Startup School 25: From validated problem to project with form

Once you're clear that there's a real problem out there, the next question comes (and it's usually the most challenging): how do I build something that actually solves it?

At Tetuan Valley, we believe that this moment marks a turning point in any project. That's why the second block of Startup School 25, our incubation program co-organized with INCIBE and funded by the European Next Generation EU funds , is designed to help you bring your idea to life.

If the first block focused on validating that there is a problem worth solving, this second step is about getting down to business: thoroughly understanding the customer, defining the product well, and planning wisely.

Startup School 25 is a training program designed to help you launch your startup on a solid footing, especially if you're just starting out and don't know where to begin. Sessions are led by people who've been in your shoes: trainers who have been entrepreneurs, continue to do so, and who now share their experiences, not just from theory.

Block 2: Growing your project

This block goes to the core of what many imagine when they think about starting a business: creating something tangible.

Here we work in three essential areas:

• Planning: What do you need to prioritize to move forward? How do you structure your time, resources, and team?

• Product: How do you design a realistic, usable, and testable solution?

• Customer: Who is your real user, what do they need, how do they behave, how do you communicate with them?

Teams don't just build an MVP; they also develop a more agile mindset, focused on iterating and learning quickly. Because we believe that real growth begins when you stop building for yourself and start building with the user.

Meet the leaders of this bloc

We asked them a few questions so you can learn about their perspective on the process, their approach to teams, and what being part of this community means to them. Here are some of their answers:

Trainers from our Startup School 25 incubation program

Jorge Pinilla Pérez , Marketing and Advertising Consultant in Ebualá

What is the most valuable thing you try to convey to the participating projects?
“The most important thing I'll try to make clear to you is that without a strategy, there are no sales, and without sales, there is no project. From day one, you have to think like a business, not just a pretty idea. I want to urge you to understand your customer, learn to communicate what you're selling clearly, and not be afraid to sell from the very beginning.”

What do you hope teams take away from your session?
“I want them to leave with a clear roadmap. With real tools to activate their marketing and sales. I want them to know how to build a value proposition that connects, how to find their most profitable channel, and how to measure what matters to scale intelligently.”

What motivates you to be part of initiatives like Startup School 25? Or what makes this edition special from your perspective?
“What's special here is the community. There's a very authentic, very horizontal energy. And I'm really motivated by seeing how teams evolve in weeks what takes others months. Seeing that rapid change is what engages me the most.”

What do you personally take away from working with early-stage entrepreneurs?
“I get a tremendous dose of reality and freshness. They force me to simplify, to get to the point, to think less about “theoretical” and more about what works today. Each session is a dose of humility and a way to stay connected to what's happening out there.”

Carlos Hernández Martín , Engineering Lead at Fever

What is the most valuable thing you try to convey to the participating projects?
“Fall in love with the problems, not the solutions.”

What do you hope teams take away from your session?
“Don’t build worthless solutions to problems that don’t exist.”

What motivates you to be part of initiatives like Startup School 25? Or what makes this edition special from your perspective?
"There are few things as motivating as preventing other people from falling where I did. And, if they do fall, having a community to help them get back up stronger and make something positive happen."

What do you personally take away from working with early-stage entrepreneurs?
"You have to be crazy to be an entrepreneur. And that energy, motivation, and drive to accomplish something impossible is contagious (and a little addictive, I think)."

Alejandro Barrera , Founder and CEO at The Aleph

What is the most valuable thing you try to convey to the participating projects?
"I always try to make sure startups understand that technology and product aren't everything. To be competitive in the industry, you also have to be very good at telling your story and strategically choosing what you tell your stakeholders."

What do you hope teams take away from your session?
"They need to better understand all the pieces of the pitch, what the most common mistakes are, why we have them there, in that order, and to embrace the framework so they can model the best possible pitch as they evolve. The pitch is the key to getting funding and opening doors, and it's important to have it very fluid."

What motivates you to be part of initiatives like Startup School 25? Or what makes this edition special from your perspective?
"Every edition is special. Each new edition brings new ideas and perspectives, and it's always special because of the magic created between the teams and the community."

What do you personally take away from working with early-stage entrepreneurs?
“Working in the early stages is magical. Not only is it a lot of fun and inspiring, but the help and advice you can provide can have a huge impact on the company's trajectory. On the other hand, it's also strategic for me because it allows me to meet the next generation of startups and understand what sectors they're moving toward.”

Entrepreneurship is not done alone: your community begins here

Are you also at that point where your idea needs structure, focus, and support? Then this block probably sounds familiar.

At Tetuan Valley, we've been helping people shape their projects for over 15 years, from validation to the first steps of growth. And we do this through programs like Startup School, training programs created by and for the entrepreneurial community.

Check out all our programs here . And if there aren't any open calls right now, you can subscribe to our newsletter and find out before everyone else. Because entrepreneurship isn't just about having a good idea. It's about building something that matters. And if you decide to do it, you have a community here ready to support you.