By Laura Besols, teacher of the subject Business and Enterprise Model Design at Caxton College in Valencia

Is it possible for a group of Sixth Form students to design a business model capable of catching the eye of a real investor? Economic theory is essential, but the real magic happens when you step out onto the pitch. The first edition of the Entrepreneurship Hub at Caxton College was the ideal opportunity for our students to show that they are ready for the real business world.

Under the demanding criteria of the Hub regulations, classrooms were transformed over several days into relentless audit committees. The technical standard of the proposals presented was, quite simply, astonishing:

• Technology and analytics: B2B artificial intelligence fintech platforms and predictive consultancies based on big data.
• Sustainability and culture: Luxury brands with a circular economy approach and models that hybridise the art market with the triple bottom line.

Seeing the students defend their competitive advantages based on Porter's Five Forces, or watching them pivot in real time to adjust their HR, Marketing or Operations plans, was the best reflection of the programme. We forced them to face market volatility and the rigidity of their costs. The big takeaway? That in the real world, it’s not enough to know how to pitch an idea well; the numbers have to stack up. Their maturity and rigorous standards were truly exemplary.

None of this would have been possible without the backing of the school’s management. When the Hub was just an ambitious idea on paper, they believed in this project right from the start, gave it the green light and supported it without hesitation. Thank you for investing in innovation and in the active methodologies that transform our students' future.

This first edition establishes the Hub as an essential space for leadership, resilience and entrepreneurial culture. Congratulations to the students for their rigour, and thank you to the families for accompanying us in this growth process.

This is just the beginning! The future is not something to wait for, it is designed, and in our Entrepreneurship Hub, we have already started to build it.