Co-Founder of start-up company Chaperone, Pedro Fernandes Resende, along with Business Developer Catarina Morais Seabra wanted support for their business. Chaperone is an online platform designed to empower scientists in their careers by connecting them with career consultants across the globe, and the business is considering a move into the UK market. MBA Global students, Martina Proglio and Nicolas Sierra were tasked with researching a strategy for the business to use moving forwards.
Martina and Nicolas worked collaboratively to complete the research required by their ECP hosts. Martina said “we worked as a team in organising the job and evaluating how to best fulfil the research… Our aim as a team was to provide Chaperone with two projects that, once combined, would create a unique plan which could help the company to successfully enter the UK market”.
During the project, the students were motivated and worked closely with their project hosts to complete the research required. Martina said “The meetings with the host were crucial: at first, I used to update the host with the progress of the project, then I used to ask questions about his objectives for the company so that I could have more material to work on. Presenting the drafts and the work I did little by little to the host helped me to include key details essential for the project.”
Of the project, Pedro said “Similar to most start-ups in theirs first years, we lack human resources time to hire professionals…and the financial capacity to outsource this work. This model, to work with MBA students, is a very attractive alternative in order to focus on these challenges.”
As well as providing essential research for the business, the project also gave the students the opportunity to hone key skills. Following the completion of her MBA, Martina gained employment as a Junior Account Manager at an advertising technology company and says the ECP was instrumental in her development of skills which she uses in her work role today. She said: “The skills I developed and improved during the ECP are helping me to deliver my tasks… practicing what I have learnt during my studies helped me to comprehend my abilities, that allowed me to determine the job path I wanted to pursue, thus improving my job research.”
Moving forwards the company has been analysing the students’ research results and is putting this into action. Pedro says he would recommend the experience to other organisations as “It´s great to connect and work with young, motivated and skilful MBA students.”
To find out more about how your company can benefit from hosting an ECP student, email ecp@dmu.ac.uk.