{"id":5166,"date":"2026-04-01T09:10:27","date_gmt":"2026-04-01T08:10:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.iese.edu\/mba\/?p=5166"},"modified":"2026-04-01T09:13:20","modified_gmt":"2026-04-01T08:13:20","slug":"beyond-the-classroom-iese-mba-career-treks-across-europe-part-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.iese.edu\/mba\/beyond-the-classroom-iese-mba-career-treks-across-europe-part-1\/","title":{"rendered":"Beyond the Classroom: IESE MBA Career Treks Across Europe, Part 1"},"content":{"rendered":"

Exploring Barcelona\u2019s Fintech Ecosystem<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Over two days in March, IESE MBA students had the opportunity to engage with leaders across Barcelona\u2019s growing fintech ecosystem. The trek combined company visits, founder insights, and networking sessions that gave students a practical view of how fintech companies are built and scaled.<\/p>\n

We began Thursday morning at Kantox<\/b><\/a>, where the team shared their journey building one of Europe\u2019s leading FX and treasury technology platforms. What began as a Barcelona startup has grown into a company processing billions of transactions across more than 70 countries and is now part of BNP Paribas. Hearing directly from Michael Schimmel, Chief Commercial Officer<\/strong>, and Simon Chevoleau, Chief Product Officer<\/strong>, gave students insight into the commercial execution and product thinking required to scale a fintech platform globally. The session also included conversations with Berta Haro and Fernanda Juarez<\/strong>, who shared their own journeys working within the company.<\/p>\n

In the afternoon, we hosted a BCN FinTech Panel<\/strong>\u00a0with Quim Allard, CEO of Iqana<\/a><\/strong>, and Manel Velasco, CEO of Numerand<\/a><\/strong>. The discussion offered a candid perspective on building fintech startups from the ground up, including navigating regulation and fundraising. For MBA students considering entrepreneurship or joining startups, the conversation offered an honest look at the realities founders face beyond what is discussed in the classroom. We were welcomed into the BCN Fintech building by Nuria Manils<\/strong>, who helped facilitate the session.<\/p>\n

Later that day we visited SeQura<\/strong><\/a>, where we met Declan Havlicek, Strategic Initiatives Lead in the Office of the CEO<\/strong>. The discussion focused on how SeQura has scaled into one of Southern Europe\u2019s leading Buy Now Pay Later platforms, serving more than 8,500 merchants. Students gained insight into how fintech companies must continuously innovate in competitive markets while maintaining sustainable growth.<\/p>\n

The trek concluded on Friday morning at Abacum<\/strong><\/a>, a company founded by IESE MBA alumni. The team shared how the company has rapidly scaled, tripled its revenue, and recently secured a $60 million Series B investment. During the visit we met:<\/p>\n