Now that the Cisco World Drawback Solver Problem 2022 winners have been formally introduced, you’ll wish to be taught extra about every profitable crew and the story behind every innovation. The Cisco World Drawback Solver Problem is a web-based competitors that awards money prizes to early-stage tech entrepreneurs fixing the world’s hardest issues. Since 2017, the competitors has awarded $3.25 million USD to 78 start-ups from 25 nations.
We’re excited so that you can be taught extra in regards to the 2022 profitable groups addressing a number of the greatest challenges we face by means of technology-based options.
In response to the rising urgency to reverse local weather change, we launched 5 new Local weather Influence and Regeneration prizes totaling $300,000 USD. These prizes acknowledge options that may cut back or take away greenhouse gasoline (GHG) from the surroundings or regenerate depleted ecosystems.
Meet Unergy, a start-up based mostly out of Colombia that gained a $50,000 USD Local weather Influence & Regeneration Runner-Up Prize. Their answer assists corporations and organizations that wish to convert to wash vitality, however discover it cost-prohibitive, by offering a simple platform for them to attach with buyers who’re desperate to fund clear vitality initiatives in growing markets.
I sat down with Eduardo Ospina, the CEO and co-founder of Unergy, and Natalia Isaza, Unergy’s Chief Content material Officer. They shared how they’re attempting to democratize the battle in opposition to local weather change, how Unergy thrived through the pandemic, and their ardour for marrying expertise and sustainability.
What drawback is your expertise answer attempting to unravel? Are you able to clarify how the answer works?
Eduardo: I feel the largest work for humanity proper now could be the battle in opposition to local weather change. At the moment, the world wants greater than $2.4 trillion of funding into clear vitality to keep away from a local weather catastrophe. Nevertheless, even with all of the work that’s being executed world wide at this time, the present stage of funding solely quantities to about 30 p.c of that quantity.
We have now seen that, in Latin America, and in different rising markets, there’s a large necessity for liquidity to finance clear vitality initiatives. For instance, photo voltaic vitality has a excessive return charge and good metrics to turn out to be a actuality, however organizations have been unable to afford it. Regularly, corporations that say they wish to spend money on clear vitality discover that funding prices are too excessive.
Then again, we see lots of people like us at Unergy which have the liquidity and the will to finance clear vitality initiatives, however don’t have a simple approach to do it. So, Unergy joins these two totally different teams to unravel the issue by connecting organizations who wish to spend money on clear vitality with individuals to place cash into their initiatives. It permits us to democratize and decentralize vitality. For instance, with Unergy, somebody positioned in america or elsewhere will be capable to spend money on clear vitality initiatives for corporations in Latin America or in different rising markets.
Natalia: By means of our expertise, we permit any particular person to be part of supporting vitality transformation world wide. We permit the chance for individuals to spend cash on clear vitality not simply in Colombia, however in all places.
What impressed you to develop this answer?
Eduardo: I began the corporate with my two companions, Nicolás and Paola. We began Unergy as a result of we had been attempting for some years to promote photo voltaic vitality to corporations, however we in the end realized that the largest barrier—and the largest necessity—for clear vitality is financing. From there, we determined that relatively than promoting clear vitality merchandise, we might assist finance them and assist join others who wish to finance clear vitality with corporations that want the cash.
We’re a pandemic firm. We had been engaged on the thought a couple of yr beforehand, however we formally began in March 2020 simply when the pandemic started. That ended up being an excellent factor. Earlier than the pandemic, corporations used to have extra liquidity for initiatives and didn’t suppose so much about several types of monetary group. Because the pandemic, corporations have began to essentially take into consideration how they will save and the way they may very well be extra sustainable. Unergy is the very best match for that as a result of we’re providing financial savings. We’re providing sustainability. So, I feel it was an excellent second for us to open.
Natalia: I joined Unergy later. I used to be employed to enhance some processes in communication and advertising and marketing, and I simply actually believed within the concept. I linked with the mission and imaginative and prescient of the corporate, and I simply fell in love with the concept we might assist present clear vitality to anyone.
What’s revolutionary about the way in which you might be fixing the difficulty? What units your answer aside?
Eduardo: I feel that it’s comparatively regular for these with a number of funding to wish to spend money on clear vitality. What is exclusive about Unergy is that we dream in regards to the democratization and decentralization of unpolluted vitality. For instance, in Latin America, three large gamers are the homeowners of all the vitality in these nations. What’s necessary to us is not only financing clear vitality initiatives, but in addition permitting for retail buyers and folks from world wide to take a position.
How will profitable a prize within the Cisco World Drawback Solver Problem assist you to advance your corporation?
Eduardo: We’re increasing proper now into Brazil, and into European nations that want extra funding in clear vitality. The extra we increase, we can obtain an even bigger impression, so we will probably be utilizing all the cash on worldwide enlargement and sharing our purpose of reducing the $2.4 trillion in funding wanted to fight local weather change.
What recommendation do you will have for different social entrepreneurs?
Eduardo: I feel it’s important to cross your private motivations with the purpose of the corporate. Personally, I like what I do. I like to be right here, I like to journey, and I like to dedicate my life to fixing this difficulty as a result of I actually do wish to make an enormous distinction on the earth. Since I used to be younger, I’ve been keen about inventing issues, about sustainability, about vitality and electrical energy. Then, once I was in College, I noticed that it wasn’t nearly inventing issues; it was about inventing issues with a objective and inventing issues with the ambition that it might impression the world in a really constructive means. I feel being an entrepreneur could be very arduous for lots of people, however when you can benefit from the challenges it’s important to face to develop, and when you can benefit from the stuff you do, it’s higher.
Natalia: In case you can combine information of the continual replace of expertise with the will to unravel social or environmental issues, you may be the very best firm that may impression the most individuals. I agree with Eduardo that you should join your private desires with the imaginative and prescient and mission of the corporate. And if you wish to be right here and proceed right here and be motivated, it’s important to be able to be taught day by day. I wish to do one thing for the world and for individuals, and I like to attach sustainability with expertise.
Keep tuned for extra articles in our weblog sequence, that includes interviews with each Cisco World Drawback Solver Problem 2022 profitable crew!
Share:
