Entrepreneurship
Road to Innovate! Fourth stop: Mérida, Yucatán
On July 18, the Gran Museo del Mundo Maya hosted the fourth edition of Road to Innovate Mexico, our initiative in which we brought together Mexican entrepreneurs with leaders committed to economic, social and innovation development in the country. During an intense day of activities with inspiring lectures, panel discussions and a pitch deck, entrepreneurs and the general public gathered to explore the latest trends in the world of entrepreneurship.
The opening ceremony was attended by leaders in the entrepreneurial field, such as Antonio González Blanco and Mary Angélica Pérez López, General Director and Director of Innovation and Business Competitiveness of the Yucatan Institute (IYEM), respectively, as well as Mario Alberto Romero Cantú, Director of the Impact Hub in Mexico City, and María José Salcedo Campos, Mexico Project Coordinator at the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom.
The event's outstanding presentations were given by high-level experts, such as Alejandro Souza, founder and director of Pixza, who highlighted the importance of social impact entrepreneurship and its relevance for the future of Mexico. In addition, the event included enriching panels and conferences that addressed diverse topics, including the circular economy, presented by Angelica Perez of IYEM, and Berenice Hernandez and Jorge Atala, representatives of GIZ in Mexico. There was also a special panel with María José Cespedes and Patricia Desentis, where they delved into the possibilities of accessing financing for projects.
The finalists of Road to Innovate Mexico presented their projects in the categories of smart cities, technology and social impact before a distinguished jury formed by Juana Ramirez, president of the Mexican Association of Entrepreneurs (ASEM), Alejandro Souza, founder and director of Pixza, Patricia Desentis, associate of 500 Latam, and Nomara Parra, VP of Ozaru.
In the category of social entrepreneurship, the place of honor went to Leticia Jiménez Ramos de Piñuela, a Yucatecan entrepreneur who makes personal hygiene products that are making a difference in the lives of many women in vulnerable situations. Aware of the importance of promoting cyclical employment and providing support to those who have been victims of violence, Piñuela employs 25 women artisans for a period of 6 months where it not only provides them with a job opportunity, but also a safe and supportive environment for their personal and professional development.
Likewise, first place in the smart cities category was awarded to José Luis Ortíz of CPlantae, a talented contestant from Puebla. CPlantae is a company dedicated to the development of sanitation technologies that take advantage of natural resources such as aquatic plants and worms to clean and recycle wastewater. Its flagship products, the WormPod filter and Atla Technology, are easy-to-install wastewater treatment systems where worms consume the contaminants present in the water, leaving it clean and odor-free for reuse.
Finally, sinCarbono was our winner in the technological entrepreneurship category. From Monterrey, this project offers a simple-to-use digital tool that facilitates the measurement of the carbon footprint and circularity of SMEs. With sinCarbono, companies can obtain their report and start reducing their emissions through energy efficiency, renewable energy and circular economy measures.
Our 3 winners will have the opportunity to participate in the Innovate Entrepreneurship Programme, representing Mexico in the final event to be held in Guatemala on November 16. The Innovate Summit aims to promote innovation, entrepreneurship and productivity in Central American economies, while providing a space for reflection on emerging entrepreneurial projects that seek to generate a positive impact in the region.
With Road to Innovate Mexico, we reaffirm our commitment to promote entrepreneurship and innovation in the country, and celebrate the talent and creativity of Mexican entrepreneurs who work tirelessly to build a better future.