Igone Ruiz de Azúa is the founder of Amazinglers. She has over 10 years of experience in the People function, focusing her career on corporate culture, employee engagement and retention, as well as internship programs. She is passionate about traveling, social impact, and weightlifting!

For those who don’t know you, who is Igone Ruiz de Azúa and how did Amazinglers come to life?

Igone is a girl from Vitoria who has traveled the world!

After living in Barcelona, Italy, and Brazil, I settled in London for eight years, except for a period when I worked in Sahrawi Refugee Camps as a project director. In all these places, I had incredible experiences that I will always remember with a smile and met amazing people.

Alongside my various roles in Human Resources, I pursued a Master’s degree in HR and Consulting, which allowed me to work in corporations, agencies, NGOs, and startups. Throughout my career, two areas always stood out:

Developing internship programs for students and graduates, which I implemented in Talentoo, Equinix, and Accenture.
Setting up HR departments from scratch in startups, focusing on corporate culture.
Additionally, while in London, I volunteered for five years coaching young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. My passion for creating opportunities for youth, developing programs, and providing new possibilities led to the creation of Amazinglers: Spain’s first internship ecosystem.

What sets Amazinglers apart from other traditional platforms or methods for finding internships?

Amazinglers is a unique ecosystem that integrates multiple functions that no other startup or company in the world offers:
🌐 Social network
📌 Job board
🤝 Mentor matching & headhunting
🎓 Training and internship program design & implementation
🎟 Events and community building

Our biggest competitor is LinkedIn, but research shows that many Gen Z users do not have a profile on this platform or do not actively use it. While there are a few job platforms for young people in Spain, they only publish internship offers and passively wait for applicants.

We take it a step further. We don’t just “place” young people in internships and leave it at that. Instead, we conduct follow-ups with both the hiring manager and the intern, providing two coaching sessions. We don’t abandon them—we equip them with the tools to ensure that their first job experience is successful, supported, and enriched with effective mentoring.

When it comes to internship program design and implementation, we are not aware of any other provider in the Iberian Peninsula offering this service, giving us a competitive edge as a unique ecosystem. We combine virtual experiences (social network) with physical experiences (follow-up calls, mentor-matching), offering a human-centric approach in the age of artificial intelligence.

How has your perception of entrepreneurship changed since you started Amazinglers?

I have always wanted to be an entrepreneur. While working in London, I thrived in intrapreneurship projects—creating, designing, connecting. Opportunities and networking (even within the same company) were key, and projects thrived thanks to diverse minds working toward the same goal. I was an entrepreneur without realizing it!

But when I finally decided to start my own venture, I was much more of a dreamer than I am now. I was eager to make the world a better place with all the knowledge I had gained abroad. I was excited to grow in my home country.

But reality hit me like a bucket of cold water. Developing my services (initially as a consultant) was not easy, and shaping Amazinglers’ product required multiple pivots.

Then came the challenge of finding clients. Starting from scratch, with almost no connections in Spain, selling my idea door-to-door was much harder than I had imagined when I first set out to create a positive impact.

However, it has been worth it. I’m not complaining at all. You attend events, meet people, and the startup community supports each other—we’re creating magic together! Institutions offer mentoring and resources, and that has been a game-changer for me.

My perception of entrepreneurship has shifted from idealistic to uncertain to realistic and positive. I encourage entrepreneurs to step out of their comfort zone, join communities, and connect with others on the same journey.

What has been the toughest decision you’ve had to make in Amazinglers so far

Honestly, I haven’t had to make any drastic decisions yet. I’ve been adapting to market needs, studying competitors, and analyzing ways to differentiate myself to create a unique ecosystem.

I’ve changed ideas, but always in ways that positively impact Amazinglers—none of these decisions have felt difficult or like a waste of time.

Perhaps the biggest decision has been choosing to bootstrap instead of seeking investors. I’m shaping Amazinglers exactly how I envision it, and I believe that’s key to maintaining its freshness and impact as a brand.

If you could go back and start over, would you do anything differently?

Honestly, no. Every step I’ve taken has brought me to where I am today, and I have a long journey of learning and growth ahead. I’m happy with how far I’ve come and excited for what’s next!

Advice and Reflections
What’s the most valuable piece of advice you’ve received as an entrepreneur?

“One of the best pieces of advice I live by is: ‘Create value.’ My personal motto is ‘Create opportunities’, and I’m doing that more than ever now. Helping others, connecting people… That’s the ethos behind Amazinglers. We become better by collaborating and supporting each other.

Entrepreneurs often find it hard to disconnect. How do you unwind?

To be honest, my work is deeply tied to my passions—maybe even more than it should be! But why disconnect when you love what you do?

That said, if I had to choose, my biggest source of balance is my friends. They’re outside the business world, they love hearing about my experiences even if they don’t fully understand startups, MVPs, or lean methodologies. That helps me relax—being surrounded by amazing people from different backgrounds, making plans, and, most importantly, stepping away from my laptop screen!

Quick-Fire Questions!

🎬 A movie about entrepreneurship you recommend? Catch Me If You Can, by Steven Spielberg. Intrapreneurship at its finest, with multiple personas.
🏢 A brand/company that inspires you? Nude Project.
💡 A quote that motivates you at work? Be Amazing.
🗣 If you could have a meeting with any historical figure, who would it be? Andy Warhol.
🚀 If you could go back in time, would you become an entrepreneur again? Without a doubt!

Thank you so much for your time, Igone! 😊