Louis Prieto, a Madrid native now in his mid-forties, has long carried a curiosity about the world. This curiosity led him to the United States, where he settled in San Francisco in 2012 after completing law studies in Madrid. “I came for a six‑month entrepreneurship course at Stanford and ended up staying six years,” he recalls. He is the founder of a company focused on protecting nature and fostering a circular economy. The upcoming April 25–26 event will bring together entrepreneurs with strong ideas for reducing environmental impact. The gathering will support up to one hundred million euros in financing, with about 30 investment funds and 60 startups expected to participate.
Prieto’s passion for protecting ecosystems grew from his time in America. “San Francisco exposed me to a nature‑centric way of life. I encountered a team of people who worked at Patagonia, where founder Yvon Chouinard relinquished control to the planet. Private companies are increasingly engaged in restoring ecosystems and preserving biodiversity. Erdogan is a group I met there,” Prieto notes, underscoring the entrepreneurial mindset he embraced during those years. “When I first arrived in the United States, the European financial crisis was unfolding. I witnessed a vibrant entrepreneurial culture there, started my own venture, and eventually partnered with an American. I also joined a cyber‑intelligence company called Constelar, which impressed me with global innovation power. In Spain, many people left the corporate world without the tools or funding to start ventures; that dynamic has begun to shift in recent years,” he says with cautious optimism.
Back in Spain, Prieto tried to translate those US experiences locally. “I organized a pilot festival called Piel de Atún in Cádiz, a gathering of arts, culture, science, and sport. After that initial success, I exported the concept to Madrid. I submitted the project to the central government, and it was declared a public interest event. From there we launched MadBlue. The first edition took place in 2021, following the disruptions of the 2020 pandemic, Filomena, and a flurry of elections. Our aim is to blend art with nature, science, culture, and entrepreneurship to build a stronger, more connected society,” he explains.
A new venture capital fund
Beyond seeking capital, the event aims to seed real funding for companies. By year’s end, the plan is to establish an impact fund channeling 25 to 30 million euros to support Spanish tech and business ventures. Since the launch, MadBlue Marine has already sparked interest, including a green hydrogen vessel project. The first prototype is slated for sea trials around the Balearic Islands this September, with a target of 20 to 30 vessels in the Mediterranean by 2024. The initiative signals a broader push to merge environmental stewardship with scalable business models.
Prieto emphasizes that many scientists, entrepreneurs, and explorers are rallying to help safeguard the planet. MadBlue seeks to coordinate beginnings, innovation, and investment, while awarding prizes to standout performers in media, science, or sport. The message is clear: a lifestyle aligned with nature can contribute real value to society. He notes that Spain is seeing a shift in how young people view opportunity, embracing entrepreneurship and social impact with growing enthusiasm.
positive effect
Related coverage refers to ongoing efforts to translate sustainable trends into measurable outcomes. Prieto rejects the idea that sustainability is merely a fashionable buzzword in business. “Our focus is on positive impact. True sustainability involves measuring and scaling a company’s footprint so that it can be adjusted and improved over time. At MadBlue we aim to advance that approach,” he states.
Among sectors with potential, Prieto highlights regenerative products, sustainable aquaculture, and green hydrogen. “Spain has remarkable talent. The nation’s commitment to climate and nature should set an example. Scientists have given clear signals: if global temperatures rise beyond 1.5 degrees Celsius in the coming years, life on Earth faces serious threats. Responsible companies hold the power to change that,” the Madrid entrepreneur concludes.