Entrepreneurs from Latin American business schools presented their projects to regional investors and business leaders at the region's first international pitch competition.
The event took place on Friday, February 15, 2019, at Viña Edén in Punta del Este. It was organized by Universidad ORT Uruguay the University of San Diego in the United States.
This was the first event organized by the Spring Network, a network of business schools recognized for their focus on innovation and entrepreneurship: the University of San Andrés (Argentina), the University of Development (Chile), ESPAE Graduate School of Management–ESPOL (Ecuador), ESAN Business School (Peru), and Universidad ORT Uruguay.
A pitch is an opportunity for an entrepreneur to present their project to investors, academics, and other entrepreneurs in just a few minutes. Pitches are often moments filled with anticipation, anxiety, and adrenaline, as the presentation will determine whether the entrepreneur secures funding, inspires others to join their project, and receives advice from experts.
Students and graduates presented their startups to an international panel of judges for a chance to win two spots and two $1,500 prizes to participate in the University of San Diego’s V2 Pitch Competition. The event, scheduled for April 25, 2019, provides an opportunity to present their startups to investors from the United States and Mexico.
These investors will provide a return to participants and may even be interested in investing in the projects. It is also an opportunity to network with San Diego’s entrepreneurial community.
Skyclope (from Chile) was unanimously selected as one of the competition’s winners for the environmental impact it aims to achieve. This project aims to provide technological solutions using drones for the mining, construction, and energy sectors. It is a startup dedicated to capturing aerial data and processing it using artificial intelligence and video analytics software. As a result, it delivers business intelligence reports so that its clients can make informed and rapid decisions.
The other winner was Boki, a Uruguayan educational startup that supports the next generation through educational content, as well as interactive activities and challenges. This app combines software, pedagogy, video games, and the publishing world to spark students’ curiosity and motivation. One of its co-founders is Federico Bello, a graduate of the Graduate School of the Faculty of Administration and Social Sciences at ORT.
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