Mar Villora is a second year student on the double bachelor’s degree in Law and Business Management and Administration or Economics at UPF. She is co-creator with Elena Olea, a student of International Business Economics at the University of Valencia, of “Compiso”.

The project, a cooperative of services to improve the quality of life of the elderly, recently won the Idea category of the UPF Emprèn 2016 awards for business initiative and skills, convened by the University’s Board of Trustees.

—What does winning the UPF Emprèn award in the Idea category mean to you?

Undoubtedly, having won the UPF Emprèn Idea award is more than positive feedback for all of the work done by my team and myself. It not only means considering Compiso a closer reality, but it is an effective way to align our interests in generating social value and enriching society innovatively and effectively.

—Are you able to combine well your work as a double degree student with being an entrepreneur?

The double degree in Law and Economics requires complete dedication. However, the University makes sure that the timetables don’t clash and that the classes don’t overlap, and we get on with our extracurricular activities on our own account. We always have time for what we are passionate about: in my case, entrepreneurship!

—How did the idea of ​​the project arise?

The original idea came through the Ruta BBVA scholarship, an experience that arouses social, educational and environmental commitment. And it does so with the desire to make you reflect on and contribute to some of today’s important challenges, such as social exclusion, major changes in the environment, and the personal enhancement of skills and entrepreneurial attitudes. We developed the project last July in Mexico, led by Initland, the company responsible for the BBVA Social Entrepreneurship Programme.

—Compiso includes personal, social and environmental aspects. Which are its main goals in these three areas?

With regard to the personal field, our main goal is to build trust with the elderly and their families. Secondly, the social aspect fosters coexistence and interaction between people with similar profiles, and lastly, if we live in synergy we reduce pollution and respect the environment, which allows living longer and better!

—What does the fact that it is being approached as a services cooperative mean?

Our company has adopted the legal character of a cooperative company because it fits in with our values ​​and interests, based on mutual help, democracy, equality, equity and solidarity. The decisions taken within the company must obey the ethical values ​​of honesty, transparency and social responsibility. All our customers are considered partners of the company and they pay a nominal monthly fee. In addition, the profit is reinvested in the cooperative.

—What needs does your project cover?

The project involves managing the rental of apartments to the elderly who need health care, and we provide their medical care in accordance with their particular needs. Consequently, their pensions will be administered by the residents themselves, who may reduce their spending as they will share the rental and health care payments. In addition, it also solves the growing problem of loneliness as the dwelling is shared with people who are in the same situation.

—Do you think the ageing process has changed much in people?

Of course! The ageing population is the main social challenge for the coming decades. The decline in the birth rate does nothing other than exacerbate the problem, which is solved partially with residences. At these centres, pensions are administered by the institution itself, which provides common services to the community, and with the help of families, who often cannot take care of their dependants. The inversion of the population pyramid is a reality.

—Is loneliness a serious problem in today’s society?

Absolutely. Recent years have seen an increase in single-person households in the over 65s. Loneliness results in a series of problems and needs that are directly related with ageing, such as social isolation, directly proportional to the age of the people our project targets.

—Have you planned to take a step forward to realize your project?

Yes, and the first step to ensure that the project goes ahead is to start by organizing leisure and cultural activities, as well as their dissemination in the various media to attract the first early adopters, with whom we will set up the first flat of a broader network. Once they start paying their instalments, we will cease to depend on the prize money and we will be solvent with the apartment rental, and we will contract out the other services we wish to offer.

—Are young people’s entrepreneurial spirit and social commitment on the rise?

Totally. My main recommendation for everyone who has an idea is that, even if they are still learning in their respective fields, they can make every possible contribution to create socially sustainable future projects that meet real needs and improve our society. In short, they must provide all of the social value within their power and not be afraid to make mistakes.