fallas artists with individuals and companies; Flyspire (dedicated to biovalorising waste through insects); Sysnovatec (which has developed a device to cushion the effect of earthquakes on buildings); D4health (an application to help in psychological therapy); Proteus Innovation (which has developed an unmanned marine rescue boat); Energy Community (which aims to democratize energy and make it sustainable); Doggie Snax. De tapas con mi perro (a platform to go out for tapas with your dog); Neil (which has developed a smart insole to prevent back problems for people who work standing up); and Comedida (a healthy food delivery platform).

With them, this Workshop for Entrepreneurs came to an end, "the first of many", as stated by the General Director of Entrepreneurship and Cooperativism of the Ministry of Sustainable Economy, Productive Sectors, Commerce and Labor, because "a company that is accompanied during the first years of life has more chances of surviving and being part of a new productive fabric, more sustainable and social».