“The most important point that has come up to me since the beginning of 4YFN is the power of the entrepreneurial ecosystem. That has shown us that any idea, as simple as it may seem, if it is in the right time and the right place can become a successful story.”- Esteban Redolfi, Executive Director of 4YFN
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| Esteban Redolfi, Executive Director of 4YFN |
ST: Please tell us more about 4YFN.
Esteban Redolfi: 4YFN is the meeting point for the growing community of global
technology startups. Since 2014, the initiative from Mobile World Capital
Barcelona has become a business platform that brings together startups,
investors and large companies, in order to strengthen the entrepreneurial
ecosystem and position Barcelona as a leader in digital entrepreneurship.
technology startups. Since 2014, the initiative from Mobile World Capital
Barcelona has become a business platform that brings together startups,
investors and large companies, in order to strengthen the entrepreneurial
ecosystem and position Barcelona as a leader in digital entrepreneurship.
This year 4YFN
is celebrating its fourth anniversary and along the last four editions, the
platform has consolidated its role as a business hub for the international entrepreneurial
ecosystem.
is celebrating its fourth anniversary and along the last four editions, the
platform has consolidated its role as a business hub for the international entrepreneurial
ecosystem.
The highlight of
the programme is 4YFN Barcelona, the event held alongside GSMA Mobile World
Congress. Besides, 4YFN’s team has also deployed a full spectrum of activities
through the year aimed at building international tech startup communities.
the programme is 4YFN Barcelona, the event held alongside GSMA Mobile World
Congress. Besides, 4YFN’s team has also deployed a full spectrum of activities
through the year aimed at building international tech startup communities.
ST: What are the offerings at 4YFN for startups this
year?
year?
Esteban Redolfi: 4YFN 2017 will count with an 18,000sqm space, 5 stages, a global 3 day
programme with 80 activities, 275 speakers, 100 planned talks, 40 workshops, 12
demodays and startup competition finals, a customized exhibition area and
unique opportunities to establish connections with investors and
corporations.
programme with 80 activities, 275 speakers, 100 planned talks, 40 workshops, 12
demodays and startup competition finals, a customized exhibition area and
unique opportunities to establish connections with investors and
corporations.
In order to keeping up with the commitment with
startups, 4YFN has chosen a serial of professional speakers due to their
innovative and disruptive profile, as well as their experience inside the
entrepreneurial ecosystem. Some of the major keynote speakers presenting in
4YFN 2017 are Terry von Bibra, Global Manager EMEA at Alibaba; Michael
Spiegelman, Director of Product Innovation for Growth & Acquisition at
Netflix; Fernando Fanton, CTO of Just Eat; and Sir Martin Sorrell, CEO of WPP
Group.
startups, 4YFN has chosen a serial of professional speakers due to their
innovative and disruptive profile, as well as their experience inside the
entrepreneurial ecosystem. Some of the major keynote speakers presenting in
4YFN 2017 are Terry von Bibra, Global Manager EMEA at Alibaba; Michael
Spiegelman, Director of Product Innovation for Growth & Acquisition at
Netflix; Fernando Fanton, CTO of Just Eat; and Sir Martin Sorrell, CEO of WPP
Group.
ST: How do you see the start-up culture worldwide?
Esteban Redolfi: Along these four years
since the birth of Mobile World Capital Barcelona’s platform, we have concluded
that entrepreneurs have a unique view about business and that there is an
international community sharing that common way of doing things. So that is why
4YFN tried to respond their demand and build a platform exclusively for them.
since the birth of Mobile World Capital Barcelona’s platform, we have concluded
that entrepreneurs have a unique view about business and that there is an
international community sharing that common way of doing things. So that is why
4YFN tried to respond their demand and build a platform exclusively for them.
But the most
important point that has come up to me since the beginning of 4YFN is the power
of the entrepreneurial ecosystem. That has shown us that any idea, as simple as
it may seem, if it is in the right time and the right place can become a
successful story.
important point that has come up to me since the beginning of 4YFN is the power
of the entrepreneurial ecosystem. That has shown us that any idea, as simple as
it may seem, if it is in the right time and the right place can become a
successful story.
Startups,
investors and large corporations have another way of making business on the
digital world so as a community, we must be ready and open-minded to establish
reliable connections with them. In the last years, they have changed the
traditional business model and have built a different one in which they became
the principal actors: the relations and connections between them represent the
key to the new startup-culture worldwide.
investors and large corporations have another way of making business on the
digital world so as a community, we must be ready and open-minded to establish
reliable connections with them. In the last years, they have changed the
traditional business model and have built a different one in which they became
the principal actors: the relations and connections between them represent the
key to the new startup-culture worldwide.
ST: How many participants are you expecting this year?
What would be the number of investors?
What would be the number of investors?
Esteban Redolfi:
The 4YFN 2016 edition closed with 12,500
attendees, 50% more than the previous year, and the Innovation Market, the 4YFN
exhibition area, brought together up to 500 startups, large companies and
accelerators.
The 4YFN 2016 edition closed with 12,500
attendees, 50% more than the previous year, and the Innovation Market, the 4YFN
exhibition area, brought together up to 500 startups, large companies and
accelerators.
In this year’s edition, we are expecting
up to 600 startups, 700 investors and 20,000 visitors, 60% more than 2016. Back
in 2014, 2,200 visited 4YFN and in 2015, 8,000. So, taking this progression into
account, we can see a consolidation of 4YFN as an international meeting point
for the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
up to 600 startups, 700 investors and 20,000 visitors, 60% more than 2016. Back
in 2014, 2,200 visited 4YFN and in 2015, 8,000. So, taking this progression into
account, we can see a consolidation of 4YFN as an international meeting point
for the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
ST: What are your future plans for 4YFN?
Esteban Redolfi: Besides 4YFN Barcelona, 4YFN’s team works through the year to deploy a
full spectrum of activities aimed in global events such as GSMA Mobile World
Congress Shanghai (28-30 June 2017), DLD Tel Aviv Innovation Festival (September
2017) or Smart City Expo World Congress (14-16 November 2017), among others.
full spectrum of activities aimed in global events such as GSMA Mobile World
Congress Shanghai (28-30 June 2017), DLD Tel Aviv Innovation Festival (September
2017) or Smart City Expo World Congress (14-16 November 2017), among others.
Our commitment
is to continue consolidating these international communities and in order to
explore new entrepreneurial spaces, in 2017 the platform will have its own
space in Barcelona Building Construmat, with 4YFN Building (23-26 May 2017),
and in the Automobile Barcelona – Connected Hub, with 4YFN Mobility (11-12 May
2017), among others.
is to continue consolidating these international communities and in order to
explore new entrepreneurial spaces, in 2017 the platform will have its own
space in Barcelona Building Construmat, with 4YFN Building (23-26 May 2017),
and in the Automobile Barcelona – Connected Hub, with 4YFN Mobility (11-12 May
2017), among others.
Interviewed by Startup Terminal Bureau
