“Enthusiasm g financial aid s you to get started, but it’s perseverance that allows you to move forward and achieve your goals.”

A few years ago, alumnus Jon García Urbieta (Tecnun ’16, MII ’18) dreamed of studying at theMassachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). At the time, he was a junior majoring in Industrial Technologies at Tecnun, the School of Engineering at the University of Navarra. Once in the Master's Degree Department of Industrial Engineering , he was able to make his dream a reality and moved to Boston to join MIT’s Space Propulsion Laboratory. There, he wrote his master’s thesis on electric propulsion for small satellites and worked as a researcher.

Upon returning to his native Donostia in 2019, he began his professional degree program at GKN Automotive (now Dauch), where he has spent the past seven years working in the development of electric motors and digital twins for the automotive sector. His boundless curiosity about science led him to fill in pursue an industrial doctorate at partnership with the research center of Naval and Industrial Technologies at the University of La Coruña. Currently, he has decided to expand his business training with an Executive MBA at IESE Business School.

Jon García Urbieta during his time at MIT.

Looking back, he says there’s still a lot of “that Jon from Tecnun” left in him—always eager to take on new challenges. However, experience has taught him to value the process more and enjoy it, as well as to learn from the people around him and everything that happens along the way. In this way of looking at life, there is one key figure: his father. “I admire his professional career, but above all, the values he has upheld in his work and in leading others.”

How have you grown since you graduated from Tecnun?

At Tecnun, they prepare us very well for professional life—not only through technical knowledge, but also through the culture of hard work and the ethos of “ work.” I have wonderful memories of my years at the university, but it’s true that I left with the idea of wanting to do things right the first time. Over the years, I’ve learned that moving forward also means living with uncertainty, trying things out, making mistakes, learning, and trying again.

Your passion for science and research has been with you all these years. Is it possible to conduct research through business?

When I returned from MIT, I knew I wanted to work in the industry while continuing to delve deeper into the field of mobility, whether in space or in other everyday applications. It is possible to conduct research from business, although it is true that balancing it with work full-time is demanding. Over the years, I have published articles in high-impact journals, contributed to registered patents, and had the opportunity to present my work at international conferences. This duality forces you to have strong discipline and to give up certain things. That’s why I believe it’s essential to be passionate about what you study or research. Enthusiasm financial aid s you to get started, and it’s perseverance that allows you to move forward and achieve your goals.

Jon García Urbieta at the MIT Space Propulsion Lab ( laboratory ) preparing a propulsion system.

What is your “ work ” and what impact might it have on our daily lives?

My " work " involves developing virtual replicas of automotive components, such as electric motors or transmission systems. These are what we call digital twins. This was the topic of my " doctorate."

All of this can have a very tangible impact on our daily lives, as it allows us to virtually test many alternatives before building prototypes and to focus physical testing on areas where it truly adds value. In the automotive industry, for example, it can help us develop more efficient vehicles, anticipate breakdowns, or create better products—more quickly and using fewer resources. But this technology can be applied to virtually any field, from energy and manufacturing to healthcare: wherever there is a real-world system that we want to understand, optimize, or predict, there may be a place for a digital twin.

What are you most excited about regarding your work?

What truly drives me is developing sustainable technologies that have a real impact on society. After all, in the field of mobility , we strive to create systems that use resources more efficiently. Another important part of my purpose is contributing to our local and national communities by applying some of what I’ve learned abroad and striving to make a positive impact through my work.

 How do you see your future?

In the short term, I want to make the most of the Executive MBA I’m pursuing at IESE. My father, who holds a Ph.D. in Economics and Business Management and has served as a General Manager for several small and medium-sized enterprises in the Basque region, always shared with me his view that a great engineer must also understand the business side of the industry. That is why I have gradually been educating myself in areas such as strategy, leadership, team and project management, and people management—and the EMBA is the natural next step to broaden that perspective.

Jon García Urbieta on the MIT soccer team.

Beyond that, my professional future is wide open. I feel prepared for whatever challenges lie ahead. What I do know for sure is that I want it to involve technology, continuous learning, and people and projects that make an impact. I’ll probably never stop studying and learning, although the way I do it may change over time. I’ve also learned that life isn’t all about studying and working: I try to find time to play sports, spend time with my family and friends, and pursue other interests, such as music. For me, the most important thing is to be happy with what we do, act with integrity, and take care of the other aspects of life.