Could we link entrepreneurship with social responsibility too?

We usually link the concept of entrepreneurship with ambition, drive, innovation and continuous self-improvement. Could we link entrepreneurship too with social responsibility? A new concept of a start-up shows us that we can create whatever we want as long as we believe in it. We have discovered a beautiful story of an Alumni of ours; Pau Torres (2004) and we would like to share it amongst the network - Mireia Hernandez UAA International Communication Officer

We usually link the concept of entrepreneurship with ambition, drive, innovation and continuous self-improvement. Could we link entrepreneurship too with social responsibility? A new concept of a start-up shows us that we can create whatever we want as long as we believe in it. We have discovered a beautiful story of an Alumni of ours; Pau Torres (2004) and we would like to share it amongst the network.

“Life has challenged me and my family with ALS and we are answering it with ILUSION+, a project in which we select quality wine from vineyards that want to collaborate with this project and re-brand it to sell it under Ilusion+. My start-up has two main purposes: Create continuous awareness of ALS as well as raise funds (from the bottle price) for foundations and associations related to these types of diseases.” - Pau Torres Mas (Alumni 2004)

Discover it in the following Video

Pau is a telecommunications engineer from UPC Barcelona with an academic exchange in TUDelft in year 2004. He also holds a MSc in Business and Economics of Oriental Asia by UOC (Universitat Oberta de Catalunya), a Postgraduate in Community Management by UPC Barcelona, and an Entrepreneurship course programme in ESADE Business School. Pau did his UNITECH internship with Schindler in Shanghai and he then continued with that team in Suzhou plant (2007), passing from Supplier Quality Team Leader (2008) to Supplier Development, Safeties and Quality of Motors and finally Supply Chain Support Manager in the R&D facility (2011-2013). Pau had his own trading company, Gicope T&C in Hong Kong where he spent almost 8 years holding the position of General Manager. This company exported any product from China to the rest of the world.

After 8 years living in China, Pau and his wife Gina went back to Spain with their two children when they witnessed Pau’s health was being affected. In 2013, Pau was diagnosed with ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis), a neurodegenerative disease that caused the loss of brain function to initiate and control muscle movement. This illness is incurable; therefore the whole family decided to embark on a new lifestyle and face new challenges with hope and enthusiasm. A desire to help other families that were facing similar challenges gave shape to ILUSION+. That’s when this start-up was born.

ILUSION+ offers socially responsible, quality wine and sparkling wine. Part of the the profits go to foundations and/or hospitals that help patients and their families as well as to Research and Development of other neurodegenerative diseases like ALS, Alzheimer’s or Multiple Sclerosis…

ILUSION+ had the opportunity to attend to “Aula Aprende y Emprende” from Fundación Prevent and ESADE, a formation program for entrepreneurs with disabilities which gave them the tools and connections to initiate their company via tutors, mentors and specialists. The company was founded by the end of 2014 and in April 2015 the first wines were delivered. In September 2015, ILUSION+ started a collaboration project with Josep Roca (sommelier at Can Roca, world's best restaurant) and Ferran Centelles (sommelier at Bulli from Ferran Adrià). ILUSION+ is beginning to look at lot like Pau and Gina had planned.. it has all the ingredients to be a complete success.

For more information: www.ilusionmas.com