Progress X announces the winners of Exponential Changemakers 2021
November 9, 2021
The Exponential Changemakers project, an initiative launched by Cementos Progreso, seeks to identify disruptive and innovative proposals each year from startups and entrepreneurs in the construction sector. Through its corporate accelerator, Progreso X, the company's resources are made available to entrepreneurs so they can implement projects that will transform the city.
The pillars of Exponential Changemakers 2021 were:
Human-centered solutions
Initiatives based on sustainability
Adapting to change
Culture as the foundation of their projects and designs
The winners of Exponential Changemakers 2021
The 2021 edition focused on water technology and smart cities, seeking to achieve the design and operation of smart cities that integrate technological solutions capable of promoting the sustainable development required by the growing challenges of urbanization in Guatemala.
After a process of gathering information, analysis, understanding sessions, and inspirational talks in the fields of Smart Cities and Water Tech, the participants presented their final proposals, which included their implementation plan, business models, solutions, and technology. The winners are:
Remote Waters: This Chilean startup aims to provide water purification systems that supply clean and safe drinking water to communities without access to it. The proposed systems are quick to install and easy to operate, with low operating costs and are also environmentally sustainable.
HydroIQ: Helping households, businesses, and industries use, manage, report on, bill for, and pay for water efficiently. The startup is based in Kenya and will focus on water usage management.
MetroPolder: Originating in the Netherlands, this startup promotes smart water management , harnessing stored rainwater for cooling, agriculture, and urban greening. MetroPolder will focus on water purification and storage.
The winners will begin developing their proposal next year using the Agile philosophy framework, in close collaboration with Progreso during the pilot project, each solving a particular use case.
“An open innovation program is truly successful when the concept is successfully implemented. The co-development format and the Agile methodology framework have been essential to the success of previous editions and will be again in this pilot ,” commented Erick Melgar, general manager of Progreso X.