2023 Emprender en Álava Award

I think I am not surprising anyone when I say that entrepreneurship is a roller coaster. And of course, having Álava Emprende recognize Patricia Bedoya and myself as young entrepreneurs of the year in front of so many friends and family is one of the high points of our journey.

When we started our journey, we had very clear ideas. We wanted to develop applications without instruction manuals. Applications that help people, respect your privacy, and have an adorable design.

After getting Pfizer and Apple to support what we do, it is easy to think we are on the right track, but when we started, the bet was very risky.

We are a journalist and an interior architect who set out to create a technology company in the middle of a pandemic. It almost sounds like the start of a joke. And I won't deny that there were many people who laughed when we told them about it.

But we also met people like David Montero or Izaskun Ruiz de Apodaca, who, as soon as we got off the stage from presenting our idea on this very stage, invited us to become part of the BIC Araba family.

Incredible women like Miriam Santos, from the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Services of Álava, who always finds time to help you navigate through all the bureaucracy.

And wonderful men like Alberto Codesal, who has not only welcomed us with open arms at the Business Center of the City Council of Vitoria-Gasteiz but also doesn't hesitate to play the role of psychologist whenever we need it.

And we can say the same about the Provincial Council of Álava · Arabako Foru Aldundia and even the Vital Foundation. All of them believed in us when Chubby Apps was nothing more than a dream. And for that, we will always be grateful to you.

I get the feeling that almost every time we talk about helping entrepreneurs we think of money, but the human factor is just as important, if not more, than a funding round.

In fact, today we wouldn't be here if it weren't for the unconditional support of our parents. Nor without the encouragement of our friends on the bad days. Nor without the talent, desire, and affection that our team puts in every single day.

It might sound strange, but I believe that the greatest innovation of Chubby Apps is not an Artificial Intelligence model or an App, but having placed people at the center. And I hope we can continue doing so for many more years to come.