Established in 2006 by the Technical University of Munich, GESS challenges young people from around the worldeach year to develop business models focused on two areas: sustainability and social impact.
Over the course of a week, Jared guided teams of undergraduate, master’s, and Ph.D. students in developing social entrepreneurship projects, taking them from initial business ideas to final pitches.
At just 21 years old, the Mexico City graduate joined the mentorship team for the Global Entrepreneurship Summer School at Tongji University. Photo: Courtesy of Jared Hernández
From Munich to Shanghai: 4 years, 4 different roles
His journey with GESSbegan in 2023 as a participating student in the Munich edition, marking his first exposure to the international program’s methodology.
The project Jared developed that year focused on tackling water scarcity in Mexico City.
One year later, Jared returned to the program, this time in Shanghai as a volunteercoach, while still just a sophomore student.
“It was rewarding to see that I could add value: giving them feedback on their pitch, helping them diversify ideas and sharing a perspective from a developing country, avoiding the ‘white savior’ narrative,” says Jared.
“I was able to spark highly valuable conversations with that team and help them build real solutions”.
Later, during the 2025 Cape Town event, an annual alumni summit, he was named a Core Member of the Alumni Council, a key leadership role within the program’s international community. Then, in 2026, the invitation arrived with a different title: official coach for Shanghai.
“Now, I don’t really see it as just an event, it’s more of a community where I continue to grow,” says the graduate.
A solution to the excessive use of pesticides in Vietnam
Among the teams Jared mentored, one stood out for tackling a critical issue in Southeast Asia: the excessive use of agricultural pesticides in Vietnam, which was impacting farmers’ health, contaminating crops, and fueling pest resistance.
In just seven days, the team developed an application prototype capable of identifying specific pests and delivering precise recommendations on which pesticide products to apply and in what quantities.
“The best part was watching them go, in just seven days, from a problem they had never experienced firsthand to a solution built entirely out of a conversation,” says Jared.
Since his initial participation as a student in Munich in 2023, the graduate has stepped into leadership roles within the program’s global alumni community. Photo: Courtesy of Jared Hernández
The youngest member of the GESS 2026 team
Jared was the only coach on the team without a master’s degree or Ph.D. Whereas the others already held bachelor’s degrees, the 21-year-old had only just completed his undergraduate studies.
“I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to add value, and that I’d fall short when compared to such experienced profiles. But in the end, that wasn’t the case; I was able to spark highly valuable conversations with that team and help them build real solutions,” he explains.
During his time as a coach, Andrés Jared worked alongside mentors from Mexico, Russia, China, and Germany, highlighting how each country paints the canvas of social entrepreneurship with its own unique style.
Mexico draws on a tradition of mutual aid in times of adversity; China leans toward technological efficiency; and Germany focuses on organization driven by hard data.
““Although there are language and cultural barriers, we’re all looking for the same thing: to improve the quality of life for the people around us,” Jared emphasizes.”.
From Mexico City water project to PrepaTec classrooms
Jared is now a teacher at PrepaTec, where he teaches IB Business Management.
There, he brings the global perspective and social entrepreneurship mindset he developed at GESS into the classroom, the very same interest that inspired him, years ago, to propose a solution to water scarcity in Mexico City.
Finally, Jared encourages students interested in joining global innovation ecosystems to reach out to Tec de Monterrey’s Institute of Entrepreneurship, as well as its professors and program directors.
“The world is smaller than it seems once you step out into it. If you’re privileged enough to have access to these experiences, seize them, because they will change your life,” concludes Jared.
In addition to Jared’s participation as coach, three other LAET students from the Mexico City campus attended GESS 2026: Gemma Selene Cruz, Ivana Garduño, and Andrés Páez.
The Tec’s participation at the 2026 edition included three students from the Mexico City campus, alongside Jared as coach. Photo: Courtesy of Jared Hernández
