World Summit Awards: Entrepreneurs participated in the World Startup Championship held in Chilean Patagonia
Asters representatives were selected during the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Meeting Connecting People.
In the city of Frutillar, Los Lagos Region, the WSA (World Summit Awards) 2024 Global Congress was held, whose setting was marked by the landscapes offered by Chilean Patagonia, an area chosen as the venue for the celebration of the meeting recognized as the “startup world”, and which brings together leaders, experts and entrepreneurs from all over the world, to discuss innovations and solutions focused on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and technology.
The global event was attended by six startups from the Aster accelerator, which were recognized by Escondida | BHP in the framework of its Annual Innovation and Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Meeting “Connecting People”.
World Summit Awards 2024: posicionan a la Región de Los Lagos como epicentro de creatividad y networking
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The event brought together more than 400 attendees from more than 83 countries, giving startups the opportunity to make key connections, explore potential collaborations, and learn from the latest trends in sustainability and technology.
The meeting was attended by Aster, an accelerator based in Antofagasta that offers acceleration programs with a wide network of companies, through six startups in its portfolio with solutions focused on sustainability: Litiohm, Emma Energy, Movia, Bruna, Descon and EcoShower, which were accompanied by both the accelerator team and Gulliver, a company specialized in the design of strategies, methods and programs to build more prosperous, sustainable and inclusive futures through extreme collaboration and public-private partnership.
“The WSA Congress 2024 it’s an invaluable opportunity for startups, as it gives them the ability to connect with industry leaders, learn from new trends, and link up with other companies and investors, all while focusing on driving sustainable development,” says Consuelo Encalada, Gulliver Project Director.
For her part, Catalina Anguita, Portfolio Manager at Aster, says: “For us, as part of the Antofagasta ecosystem, it is important to understand how we can collaborate with other similar environments in other regions within the country. This event allows us to make visible the startups that today are impacting sustainability in different industries throughout Chile and especially in our region.”
Sustainable Momentum
“We are excited after our participation in the WSA Global Congress. The discussions on regeneration and sustainability, along with the creativity of the solutions presented, have been deeply inspiring. It is an honor to see Chile as the epicenter of these global conversations. This experience has reinforced our commitment to drive innovative and sustainable solutions that contribute to a better future for all,” says Madeleine Valderrama, CEO and founder of Bruna.
Patricio Quiroz, CEO and founder of Descon “We had the opportunity to join a select group of international leaders and startups focused on climate solutions, like ours. For Descon, this congress has been an extraordinary platform to showcase our sustainable electromobility innovation and learn from developments in the sector, exchange ideas and establish valuable collaborations.”
Antofagasta’s startup ecosystem has experienced sustained growth, backed by support from both the public and private sectors, including initiatives such as the Coppernico fund financed by Escondida | BHP. However, according to Aster, in order to continue promoting the development of the region, it is vital to expand collaboration beyond local borders.
“We face the challenge of strengthening our partnerships and working together to support local entrepreneurs and unleash the potential of talents residing in different corners of our region, Chile and beyond. That is why our participation in the WSA 2024 Congress is relevant, even more so considering that it was held in Chile, as it allows us to generate connections and potential collaborations for our region of Antofagasta, where the industries powered by Aster can transition towards more sustainable mining,” said Catalina Anguita.