In a recent interview with El Referente, Ángel Uzquiza, Director of Innovation at Santalucía Seguros and Santalucía IMPULSA, shared insights into the company's pioneering efforts in fostering innovation and entrepreneurship within the insurance sector.
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Santalucía IMPULSA is a program designed for innovative projects and startups less than five years old. It offers a unique acceleration process and the chance to collaborate with Santalucía Seguros. Participants can compete for monetary prizes and benefit from specialized training and meetings with various departments within Santalucía Seguros, aimed at enhancing collaboration opportunities.
The accelerator seeks initiatives, products, and services that introduce new approaches, business models, and market value. Projects in early stages, with a focus on innovation, scalability, and international vision, are selected. Over a four-month period, mentors, including leaders from Santalucía Seguros, support entrepreneurs in improving their project's competitiveness and accessing specialized investor funding.
Ángel Uzquiza emphasized the importance of Santalucía's mission in innovation and entrepreneurship, rooted in the company's century-long history of supporting families through various life stages. The insurance model aims to protect and assist people throughout their lives while also acting as a social change agent. This mission aligns with their innovation strategy: connecting internal and external ecosystems—startups, universities, scientific parks, and more—to continually renew their value proposition for current and future clients.
Santalucía IMPULSA's success is highlighted by its impact over the years. The program has matured into a continuous innovation factory, validating and accelerating numerous projects. More than 170 internal entrepreneurs have participated, resulting in 30 validated projects, 15 of which have been accelerated, and seven fully implemented. The startup acceleration initiative, now in its seventh year, has engaged with over 3,000 entrepreneurs, analyzed more than 1,800 projects, and accelerated 31 startups, with eight implemented initiatives. The total investment for these startups has exceeded €24.3 million.
Uzquiza credits the program's success to the strong partnerships with companies like Lanzadera, Microsoft, and AWS, which provide startups with valuable resources like cloud credits, legal and financial advice, certification, and pilot assistance. This collaborative approach ensures startups can test and refine their solutions, enhancing their market readiness and potential for long-term success.
Santalucía's commitment to open innovation allows the company to adapt quickly to social and technological changes, transforming new ideas into benefits for all. By fostering a culture of experimentation and collaboration, Santalucía IMPULSA continues to drive forward, shaping the future of the insurance industry.
