To help our startups learn a bit more about Eric, we held a brief interview with him.
1. Welcome Eric, could you please give us a short introduction about yourself? (Name, position in ASUC, maybe something about your experience in Finland or current study status)
Hello! My name is Eric Gargallo Serrano. Yes, I have two last names… something common for people that comes from Barcelona, Spain. I’m currently working at ASUC as an event management & communications intern for Urban Tech Helsinki, basically helping on everything I can regarding the project. I’ve been in Finland for about 2 years already, I came for my exchange on the 2019 Fall, and I decided to come back for my Master’s degree, where I major on International Strategy & Sustainability. I’m currently just finishing my thesis!
2. Great. Can you tell us a bit about your professional background? For example, what the Master’s study is about?
Back in Barcelona I worked in different companies from diverse industries. Just to mention a few, I was working as purchase manager at a POS floor-stands company, as a project associate in a digital and marketing agency, and also due to my basketball passion, as a basketball scout for an agency. However, I wanted to challenge myself in a new way, that’s why I came to Finland! My Master has been very interesting so far, and I learnt a lot on strategy, and I have deepened my knowledge on sustainability.
3.Can you explain a bit about your role in Aalto Startup Center?
My role in Aalto Startup Center is focused on Urban Tech Helsinki, where we help early-stage startups to grow and test their solutions in a real-life environment. In UTH I help organizing the events and with the internal and external communications, as well as being available for any inquiries regarding the project.
4.So, what brought you to Aalto Startup Center originally?
I was very interested on the startup scene back in Barcelona, so once I came back to Finland, I wanted to learn more about the Finnish startup scene, and what a better place than ASUC! Moreover, Urban Tech Helsinki is such a great thing to be involved in from the beginning of it, and the meaning and value of it, are very filling for me.
5.After a few months of working here, do you enjoy the experience? Which part is your favourite so far?
Yes! I think the team and the people I work with are great. I can learn a lot from them and they’re helping me grow. Also, I like the environment, the Finnish startup scene is great and learning about it has been very fun and insightful.
6.What have you been working on recently?
Currently we are preparing our 2nd call! We are planning how it will be, our future events, marketing, etc. Also, obviously looking for new startups wanting to be part of our program.
7.What’s your preferred work style?
I think I’m someone quite flexible in terms of working style. But definitely I like working with people. I like learning and interacting with other people and I think that working in teams, preferably diverse ones, better outcomes are reached.
8.Do you want to say something to our startups?
They are in the right place! ASUC is filled with great people, mentors, and business advisors and the whole Finnish startup and innovation ecosystem is great. And I think being surrounded by great people is one of the keys to success!
9.Any plan or goals for the coming 2022?
From an UTH point of view, keep helping startups! We learnt a lot from our first batch and we’re ready to implement these learnings for the 2nd batch, and then the 3rd! From a personal point of view, graduating from my Master’s and keep developing my career, trying to absorb knowledge from every possible way!
10.Tell us one thing about yourself that would surprise us.
Well, I think I could keep talking about basketball here… Besides playing basketball at a high level, I’ve also been coaching, and as I said working with representations agencies. But also, I was a scout myself and I traveled all around Europe looking and reporting the top young talents. I interacted with players, European and NBA scouts, coaches, and agents. It was a great time; I feel I grew a lot during that time and I enjoyed a lot as well
Email: eric.gargalloserrano@aalto.fi
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-gargallo/
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