Bio

Pablo Santaeufemia is a social entrepreneur and the CEO/Co-founder of Bridge for Billions, a global organization dedicated to democratizing access to entrepreneurship training and mentorship. He holds two graduate degrees from Carnegie Mellon University in Technology Innovation Management and Mechanical Engineering, with a focus on Engineering for Development and Social Entrepreneurship. Pablo has been recognized for his work with Bridge for Billions, including being named a Forbes30Under30 honoree, as well as an Ashoka Fellow and Acumen Fellow. He also leads EmprendES, the Spanish Association of Entrepreneurship Support Initiatives, which seeks to influence public policy to create a more united and inclusive Spanish entrepreneurship ecosystem Pablo's personal story is one of overcoming challenges and adversity. Growing up in Madrid in a humble family and , he lost his father at a young age and had to navigate financial difficulties. However, he was able to secure a scholarships to study at United World College with students from around the world, and went on to study mechanical engineering and Chinese at Brown University. After working as an engineer in Thailand and China, Pablo pursued two master's degrees at Carnegie Mellon and worked for the United Nations before founding Bridge for Billions at the age of 24. Despite facing challenges, including a burnout in 2019, Pablo has been able to lead a team of over 50 professionals from 22 different countries across three continents, with impact in 120 countries. Bridge for Billions is now one of the largest and most inclusive networks of incubator programs in the world, having supported over 3,600 entrepreneurs who have raised $54 million in funding and created over 6,000 jobs. Through its innovative and scalable approach, Bridge for Billions is tackling the lack of meritocracy and inclusivity in the entrepreneurship ecosystem, and has been recognized by Ashoka for its potential to drive systemic change