This time, on El Periscopio, we discuss design and the industrial sector with Oriol Pascualfounder and CEO of Stage2. With him, we learn more about his company, which supports and backs European industrial technology founders, and we also analyze the industrial sector, technology, and startups.
The Strength of the Industrial Sector
Oriol is a firm believer in the industrial sector. Strong and competitive economies are those with a robust industrial sector.
"Strong economies are those where at least 20%, if not 25%, of GDP comes from productive, transformative, and industrial sectors," Oriol emphasizes.
In 2014, while working for a technical university in Barcelona, Oriol launched a startup program for industrial ventures, focusing on entrepreneurship and supporting university students. At the time, the startup ecosystem had grown significantly, but there was little support for industrial startups.
Entrepreneurship Through Experience
Eight years later, after supporting 82 startups, Pascual, along with 10 partners, founded Stage2 to address a market need.
During his time at the university, he realized that startups with 2-3 years of existence that had functional prototypes and had developed new technology or products often had only a patent and a few units. However, they didn't know how to scale and industrialize their businesses.
Stage2 provided a solution to this problem, becoming one of the first organizations to support industrial startups.
Startups in the Digital World
When we talk about entrepreneurship and startups, we refer to a structured, methodological process for creating new business projects and validating business ideas.
This type of company emerged alongside the boom of digital technologies and the rise of the internet. As a result, the concepts of startup and entrepreneurship are often closely associated with digital solutions or digitized services such as e-commerce, rentals, or sharing platforms.
Winner Takes It All
Oriol explains that in the digital world, the focus isn't so much on generating revenue but on gaining market share and acquiring users. Eventually, the company becomes the industry leader. This is known as the winner takes it all strategy. Examples include Airbnb and Amazon.
"The dynamics of the digital world tend to create a dominant player that takes over an entire sector," says Pascual.
Industrial Startups Are Gaining Ground
Oriol is optimistic. Analyzing the evolution of the digital and health sectors in Catalonia and Spain, he recalls that 20 years ago, few people invested in these fields.
Today, things have changed. Barcelona is considered the third-best city in Europe to start a business and has a mature ecosystem with many players.
Our guest believes the industrial sector is now following this path and, in a few years, could become as significant as the others.
Industrialization Is the Real Challenge
Validating technology is one thing, but validating industrialization is another.
"Elon Musk always says that prototyping is easy, but industrialization is very difficult," Oriol notes.
Companies face a significant challenge in validating their industrial processes. Despite having innovative technologies, they need capital, and few private investors are willing to help these startups find their footing. Stage2 aims to bridge that gap.
Designing the Industrial Sector
The role of design in the industrial sector is crucial. Oriol explains that it has evolved significantly in recent years. It used to be more artistic and aesthetic, but today it is more strategic and engineering-focused. It plays a vital role.
"Designers bring magic to the product," says Pascual.
The 360-degree vision of a designer towards a product ensures that all aspects are considered. Designers contribute to usability, interaction, ease of repair, and functionality in ways that others might overlook.
The Key Is Attitude
Beyond industrial entrepreneurship projects-andwe dare say in life in general 😉-having the right attitude is vital. A positive attitude.
Oriol believes that the key to any project in the sector largely depends on the attitude of its leader and team.
He concludes by stating that leadership should be approached with a positive and adaptable attitude.
