Five university teams were the winners of the Santander Award for Business Innovation 2019 in its different categories, with proposals ranging from a magnetic power generator for cell phones, a bioplastic based on orange peels, to a device that helps people with paraplegia to get up and walk.
This editions which was organized by the bank, the most important recognition to entrepreneurs in Mexico and organized received a total of 2,643 projects from public and private universities in all states of the Republic, a record figure that represents 99% more than the call last year.
During the awards ceremony, the Chairman of the Board of Banco Santander Mexico, Marcos Martinez Gavica, stressed the importance of encouraging young people as a source of innovation. He also endorsed the commitment that the bank has made to higher education precisely for the benefit of university students throughout the country "through agreements with more than 800 public and private universities, Banco Santander has awarded more than 63,000 scholarships and infrastructure support totaling more than 1,250 million pesos in more than two decades of work with universities.
The Executive President of Banco Santander Mexico, Hector Grisi Checa, said that as part of his task as Responsible Banking, Santander is accompanying the initiatives of young people who have projects with great social impact.
To more than 200 young attendees, who are part of the finalist teams of the award, he said that Santander is aware that entrepreneurs need support and the "push" to make their projects come true. Therefore, "this year we are proud to grant 1.6 million pesos in prizes and give again the opportunity for talented young people to participate in workshops and boot camps to enhance their skills", this is the only support of this kind in the country.
Luisa María Alcalde Luján, head of the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare (STPS), said that companies play a vital role in building a fairer society. Luisa Maria Alcalde also recognized Banco Santander for supporting the entrepreneurial skills of new generations of young innovators and helping to establish the foundations for a stronger business ecosystem in Mexico.
She recalled that young people are a priority for this government and for the Secretariat that leads it and stressed the importance of promoting and supporting them so that they form part of the country's value chains. "Millions of young people with dreams, with a lot to give and incorporating them into productive activities is a great gamble, for this reason Building the Future Youth Program is a priority.
The guests of honour at this ceremony were: Luisa María Alcalde Luján, Secretary of Labour and Social Security; Enrique Graue Wiechers, Rector of the National Autonomous University of Mexico; Enrique Fernández Fassnacht, Director General of the National Technological Institute of Mexico; and Jaime Valls Esponda, Executive Secretary General of ANUIES.
Within the framework of the event, five teams of university entrepreneurs received the prizes corresponding to the category of Idea and Prototype.
Winners of the Santander Award for Business Innovation 2019
The awards to the best projects of each category, Idea and Prototype, are:
Category ´Idea´:
In addition to a face-to-face entrepreneurship course in the U.S., as well as the possibility of participating in TrepChallenge, Trep Challenge winners will be awarded a binational incubation process with stays in Silicon Valley and other entrepreneurial ecosystems in the United States.
The winners of the category Idea are:
First place
Second Place
Third Place
Category 'Prototype':
The two best projects are awarded $500,000 pesos each, in addition to the approach to prototype improvement programs at Top 100 universities in Asia, Chile and the United States.
The two winning projects in the Prototype category are:
The Santander Business Innovation Award is an initiative of Banco Santander supported by the National Association of Universities and Higher Education Institutions. As well as the Higher Education Institutions that work hand in hand with Santander Universities and Universia, programs that are part of the social commitment of the Bank.
About Banco Santander México (NYSE: BSMX BMV: BSMX)
Banco Santander México, S.A., Institución de Banca Múltiple, Grupo Financiero Santander México (Banco Santander México), one of the main banks in Mexico, offers a wide range of financial products and services, including commercial and individual banking, financial advisory services, as well as other investment activities. Banco Santander Mexico offers a financial services platform aimed at the medium and upper segments of the population and small and medium-size companies. It also provides integrated financial services to large multinational companies in Mexico. As of June 30, 2019, Banco Santander Mexico had total assets of $1.368 billion and more than 17.2 million customers. Headquartered in Mexico City, the company operates 1,394 branches and offices nationwide and has a total of 19,403 employees.