Progreso X, Progreso’s corporate accelerator, announced the winners of Exponential Changemakers 2022, at its annual global open innovation program.
The focus of the program’s fourth edition was to seek disruptive technologies that solve challenges related to design processes, construction systems, and operational management. The program intends to bring new solutions to make the regional construction sector a more efficient and sustainable one, supporting the quantitative and qualitative reduction of the country’s housing deficit.
Who were the winners? After completing the selection phase, the following 3 startups moved on to the «Innovation Loops» phase. They will work on a pilot project with Progreso and will have the opportunity to escalate their solutions in our region:
After the Call for Applications, 11 startups were selected as finalist based on their business model and use of new technologies. The startups that advanced to the final phase of the program were: 3DCP Group from Denmark; Automatic Construction from the United States; Baumax from Chile; Beawre from Spain; Buildpeer from Mexico; Dex from Chile; Evocons from Spain; Gamma Ar from Luxembourg; Kambiohome from the United States; Cuby Techonolgies from the United States; and Uncierre from Guatemala.
Afterwards, «Demo Day» took place, with representatives from each startup presenting their solution to a panel of judges composed of Progreso employees and external guests. Each representative received advice from Progreso’s Business Innovation Coaches, workshops, and talks by experts during a Boot Camp. This phase concluded with the «Final Pitch Day», where proposals were presented to co-develop a pilot project with the company.
Remote Waters (Chile), MetroPolder (Netherlands), and HydroIQ (Kenya) were the three winning startups in the Exponential Changemakers program. Remote Waters provides a water purification system; MetroPolder offers a rainwater harvesting system (PolderRoof), and HydroIQ provides a system to measure water use. In January of this year, pilot projects were launched, in which Progreso’s startups and business units tested these technologies in Guatemala. In June, the first PolderRoof was inaugurated in Guatemala City.
Its mantra is to create, design, and make disruptive ideas happen for the benefit of the world, through corporate innovation between Progreso, startups and its ecosystem.
