• On November 19, at Parque E, the city’s new entrepreneurship model was presented, with the participation of EAFIT, the University of Antioquia and the Pontificia Bolivariana University.
• Nine business ideas shared with a jury the progress of five months of work. Erco Energía, Tappus and Gestar Cultural were the University’s projects.
This is one of the nine business ideas that make up a pilot project set up by EAFIT, the University of Antioquia and the Pontificia Bolivariana University, which seeks, with support from the Entrepreneurship Park and the Mayor’s Office of Medellin, to improve the business creation capabilities of each of these higher education institutions.
The Pitches by entrepreneurs that make a difference, the name given to the event, were made on Tuesday, November 19, at Parque E installations, as part of the agenda of the Global Entrepreneurship Week, and each participating university presented three initiatives.
These initiatives presented before a jury that evaluated the progress made during the five months of development of this strategy for strengthening entrepreneurship units at these universities, a project in which they invested 750 million pesos.
Erco Energía, TappTus (previously Nueva Era) and Gestar Cultural presented for EAFIT; Hidrocaz-Sistemas de Gestión Geográfica, Vital Plant and Hornos Ecoeficientes for the University of Antioquia; and, for the Pontificia Bolivariana University, Aerobotes Dita Is Functional and Protection and Ascendencia.
"It was a great challenge, above all, because this is a new field for us. As artists we’re realizing that we need to open up to these spaces so we can strengthen our art. We’re already talking in business terms,” said Juan Pablo Valencia, after pitching his company that focuses on cultural management.
Another entrepreneur from EAFIT who participated in this event was Samuel Henao Cadavid, a Production Engineering alumnus. When presenting his company Tappus, which focuses on taking advantage of virtual advertising spaces aimed at specific audiences, he highlighted the fact that this experience has given him tools and knowledge that will help him grow his business.
Corporate consolidation
These nine initiatives, along with another 18 business ideas, make up an agreement that has the main goal of getting universities to lead sensitization, training, identification and structuring processes for entrepreneurial initiatives within the courses they offer, and also by carrying out activities and programs that will incentivize them.
During this event, Patricia Fuel Hernández, director of the Entrepreneurship Park, stated that, apart from the financial resources received, the entrepreneurs have been accompanied by well-known businesspeople and by Parque E advisors at each step.
Cristina Henao Rodas, from Cadena S.A; Julio César Palacio Correa, from Nutresa; Catalina Castaño Yepes, from Ruta N; Juan Sebastián Franco, from Andi; Juan Andrés Vásquez, from Promotora; Luz Elena Castrillón, from Cecif; Alfonso Vélez, from EAFIT; and Conrado Mora Velásquez, from Compañía Nacional de Chocolates sat on the jury that heard the pitches.
Luz Elena Castrillón highlighted that this exercise has put into evidence the growth and evolution of each innovative project. “This has been an extraordinary process that showed its fruits to us, the entrepreneurs and the city ".
The entrepreneurship presentation is one of the joint work stages of a project that was signed this past July. Now it will enter a new phase where the initiatives will get feedback on any adjustments they need to make and will focus on building a market.
Mayores informes
Marcela Olarte Melguizo
Journalist Information and Press Area
Telephone: 574 2619500 Ext. 9931 Mobile: 3113547204
Email:
molartem@eafit.edu.co