From Strategy to Execution: My Journey in the Bitlasi Project

I joined the Bitlasi project at its inception in January 2019 and remained involved until June 2023. Over this period, my role evolved from a high-level strategic focus to a more hands-on, operational capacity. This transformation unfolded across three key phases, each reflecting a deepening level of engagement and responsibility:

Phase 1 (6 months) 2019–2020: In this initial phase, I collaborated with the Barcelona-based innovation consulting firm Ideas4Change to conduct intensive research, develop, and propose an initial conceptual draft of the Bitlasi program. The goal was to equip students with the skills necessary to anticipate future challenges and contribute to improving society and the planet through innovative business solutions. The draft offered a comprehensive understanding of the problem (Why Bitlasi is needed), the solution (Bitlasi’s unique value proposition), the target student audience, the learning objectives, and an outline of the program’s high-level content. This work aimed to secure a GO/NO GO decision from Esade’s administrative board.

Phase 2 (1 year) 2020–2021: In this second phase, I worked directly with Esade’s multi-faculty team to help design the action-based skills track called "Learn to Innovate." My contributions included defining course syllabi and developing teaching plans in collaboration with the relevant instructors. This track accounts for 30% of the overall curriculum and consists of a series of project-based courses, each aligned with a specific UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG).

Phase 3 (2 years) 2021–2023: In this third phase, I took on the role of academic coordinator for the second project-based course undertaken by Year 1 students, with a focus on Digital Fabrication. This course aimed to provide students with practical, hands-on experience in applying digital fabrication techniques to real-world challenges.

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Detailed description of each phase.

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Phase 1 (January 2019 – September 2020): Designing the Initial Draft of the Bitlasi Program

During this first phase, I collaborated with the innovation consulting firm Ideas4Change to develop an initial proposal for the Bitlasi program. To guide this process, I followed an in-house methodology known as Pentagrowth, which consists of four key steps:

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Step 1: Think from Tomorrow

This step involved anticipating future changes, exploring areas of opportunity, and leveraging a rapidly evolving environment to generate value. Our research focused on understanding the evolving demands of the education system and the concerns of younger generations, particularly identifying emerging key competencies. The research was organized into four main areas:

• Education of Tomorrow: Mapping and analyzing over 40 innovative higher education programs worldwide, with interviews conducted with more than 100 students across multidisciplinary fields such as Design, Business, Engineering, Art, Informatics, and Regenerative Agriculture.
• The Future of Work: Investigating how workplace expectations are shifting and the skills required to thrive in future job markets.
• The Educational Needs of Generation Z: Identifying how the next generation’s learning preferences differ from previous generations.
• The Urgent Needs of Our Planet: Exploring how education can address global sustainability challenges.

This research emphasized the importance of an experiential educational approach based on the Head/Heart/Hand framework, designed to develop cognitive, emotional, and action-oriented competencies in students.

Step 2: Discover Inner Potential

Next, we analyzed Esade’s internal capabilities from a new perspective, identifying underutilized resources that could become powerful assets with the right context. Key findings included:

• Fab Lab as a space for hands-on prototyping and experimentation.
• Rambla of Innovation as a dynamic, collaborative learning environment.
• Socratic Dialogue as a method for fostering self-awareness and personal development.

These resources laid the foundation for the "Hand" track, which was later renamed "Learn How to Innovate."

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Step 3: Explore External Potential

We then mapped out national and international educational initiatives in entrepreneurship, humanities, and engineering. The objective was to go beyond conventional pedagogy and integrate valuable insights from global innovations in education. This led to identifying Minerva University as a strategic partner for the "Head" track, later known as later known as "Learn How to Learn."

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Step 4: Combine Inner & External Potential

Finally, the insights from the previous steps were shared with Esade’s alumni, the multi-faculty team, and various social impact experts. Through this collaborative process, we refined the conceptual framework for the Bitlasi program. The final proposal presented to the board of directors included a clear definition of the target student audience and a high-level overview of the program structure, setting the stage for a formal GO/NO GO decision from Esade’s leadership.

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Phase 2 (September 2020 – September 2021): Designing the "Learn to Innovate" Track (30% of the Entire Curriculum)

This phase holds particular significance for me, as it allowed me to directly translate my previous experience in social entrepreneurship with the creation of Aquapioneers startup into an academic curriculum. In this role, I was responsible for developing the "Learn to Innovate" pillar of the Bitlasi program, in collaboration with Esade’s multidisciplinary team. This pillar represents the project-based learning component of the program, offering students practical business experience through real-world projects with a social impact. These projects take place in various settings, including Esade’s campus and innovation hubs in Barcelona, Berlin, and Shanghai.

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Each year, the "Learn to Innovate" track offers several project-based courses, ranging from 3 ECTS to 8 ECTS credits each. Every project focuses on addressing a specific UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG), empowering students to apply their business knowledge to tackle 21st-century challenges. (Additional information regarding the syllabus for each course can be found here).

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My Responsibilities in This Phase Included:

• Defining Learning Objectives: Establishing the core competencies and skills students should develop through the program.
• Identifying Learning Environments: Selecting and designing the physical and virtual spaces where students could engage in experiential learning, including innovation hubs and collaborative workspaces.
• Outlining the Syllabus: Structuring the content, defining course materials, and setting clear timelines for project-based learning activities.
• Translating Components into a Comprehensive Teaching Plan: For the first-year project-based courses, I translated all the above elements into a detailed and actionable teaching plan, ensuring alignment with learning outcomes and course objectives.

This phase allowed me to integrate theory and practice, ensuring that students could engage with real-world challenges while developing the innovative mindset necessary to drive meaningful social and business impact.

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Phase 3 (September 2021 – June 2023): Academic Coordination of the Project-Based Course on Digital Fabrication

After contributing to the design of the project-based learning track of the BITLASI program—"Learn How to Innovate"—in 2020, I took on the academic coordination of a specific course that leveraged my expertise in digital fabrication. The course, titled "Prototyping an Impact Technology (PIT): How to Prototype an MVP Using Digital Fabrication," is a first-year bachelor-level course designed to introduce students to the world of Fablabs and the wide range of implementation opportunities they offer.

Fablabs are fabrication laboratories equipped with advanced tools and technologies that empower individuals to bring their ideas to life. Throughout the course, students explore the concept of Fablabs and learn how to harness these spaces to turn their creative concepts into tangible projects.

The course’s primary objective is for students to develop a functional prototype—including both hardware and electronics—that addresses a specific challenge. This hands-on learning experience not only builds technical skills but also fosters problem-solving abilities and entrepreneurial thinking. (The full course syllabus can be downloaded here).

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My Responsibilities in This Phase Included:

• Academic Coordination: Ensuring alignment between the multi-faculty teaching team and professional mentors, while maintaining consistency with the program’s learning objectives and project-based methodology.
• Learning Management System (LMS) Maintenance: Keeping the LMS updated with course materials, deadlines, and resources to ensure smooth course operations.
• IT Tool Design: Developing and implementing digital collaboration tools for student teams (e.g., Slack, Notion) to facilitate effective communication and project management.
• Student Mentorship: Providing direct guidance and support to multiple student teams as they worked on their digital fabrication projects.
• Project Evaluation: Overseeing the grading process, ensuring fairness, consistency, and alignment with the course’s learning objectives.
• Continuous Course Improvement: Regularly refining and enhancing the course based on student feedback and annual reviews to ensure its relevance and effectiveness.

This phase enabled me to blend my passion for digital fabrication with my commitment to experiential education, guiding students through a transformative process of bringing innovative solutions from concept to prototype.

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