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MIP MBAs Visit Google, IBM, And Tech Startups In Silicon Valley

Silicon Valley trip opens new career opportunities for MBA students at Italy’s MIP Politecnico di Milano

Thu Jun 22 2017

BusinessBecause
For one week in April this year, MBA students from Italy’s MIP Politecnico di Milano visited global firms like Google and networked with senior execs in San Francisco’s Silicon Valley – the world’s hottest tech startup hub.

The one-year MIP MBA was designed with over 30 official partner companies including top tech firms like Amazon, Blackberry, IBM, Vodafone, and Microsoft – all involved through MBA project work and placement opportunities

IBM helps deliver a cutting-edge big data and business analytics seminar as part of the MIP MBA curriculum. 55% of graduate job opportunities are found by the school’s careers service. 96% of graduates seeking employment find jobs within six months of graduation. MIP lists Amazon among its top MBA employers.

Out in Silicon Valley, MIP MBA students explored new career opportunities, networking with Pierluigi Zappacosta, co-founder of Logitech, and visiting Google, IBM, Stanford University, and the world’s largest startup incubators.

We caught up with two MIP MBA students to find out more.

Nicola Draghi, MBA ‘17

Nicola worked for multinational companies like Accenture and JPMorgan Chase prior to an MBA at MIP. He’s looking for a new challenge in his career, and currently working with friends to develop his own business idea in motorsport.

On choosing MIP… I wanted to see other industries and face new challenges in different worlds. I chose MIP because of its important engineering footprint focused on innovation and technology, and its huge, high-profile industry network.

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The Silicon Valley experience was a real plus point; not every school can offer an experience of this importance in the most dynamic business area of the world.

On the Silicon Valley experience… The Silicon Valley experience was the greatest week of my MBA and, for sure, one of the best experiences of my life! We visited huge companies like Google and IBM but also the greatest start-ups incubators on the planet like the Plug and Play Tech Center and 500 Startups. We also visited Stanford University and the SLAC national accelerator, a real touch of science and innovation!

The best lesson learned? The fact that in Silicon Valley nothing is as easy as it seems, competition is fierce, and commitment is essential! Thanks to MIP, we participated in many networking events, exchanging ideas, opinions and contacts, and establishing strong connections with leaders and companies for present and future opportunities.

On the future… I am ready to face new challenges in industrial sectors. The MIP MBA has completed my academic profile giving me the analytical and practical approach that I was looking for.

The experience has deeply enhanced my business acumen, strategic thinking, and sales capabilities. I’ve had the best MBA colleagues I could ever imagine, and we’ve now become close friends.

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Elia Naranjo-Morelli, MBA ‘17

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Elia worked in law in her native Costa Rica before relocating to Italy for her MBA. She’s interning at a fintech startup in Milan until graduation in September. Post-MBA, she aims to return home to help drive her family chemicals business forward.

On choosing MIP… MIP differentiated itself by offering an internship and exchange opportunities within an already intense one-year program. The visit to Silicon Valley caught my attention during the application process. Everyone knows the most innovative companies in the world are established there, but you never think you'll have the opportunity to visit them and learn from them directly.

On the Silicon Valley experience… My personal highlights were the visit to IBM, where three scientists shared with us their groundbreaking research that they hope one day will improve all our lives, and the visit to 500 Startups, where Zafer Younis, one of the Partners, took us through the step-by-step journey a startup undertakes to get funding and eventually grow into a successful company.

I gained a great understanding of how Silicon Valley works, and how the mindset of seeing failure as a step towards success, and not as defeat, is what really makes the difference.

On the future… I want to bring value to my family business in the chemical industry in Costa Rica. The MIP MBA helped me gain the tools needed to achieve my personal and professional ambitions. I will carry and apply the lessons I’ve learned during my MBA throughout my professional life. 

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