How to Take Santander X Explorer to the Camino de Santiago

María Inmaculada Muñoz is the Coordinator of Santander X Explorer at the University of A Coruña. Her work as an Employment Officer led her to attend a science outreach activity organised by the Ferrol Industrial Campus: participants walked from this city to Santiago Cathedral, covering one of the stages of the famous Camino travelled by pilgrims. “I thought about doing the same with Explorer to raise awareness of it,” she explains.

That’s how Explorer UDC was born. “The Camino de Santiago is full of symbolism and values” that can be applied to entrepreneurship: “effort, resilience, adaptability, collaboration, community, and learning. The pilgrim is like the entrepreneur: they must research before starting their journey, plan their stages, and pursue a final goal,” Inma tells us.

It’s perfect for engaging people interested in becoming the CEOs of their own lives and in improving the world. The success of the initiative, recognised as one of the five best at the IV CRUE - MetaRed X Entrepreneurship Conference, proves it: “More and more people join us each time. They ask if it can be repeated or if we’ll cover more stages in the same year. We do it on a Sunday so that as many people as possible can take part; this year, despite the forecast for rain, forty of us got together,” she says.

“Although we follow the route**, we make detours to visit various local entrepreneurial ecosystems or initiatives** (for example, the Betanzos Businesswomen’s Association). Normally, I get in touch with their representatives to find out what they’re working on, and when we arrive, they explain what they do and show us around their facilities, coworking spaces, etc.** Sometimes pilgrims walking the Camino de Santiago join us because they’re interested in the topic.** It’s very enriching, as they also contribute their own experience,” she adds.

Is it for everyone? “Places are limited: we invite Alumni to share their experiences; also members of the judging panel who select projects, teachers… and if there’s space left, we invite people outside the entrepreneurial ecosystem so they can get to know it,” she explains.

Santander X Explorer: The “Star Programme”

Although the goal of Santander X Explorer is to help validate (or not) early-stage entrepreneurial projects and to ensure participants acquire lifelong soft skills, it also benefits the participating institutions: “We don’t have a specific entrepreneurship programme like other universities might, which is why** Santander X Explorer is our star programme. It’s a complete package, and that’s fantastic for us** because we don’t have a large team,” says Inma.

Still, the institution adds its own unique touch: “We put a strong emphasis on mentoring, which is why we have **collaboration agreements with local business entities **(AECO, ASCEGA, SECOT) to which we assign projects; these companies act as mentors,” she explains.

“We also send the Santander X Explorer registration call to teaching staff, who are key to spreading the word, **and it’s always very well received. **My idea is to build a network of mentors among university lecturers and get them involved in activities; it’s a pity because they have such a heavy teaching load, but I keep trying,” she comments.

What happens next? “Once the programme starts, we hold in-person group work sessions. Mentors are invited, and many of them attend to decide with the Explorers when and where to meet. In addition to these sessions**, I meet with the participants every two weeks **and** **I try to make everything as personalised as possible,” Inma says.

To enrich the experience, the Coordinator arranges visits to Entrepreneurship and Innovation hubs, where Explorers receive guidance. The University of A Coruña also belongs to EspazoCoop, which introduces participants to the cooperative model, and collaborates with the AJE (Young Entrepreneurs’ Associations) of Coruña and Ferrolterra. “We want to sign an agreement with AJE Galicia, which brings together all AJEs; we’re the first to achieve a partnership with this organisation. We’re exploring collaboration frameworks with other institutions, taking part in their workshops to make the most of synergies and resources. They invite us to award ceremonies and exhibitions… we try to integrate ourselves fully into Galicia’s entrepreneurial ecosystem,” she adds.

The Impact on the Explorers

“Participants in the programme** usually leave everything until the end**, but they appreciate that I’m so persistent — that I check whether they’re uploading their deliverables or not,” Inma explains.

Beyond that, once the 12-week Santander X Explorer programme ends, at the University of A Coruña “we hold our own final event; representatives from business entities and the Santander Group attend. The Explorers know from the start that they can present their projects at this final if they have obtained their Certificate and attended community activities. We select three finalists and one winner,” she says.

Another activity is the** video challenge**, in which participants present their pitch. “Voting takes place, and the winner is also announced at the final,” the Coordinator tells us. But there’s more: “Creativity sessions, theatre workshops… I’m open to what they suggest, but we usually detect needs and create specific actions. For example, one of the most successful is the Communication Skills Workshop we run as part of the programme, because they realise it helps them defend their Final Degree Project. They see that** they’re gaining tools useful in other areas of life** and adaptable to future jobs, even if they’re employed by others,” she adds.

Of course, community building is one of the most carefully nurtured areas. “We created the Explorer Community with Alumni (often they volunteer themselves) and mentors who wish to take part.” It’s highly significant, as “they** share their experiences in the programme.** And, of course, synergies also emerge among the participants themselves: they meet in Santander X Explorer and end up merging their projects and founding a company,” she says.

Naturally, not everyone continues with their ideas, but as Inma says, “for me,** failure doesn’t exist. If you make a mistake, you just have to try again.”** This sense of motivation and personal growth is what she strives to instill in every edition of Santander X Explorer she coordinates.