Caracas, September 3, 2021 – After five months of preparation, and the creation of sustainable business opportunities based on biodiversity, Innovation Eco – incubation program for entrepreneurship and ecosocial innovation of the Small Grants Program (SGP) of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), already has competitors selected from this first edition.
Fundación Senderos with its eco-enterprise: Momoy Soluciones Energéticas; Rutas Turísticas Surandinas, Cultivo Sostenible de Cocuy en Venezuela and Línea de Biopreparados para la Agricultura, were the ones that stood out in the pitch day before a jury of 10 eco-enterprises that participated in Innovation Eco 2020.
These sustainable businesses for biodiversity won a crowdfunding campaign on Green Crowds, the first crowdfunding platform for socio-environmental initiatives in Ecuador, as well as a specialized advice for the formulation of the proposal for the application of their projects to obtain PPD funds and a visibility campaign.
Alexis Bermúdez, National Coordinator of the Small Donations Program (PPD) Venezuela, described this program, which is setting the tone and creating precedents in the country, as a unique opportunity. He said, “This is just the beginning of the incubation program for PPD partners. We want to strengthen the execution of the Eco-Entrepreneurships that are part of the PPD and focus them towards sustainability. You are not just any project, you are doing things differently… We are communities that are changing the world”.
Meanwhile, Claudia Valladares, President and Co-Founder of Impact Hub Caracas – a community that promotes triple impact, financial, social and environmental entrepreneurship, and who were also responsible for the design and execution of Innovation Eco, highlighted the importance of the work of the teams. “You are an example that in Venezuela it is possible to create innovative, sustainable and impactful projects. You are a showcase of inspiration for the whole country, a role model for more people to follow the path of entrepreneurship with sustainable development”.
Innovation Eco concluded with a PPD knowledge fair in the facilities of Fundación La Salle, where entrepreneurs had the opportunity to present their initiatives and eco-products, to think about future actions, increasing distribution and getting visibility.
Get to know the winners.
1st place-Fundación Senderos (FUNDASEN) with its eco-venture: Momoy Soluciones Energéticas. They proposed the construction of Top Lit-Up Draft (TLUD) cookstoves and solid biomass fuels as a resilience and sustainability strategy for Andean communities and ecosystems threatened by climate change. This technology releases clean energy for cooking and controlled combustion of biomass while giving Biochar as a by-product. It is important because it avoids (mitigation) greenhouse gas from reaching the atmosphere, emissions reduction (ER). It promotes adaptation because the sequestration of Biochar in soils favors regenerative agriculture and the sustainable management of agricultural and forestry waste as renewable fuel. And it also allows the Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) of emissions that are already in excess at the atmosphere. FUNDASEN is partnering with Paul Anderson, PhD and Juntos Energy Solutions in the USA, to implement the “WoodGas Impact” strategy in Venezuela.
2nd place- Fundación Programa Andes Tropicales – Rutas Turísticas Surandinas: they expand and diversify the tourist offer in the southern towns, one of the least known regions of the Venezuelan Andes with the greatest potential. Not only in terms of biodiversity and cultural content, but also in terms of a fastest growing tourism modalities in the world. They offer a network of tourist services and products that covers three municipalities and at least nine communities. Where climate-smart agroecology and climate change management are practiced under biosafety standards and in an environment of social equity and high participation of women.
3rd place- Cocuy Chumaceiro – Sustainable Cocuy Cultivation in Venezuela: promotes the sustainable cultivation and commercialization of Venezuelan cocuy, through export quality products that promote the development of communities. And at the same time, create positive environmental impact for the preservation of the basins and soils where it is grown in the semi-arid region of Lara and Falcón.
4th place- Fundación para la Agricultura Tropical Alternativa y el Desarrollo Integral – They are a line of Biopreparations for agriculture: they offer a line of liquid organic fertilizers obtained by anaerobic fermentation of organic waste in the production centre. They also offer two types of biological controllers for the agroecological management of traditional coffee plantations under shade, and this favors the microbial flora of the soil and facilitate the availability of nutrients for coffee plants.
Innovation Eco was an initiative of the Small Grants Program (SGP) of the Global Environment Facility (GEF), and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), together with Impact Hub Caracas. The event strengthened triple-impact enterprises dedicated to preserving biodiversity. Empowering communities and promoting self-employment, quality employment, and favoring the insertion of women and young people from different states in the country. Who also work in initiatives to preserve the environment with the support of the PPD.
These are the winners of Innovation Eco, promoting sustainable businesses in biodiversity.