An entrepreneurial DNA: resilience and determination
Startup Valencia recently organised “A Coffee with Ángela Pérez” at Banco Sabadell’s Hub Empresa, a breakfast event that provided a unique opportunity to delve into Ángela Pérez’s inspiring journey, gain insights into her story, and understand her valuable perspectives on entrepreneurship. Karina Virrueta, Head of Ecosystem Development at Startup Valencia and in charge of moderating the meeting, pointed out that, “Ángela Pérez is a natural-born entrepreneur who exudes a passion for innovation“.
Winner of the Jaume I Award in the Entrepreneurship category and Head of Business Development at her own company, Ángela Pérez is a true pioneer in the field of genetic diagnostic tests and an advocate for the Valencian innovation ecosystem. It is remarkable that someone with such an impressive list of accomplishments would reveal that she initially studied Biology without a clear vocation and then ventured into entrepreneurship out of fear of boredom. This has made her a unique individual with an extraordinary trajectory.
This is demonstrated by her entrepreneurial trajectory since she founded her first startup at the age of 24, encouraged by her mentor and university professor, Manuel Pérez Alonso. As she reflected, “we made mistakes in practically everything, but in the end, a successful project emerged“. This observation highlighted the entrepreneurial DNA: resilience and determination to persevere with enthusiasm, regardless of obstacles and mistakes.
Thanks to the initial driving force provided by her first startup, Spain, and particularly the Valencian Community, has become a benchmark in the field of molecular biology and genetic diagnosis. Health in Code, the company she established, currently boasts a team of 215 professionals and has become one of the European leaders in genetic and genomic testing. Throughout the company’s evolution, Pérez has experienced all the typical stages of a startup, including growth, shifts in strategy, and changes in team dynamics. As she prepares for her exit from the firm, her focus will shift towards investment activities with Biozell Ventures, allowing her to once again immerse himself in a fast-paced world of constant new developments. “The great thing is that each day brings a different project, there’s always something new to learn,” she reflected.
Valencian Ecosystem: a strong potential for impactful projects
As for the Valencian ecosystem, Ángela emphasised its strong potential for developing impactful projects: the city’s environment of leading universities, science and technology parks, and spaces like La Marina, and the presence of patrons and investment opportunities are all conducive to their inception. Startup Valencia plays a complementary role in this, although she pointed out that support for entrepreneurship should be much stronger and more accessible.
Ángela’s presentation was followed by a relaxed discussion with Ángel Alberich-Bayarri, CEO at Quibim; Álvaro Verdoy, CEO at Sales Layer, and Fernando Marzal, Managing Director at Zubi Labs, all three members of Startup Valencia’s Growth Committee. The conversation covered various topics, including the challenges faced by university professors associated with internationalisation and entrepreneurship, as well as the gender gap prevalent in the entrepreneurial landscape. Regarding the latter issue, Ángela emphasised the importance of showcasing the success stories of female entrepreneurs and empowering women by reminding them that they are just as capable as men. “We have to want to become bosses because it is cool, doable, and gratifying“, she concluded.
The event, “A Coffee with Ángela Pérez“, ended with a networking session in which attendees had the chance to share their thoughts and experiences.
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