An opportunity and a boost
“The goal of the competition is to introduce participants to the concepts of decision-making and negotiation in business by presenting them with a situation or problem they must solve,” said Laura Morales, MBA—assistant academic secretary at the School of Management and International Studies.
ECOBRICKS, the winning project, was created by students Manuel Cancela and Mateo Latrónica.
Its goal is to manufacture eco-friendly bricks made from crushed PET plastic, cement, and water.
Speaking about her experience in the Business Challenge, Latrónica said: “I thought it was an innovative idea, especially considering it’s the first edition, and a great opportunity—a boost—for people who couldn’t afford to attend college without the scholarship. I also think it encourages students to consider attending college.”
“We learned a lot. Above all, we learned to work as a team and strive toward a common goal, delving deeper and becoming more specialized in a particular subject, while also seeking ways to provide assistance or a service, all while developing our own skills,” he added.
“We learned about business development, the guidelines a company follows when creating a product, what it looks for, and how it aims to meet the needs of the market and its customers,” added Cancela. “I think it’s a great incentive to keep studying, and it’s beneficial for those who want to pursue careers in the business world.”
The results of the Business Challenge were announced on Friday, August 19, at the Pocitos Campus of Universidad ORT Uruguay.
Reducing food waste and using blinds that generate electricity
The other finalists were 4W and SOLARGAPS.
4W is an innovative and practical online app that recognizes that food waste affects the environment, society, and the economy. That is why its main goal is to reduce the amount of food discarded each day or ensure that it is consumed.
SOLARGAPS is a solution designed for those who want to save on electricity without compromising aesthetics. These are Venetian/American blinds with built-in photovoltaic cells that generate electricity from the sun.
A preparatory session
The goal of the Business Challenge was to test the business and decision-making skills of high school students by presenting them with a problem posed by the faculty for them to solve.
The jury consisted of Agustina Alcantara—Senior Brand Manager for Dove Cross Category at Unilever, who completed ORT’s Specialization Diploma in Marketing —; Kevin Jakter—CEO of Rotunda and a graduate of the Bachelor’s Degree in Management and Administration—; and Alejandro Esperanza—CEO of Vopero and a graduate of the Bachelor’s Degree in International Studies and an MBA—.
The jury members stated that they were pleasantly surprised by the three projects due to their development, specificity, and consideration of social and environmental impacts, as well as the effort demonstrated by the participants.
“I think events like this are a very positive way to get to know the university. It’s an opportunity to explore the campus, see what it’s like, and meet professors, students, and alumni,” Alcántara said.
“It’s very enriching for the students. They have to prepare something similar to the projects they’ll eventually have to do in college and in their professional lives. It’s a great experience,” Jakter added.
“When students face these kinds of situations, it means that the next time they encounter them, they’ll handle them better,” Esperanza said. “What they experienced today is important for their academic lives, but also for their personal lives.”