B-UIC 17

Be UIC-Alumni
Interview with...
Pedro
Gil
Alumni Master’s Degree
in Entrepreneurial Financing:
Venture Capital and Private Equity
Graduating class of 2023
Born in Venezuela, He is currently working as Venture Capitalist Analyst at BCombinator. Pedro studied a
Bachelor´s Degree in Mechanical Engineering in Bogota, Colombia. He started his professional journey
as an intern in General Motors and then he pursued a career in marketing as a SEM Specialist.
He is specialized in product development and start-ups financing, greatly interested in growth hacking,
sustainability, investment analysis and international experiences.
By Cristina Prats
— Who is Pedro Gil?
Pedro Gil is a young 25-year-old man born in
Venezuela, multifaceted, passionate about
everything and who has had the opportunity to live
and know many different cultures. I was born in
Venezuela. I moved to New York at sixteen to study
English, then I moved to Colombia to study
Mechanical Engineering. I also lived in Brazil for six
months. I worked in the automotive industry for a
year. Then I worked in my own ventures and today,
I live in Barcelona working as an investment
analyst at BCombinator.
— You just finished the University Master’s
Degree in Entrepreneurial Financing: Venture
Capital and Private Equity. What led you to
choose this programme?
Since the time I began studying engineering at the
university, I knew I wanted work in something that
combined social matters with innovation and
finance. As I entered the world of entrepreneurship,
I discovered the world of venture capital to be the
tip of the spear of innovation and knowing that I
wanted to be part of this, I investigated for several
months to see how I could become part of an
industry that is so new and so closed. At this point I
discovered the master’s programme that I chose
precisely as the door into this industry that I was so
passionate about.
— How would you describe your experience at
UIC Barcelona and how has it influenced your
personal and professional career?
My university experience was exactly what I
expected and a little more. High quality teachers
with experience in the industry, a very supportive
ecosystem, and all in a city that welcomes you with
open arms if what you are looking for is culture and
innovation. For me, it marked the before and after.
It allowed me to become part of a top-level
industry such as venture capital quite smoothly.
— What values do you think UIC Barcelona has
given you and how are they reflected in your
daily work?
At the UIC Barcelona, I learned many lessons, but
the most important were the lessons on proactivity
and responsibility. These values are paramount in
an industry where execution is appreciated, but it
grows when you’re proactive and determine to
continue advancing and learning in an everchanging
society.
— Tell us about your work experience. Where
did you begin? Where are you now and what do
you want to do?
When I finished my degree in Mechanical
Engineering, I decided to work for a year as part of
the planning team for General Motors South
America. After that, I was looking for professional
experience linked more closely with
entrepreneurship and decided to start my own
leads and marketing recruiting agency. That led me
to work hand in hand with a couple of promising
startups in Colombia and the United States. I am
currently working as portfolio manager at Y
Combinator and expect to grow in this industry
and continue exploring my own projects for
solving problems in today’s world.
— You did a work placement at Bcombinator, a
hub that helps build startups. Can you explain
38 — B-UIC