A Box of Babson Businesses

A Spoten Box
Listen

The term “asset” has different meanings to different people. Some may consider the word purely from a financial perspective, such as homes, cars, or savings. To others, it could mean anything of value.

Spoten founder and CEO Ivan Sene MBA’21, though, defines the word “asset” in more personal terms. To him, it’s everyone who makes up the Babson College community.

“The chance of networking with anyone in the world, to call someone and have the doors open, to do business or to work in another company,” Sene said. “The most important thing we all carry is being Babson proud.”

It’s this community that has played a vital role in Sene’s pandemic-influenced business pivot from his data-management company, Spoten, to Spoten Box, which sells boxes stocked with items and vouchers from and to Babson alumni-founded businesses.

A Team Effort

Sene worked a steady job at Shell in Brazil for several years and was on a career path to a management role. And, yet, he wasn’t happy.

It was a career as an entrepreneur that he craved, and at Babson, a fulfilling sense of community he has since found.

“The reason I selected Babson was because I knew after these two years I was going to become an entrepreneur,” Sene said. “I take pride in that.”

Together with Mohammed Alnaimi MBA’21, Joao Alves MSEL’20, and Leonardo Kim ’20, these students have partnered with 17 Babson alumni-founded businesses, from high-profile companies such as Bombas, to plant-based tonic businesses such as Waku, and sustainability-inspired ventures such as UNfabricated.

Ivan Sene MBA’21 and Joao Alves MSEL'20.
Ivan Sene MBA’21 and Joao Alves MSEL’20.

“This is not an individual’s work,” Sene said. “This is Entrepreneurial Thought & Action® in practice. … These opportunities are never coming back again.”

Alnaimi added: “Me being a Babson MBA, with another Babson MBA, working together and applying the stuff we learned at school, to not just impact our career but also people around us, that’s what inspired me the most to be part of this company.”

The first Spoten Box was purchased on October 22. Since then, the company has sold more than 150 boxes. “We’re happy with that,” Sene said. “The sense of gratitude is what empowers us to keep going.”

Making the Most of this Model

Spoten Box’s mission goes beyond profitability. In addition to finding community, Sene now is seeking to build it by encouraging and inspiring future Babson College entrepreneurs to create businesses of their own that can be featured alongside the ones partnering with Spoten Box. These connections, Alnaimi said, help build relationships among entrepreneurs.

In this next normal, the company plans to continue to explore innovative ideas, some under consideration include developing a subscription-box service to the Babson community, or perhaps additional institutions.

“We can leverage this same business model throughout America, maybe even the world,” Sene said. “The most important thing now is to allow everyone in the community to fly high and be a Babson hero.”

Are you interested in being featured in the next version of the Box? Email Sene directly at isene1@babson.edu.

Posted in Community

More from  »

Latest Stories

Two people sit next to each other in a classroom
As Workforce Needs Evolve, Babson Expands Its Commitment to Professional and Executive Education To better support organizations and professionals in rapidly changing times, Babson launches an expanded Professional and Executive Education portfolio, offering courses that are online, flexible, and urgently needed, while investing in a new lodging and conference center on campus.
By
John Crawford
Senior Journalist
John Crawford
A writer for Babson Thought & Action and the Babson Magazine, John Crawford has been telling the College’s entrepreneurial story for more than 15 years. Assignments for Babson have taken him from Rwanda to El Salvador, from the sweet-smelling factory of a Pennsylvania candy maker, to the stately Atlanta headquarters of an NFL owner, to the bustling office of a New York City fashion designer. Beyond his work for Babson, he has written articles and essays for The Philadelphia Inquirer, Notre Dame Magazine, The Good Men Project, and other publications. He can be found on Twitter, @crawfordwriter, where he tweets about climate change.
June 23, 2025

Posted in Community, Entrepreneurial Leadership

Andrew “Zach” Zacharakis applauds while sitting at a table during a BCERC dinner
Honoring Andrew ‘Zach’ Zacharakis for 20 Years as BCERC Director As the 45th annual entrepreneurship research conference returns to Babson’s campus, BCERC pays tribute to Professor Andrew “Zach” Zacharakis for two decades of service. Zacharakis shares reflections of BCERC and its impact.
By
Eric Beato
Editor / Writer
Eric Beato
Eric Beato is the Editor of Babson Thought & Action and Babson Magazine. A native of Chicago and a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism, Eric has worked as an editor and writer at newspapers across the country, including the Chicago Sun-Times and Boston Herald. Eric joined Babson College in 2019 after working as the communications director for a private educational travel company and as the managing editor of six regional sports publications.
June 16, 2025

Posted in Community, Entrepreneurial Leadership

Public safety dog surrounded by students.
It’s All in the Name: Hero the Dog Brings Safety and Smiles to Babson Trained by the state police, Babson’s newest Public Safety dog comes with unique skills to boost campus safety and community engagement.
By
Hillary Chabot
Writer
Hillary Chabot
Hillary Chabot is a writer for Babson Thought & Action and Babson Magazine. An award-winning journalist, she is known for her insightful reporting and dedication to detailed storytelling. With a career spanning over two decades, she has covered a wide range of topics, from presidential campaigns and government policy to neighborhood issues and investigative series. As a reporter for The Boston Herald, Hillary earned a reputation for tenacity and integrity. Her work at Babson College fuels her passions—to learn something new every day and conduct thoughtful, empathic interviews. She’s thrilled to be at Babson College, where students, faculty, staff members and classes provide compelling copy daily.
June 12, 2025

Posted in Community