Who better than talented young people for your organisation to be able to make a match with gen Z? At the age of 22 and recently graduated in Entrepreneurial Leadership and Innovation from the University of Mondragón, Nàhia Gironès Blanco (Barcelona, 2001) has set out, together with her partner Adriana Bisbe, to connect companies and institutions with young talent through the startup YOUZ Talent. So far, she has already managed to attract the attention of institutions such as the Generalitat de Catalunya, Barcelona City Council and the Telefónica Foundation.

“Talking to many people, meeting companies from different sectors and carrying out many projects, always dealing with a key theme: young talent. That’s what YOUZ Talent allows us to do on a daily basis.

TB: What is the purpose of your project?

NG: Our goal is to build an outstanding ecosystem for young talent, providing resources and opportunities to bridge the generation gap between young people and companies.

TB: What is the current state of the project and where do you see it in two years’ time?

NG: The company has been officially incorporated since March 2023. Since then, we have been making a name for ourselves by working on projects such as VIBEZ, a digital culture festival created with the aim of facilitating the connection between young talent and the technology sector in Catalonia. In two years, YOUZ Talent will be consolidated in the sector, with its own ecosystem that will allow systematic feedback from all its elements.

TB: A good idea you have had.

NG: At the beginning we were not sure how to describe ourselves. We didn’t consider ourselves a generational consultancy, as we didn’t advise, we created. Until, playing with concepts, we came up with the idea of calling ourselves “GENerator”, as we generate spaces to interconnect generations. Playing with the terms ‘generate’ and ‘generation’, dealing with the subject we deal with, seemed to me a good idea, and allows us to better explain what we do.

TB: What is the biggest challenge you have faced?

NG: Overcoming the limits that I impose on myself. Insecurities often arise, and day by day I have to put them aside so that they don’t stop me from doing anything I set out to do.

TB:The best advice you’ve ever been given.

NG: When you feel comfortable in a situation, it’s time to change. Your work should always challenge you in order to learn, evolve and grow. Getting out of your comfort zone helps you to get to know yourself better.

TB: A professional reference that inspires you.

NG: Being faithful to my generation, known as ‘Z’, I would like to highlight Dulceida, the first Spanish ‘influencer’. A woman who has not only managed to position and reinvent herself over the years as the main fashion influencer in Spain, but who, with effort, perseverance and passion, has managed to create a personal brand so strong that it has led to four different companies: an influencer agency, a festival, an awards gala and a clothing brand.

TB: A technology that will shape the future.

NG: Without a doubt, Artificial Intelligence. Although we only know a small part of its potential, it is already revolutionising the world as we know it.

TB: In-person or remote?

NG: Hybrid: neither too much nor too little. I think it is interesting to have both options on the table. I usually tend to be a face-to-face team because it allows me to work more fluidly with my partner. However, remote allows a lot more freedom, so I am in favour of both options coexisting.

TB: A startup or company.

NG: In terms of organisational culture, it might sound typical, but I would say Google. I am impressed by how such a large company has managed to maintain such a ‘start-up’ working environment.

TB: What do you do to disconnect?

NG: On a day-to-day basis, what allows me to disconnect the most is to meet my friends and go for a drink. Also, obviously, I have time to go to the gym, read or watch a quiet series. But the best way for me to disconnect is to go to the village in summer, leave my mobile phone and computer to one side and not use them unless absolutely necessary.

TB: A book to recommend.

NG: I loved “Donde aprenden a volar las gaviotas”, by Ana Alcolea. It is a book more for enjoyment than anything else, but if you want to disconnect and be entertained, the story is beautiful.

TB: A series, film or song that defines your moment in life.

NG: I don’t know if it reflects my moment in life, but “Madame C.J. Walker” inspired me a lot. This series is about the first black woman to start her own business and how she overcame obstacles with resilience.

TB: One recipe, one restaurant.

NG: I don’t like to cook because I’m very impatient and too lazy. So my speciality is leek vichyssoise, with the help of my great ally, the Thermomix. As for the restaurant, honouring the square where I’ve spent the most hours playing, I choose “El Sortidor” in the Poble Sec neighbourhood.

TB: A place in the world.

NG: Menorca. It seems to me a paradise where I would go every summer.

TB: Where would you invest 100k?

NG: At the moment, I would invest them in the festival we are creating. I want to have more resources to make it even bigger and have as much impact as possible.

TB: If you weren’t an entrepreneur…

NG: Well, I have no idea where I would be. Probably in a department of a company that would allow me to work on a project basis and give me freedom of movement. Marketing and innovation sector.

TB: What is Tech Barcelona for you?

NG: It is a network that brings together corporations, startups and entrepreneurs in Catalonia. It is an ecosystem that makes it easy to meet interesting projects and people, always willing to talk and discover.