The entrepreneur highlighted the significance of the historic moment we are living in, noting that Uruguay offers a favorable environment for innovation. “I often get discouraged when people say nothing ever happens here, but things do happen—there are no excuses. There has never been a time in history when getting things done has been so easy. When in history has someone failed one day and had everything turned around the next?”
Ciapessoni also emphasized the importance of Latin America for innovation. “We are the lungs of the world; we need to focus on regenerative agriculture,” he says. “We are in Latin America; let’s embrace our circumstances, embrace the continent, and make the most of it while defending it in our own way.”
There are people who are rolling in money but can't seem to find their purpose, and that's essential to discovering innovation.
When discussing the metaverse—the central theme of the 2022 edition of Social Media Day, titled “Million-Dollar Games”—Ciapessoni analyzed it from a critical perspective. “There are a lot of topics being discussed regarding the metaverse: I work with it a great deal, but they all emulate reality. We have to innovate in everything; we can’t just repeat ourselves.”
He argued that the responsibility lies with companies and organizations to embrace innovation, highlighting the capacity for innovation that can be fostered in Uruguay. For brands and companies, “the only commitment” should be to innovate, he said, taking advantage of Uruguay’s infrastructure “to do something different.”
We have to let go of our fear of failure; we need to try new ways of studying, of listening to music—in the simple things. If we don’t understand change, we can’t innovate in our companies. If you’re here, make sure your purpose is clear.
Ciapessoni concluded his talk by emphasizing the importance of the small, everyday changes we can make to foster innovative thinking. “Remember: innovation isn’t about knowing how to code or design. If I don’t make changes within myself, I’ll never innovate. When uncertainty arises, that’s when change happens.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ug94U2fgpiE
Juan Ciapessoni is a globally recognized entrepreneur known for his use of technology at The Electric Factory, a leading company in creative technology and innovation for the world’s top brands. His track record includes more than 100 awards, including Best Boutique Agency of the Year in 2021 at the New York Festival. He is also a director and VP of Innovation at the Uruguayan Chamber of Information Technology.