Biophotonic prints for better food preservation, water quality win 2012 ideas contest

(Caracas, Nov. 16, 2012).- Biophotonic Prints with APSE Technology, a project that inhibits the reproduction of microorganisms in the water and allows better food preservation through a natural and physical process activated by sunlight, won first prize in the business category at the Ideas Contest 10th edition and the Business Innovation Award that CAF –development bank in Latin America– will present this year.

The initiative, proposed by Federico Fernández, Julio De Lavergne and Víctor Franco Levi, was selected as the best business plan, out of nearly 900 submissions this year.

The jury highlighted the proposal’s individual, local and global impact, as it promises less bacteria, less disease, fewer additives, more safety, higher quality, and better health and wellness in the industrial and agricultural processes.

CAF Public Policy and Competitiveness Director Michael Penfold announced the winner of the special prize, noting it is awarded to projects in the business category that introduce significant improvements or new products, processes, marketing methods or organizational methods in company in-house practices.

“We at CAF have awarded the prize to this project as we believe the initiative will provide an innovative solution to the food and health sectors by inhibiting the reproduction of microorganisms in water and food,” Penfold said. Project authors, Venezuelans Victor Franco Levi and Federico Fernández and Panamanian Julio Lavergne, will receive 45,000 bolivars to promote their project.

Innovation for Development

Ideas Foundation awarded the second prize to the Ladder Platform, presented by entrepreneurs Adriana Mata and María Teresa Buroz, who offer an automated service for measuring social impact, allowing companies and social development organizations to quantify the effect of their social responsibility education programs, efficiently and at a lower cost.

Vegetable and legume based organic flours, a project by Célida Matute and Néstor Rosales, took the third prize. The jury valued the proposal’s potential mainly for the market of people who are allergic or intolerant to gluten and those who have celiac disease or autism.

As is now traditional, the Ideas Contest also awarded honorable mentions. In this category, the jury awarded the recognition to Atelier - Factory of Stringed Musical Instruments, presented by Fabio Cruz, José Manuel Barroso and Nelson Guerreiro.

This proposal calls for the creation of the first Venezuelan factory of classical music instruments, bowed strings (midrange to high), aimed at the advanced students and professional musicians’ market.

Social Entrepreneurship

For the 10th year in a row, the Ideas Contest promotes social initiatives by both individuals and organizations. In this edition, the jury awarded the 2012 Social Entrepreneurship prize to projects Electronic Pencil and Notebook and Fundación Sanando (Healing Foundation).

Electronic Pencil and Notebook, a project presented by Alfredo Blanco, Irene Blondel and Jesús Blanco, also got the third place in the Education mention of the Americas Innovators Awards, which is also supported by CAF.

This project involves the large-scale manufacture of two devices that will write in Braille or a new system called PRD. The data will be turned into letter and sound, allowing them to be read by sighted people and heard by the blind.

Under the slogan “Do not let medicines expire, donate them,” Fundación Sanando, led by José López, Milagros Ramírez, Nelly De Freitas and Rogelio Velasco, promotes the donation of medicines to be later distributed to those in need, in any region of Venezuela and beyond its borders.

In this category, special mentions were awarded to Maickel Melamed Foundation’s Peace in the Playing Fields project, which seeks to use sports to instill peace values in children and teenagers aged 13 through 17 from low-income households and in vulnerable conditions.

A special mention was also awarded to the Idearum Digital Memory Foundation’s Heritage Protected Areas, which seeks standardized methods for the conservation and protection of heritage assets with high historical and artistic value, initially in the metropolitan area of Caracas.

A decade of success

To date, more than 10,000 entrepreneurs from every region in Venezuela have registered for the Ideas Contest, with more than 6,500 abstracts submitted. Of these, 692 have been runner-ups, completing the preparation of their business or social enterprise plans, 162 have become finalists and 94 have been winners.

In addition, more than 60 percent of finalists and 90 percent of previous winners have achieved progress in their initiatives’ development, and more than 30 companies have already moved to the production phase.

Of the finalists, more than 16 are in the process of obtaining funding. Additionally, 14 initiatives have received support from government agencies and 50 proposals by runner-ups are being implemented.

The Ideas Contest is organized by the Ideas Foundation and Banco Mercantil. The Institute of Advanced Management Studies (IESA) and Law Firm Palacios, Ortega & Associates support the contest as co-organizers.

This year, Ideas was supported by more than 40 higher education institutions, members of the Tutor Network, plus 40 sponsor companies, leaders in various Venezuelan economy sectors: Chevron, Empresas Polar, El Nacional, Acumuladores Duncan, Cargill, El Universal, Cadena Capriles, El Mundo Economía & Negocios, Inelectra, Envases Venezolanos, Publicis Dialog, Televen, Shell, CAF - Development Bank of Latin America, Ford Motor Venezuela, Movistar, Digitel, Dana, Fundación Seguros Caracas, Tarsus, Unión Radio, Corpalmar, Sivensa, Tal Cual, Revista RSE, Total, Diario Nuevo Día, MRW, Pfizer, Oracle, Cinesa Soluciones Audiovisuales, El Informador, Notitarde, Panorama, Aserca Airlines Venezuela, Mauna Media, Domínguez & Cía., Microsoft, Prime Time Dos Literas and El Impulso.

The Organizing Committee informed the call for proposals for the Ideas Contest’s 2013 edition will take place between April and May next year.