Thirty-five Latin American entrepreneurs learn how to pitch their ‘green’ business ideas

After intense discussions and feedback sessions, seven ideas were shortlisted that not only showcased innovative thinking but also held the promise of real-world applicability and scalability.   

In the days to come, the 35 participants would form teams to develop the seven validated ideas. These ideas would then undergo further refinement and mentoring to prepare for the final pitch to the panel of four judges made up of mentors and industry experts. Their role was not solely to judge but also to guide, mentor and refine these raw ideas into feasible, market-ready solutions. 

It was the D3Bio team which came up with the winning pitch. Its idea was to use banana plant biomass to produce bioplastics for different purposes, including three-dimensional (3D) printing material. Today, 3D printers can print everything from footwear and automotive parts to medical implants and dental products, but the material used is often plastic. The D3Bio team’s solution would not only be sustainable but also ensure that agricultural waste could be transformed into a valuable commodity. 

Another of the seven teams called itself Agriobiolac. It developed an idea for a biofungicide to combat various plant diseases without the harmful environmental side effects of traditional chemicals.

The Astrobiotics team likewise based its solution on natural products. Its ‘pharmacy’ was composed of a line of probiotics to improve digestive health. This venture tapped into age-old traditional knowledge, modern microbiology, and biotechnology. 

Health was also the focus of SMART Hand. Conscious that prosthetics tend to come with a hefty price tag, despite their ability to transform peoples’ lives, the team leveraged cutting-edge design and manufacturing techniques to propose a low-cost prosthetic hand that would not compromise on functionality.  

The other three teams also pitched digital solutions. The NAITURE team planned to use artificial intelligence to enhance customer service in the retail sector. By predicting the behaviour of consumers to offer personalized recommendations and automate mundane tasks, the aim of this algorithm would be to make shopping more intuitive and customer-centric. 

For its part, WeatheRED developed a predictive weather analytics algorithm to help businesses anticipate weather-induced disruptions.  

E-Steam chose to reimagine education. By offering customizable modules, interactive content and real-time feedback, this platform would bridge the gap between traditional classroom instruction and the digital learning realm. 

The Panama workshop was the second in a series developed by UNESCO. The first bootcamp took place in Cairo, Egypt, in early 2023 for 71 early-career entrepreneurs from ten African countries who all specialized in nanotechnology.