planet_ hack_ _ | WSA Global Congress in Chile
The WSA Global Congress in Chile was a triumph of impact entrepreneurship, celebrating innovation in line with the UN global goals. The congress was held in the beautiful region of Los Lagos in Southern Chile - the end of the world for most, the beginning of the world for many; including the diverse array of green start ups that have been springing up in the region like the Murta berries that are scattered throughout the area. The Global Congress' theme was planet_ hack_ _, to draw attention to the growing issue of climate change, and the growing opportunities for innovation that come with it.
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Program
Day 1
The intention of the day was to give the attendees the lay of the land; to help them understand the local ecosystem and to give them a chance to wander the quaint streets of Puerto Varas, a whimsical lakeside town known for it's adventure tourism and commitment to sustainable development. Winners, experts, investors and thought leaders began to gain familiarity with each others' names and faces.
Day 2
The second day kicked off with a bus to the Teatro del Lago, an iconic venue overlooking the lake in the nearby town of Frutillar. The morning was dedicated to a series of keynote speakers, most notably Marcus East (Founder & President at VentureForge) who spoke about the growing importance of impact entrepreneurship as well as the growing hype around investing in these sorts of ventures. The keynotes were followed by several workshops and roundtable discussions, and after lunch, it was time for the winners' pitches. On day two, these winners included the Business & Commerce winners (Group Loan Women Pro), the Inclusion and Empowerment winners (Dale Profe, ELSA, Ehsan Platform, SafeYOU and Law on your Palm), the Learning & Education winners (Mission Amygdala, ELLDI and Alfi), and the Culture and Heritage winners (Literary Highways, Fenek AI, Vacayit and Rongring Self-Learning Platform). The winners had the chance to pitch their ideas to an audience that included potential investors and collaborators.
Numbers were exchanged, hands were shaken, the WSA knowledge society was strengthened, and everyone went back to their hotel rooms feeling more knowledgeable, connected and inspired than they had the day before.
Day 3
Also in Teatro del Lago the third day started with some more keynote speakers, most notably Tara Roberts (National Geographic Explorer in Residence) who talk about the importance of social cohesion and the need for healing of historic harms, particularly around the trans-Atlantic slave trade. After several more shot talks, panel discussions, fishbowl sessions and workshops it was again time for the winners' pitches. This time it was the Environment & Green Energy winners (Rule Watcher and Rescue the Planet), the Smart Settlements & Urbanisation winners (Resilient Cities, Kõu Mobility Group, The Inclusive City and Mosquito Alert), the Health and Wellbeing winners (PenCS, Sehhaty and Checkpoint Care), the Government & Citizen Engagement winners (T3, Totoy, Digital Passport and Open Up), and the WSA Young Innovators (Stick 'Em and Verifee).
Day 4
On the final day of the Global Congress, the attendees were given an opportunity to nourish the relationships they had made over the last few days. The day commenced with some workshops and panel discussions, but afterwords the attendees were given the option of
- A Biodiversity & Nature walking tour where they could get a glimpse of Frutillar's stunning landscapes and biodiversity.
- Local craft workshop where they could learn from local craftsmen how to make some simple souvenirs with local materials and techniques.
Both options allowed the attendees to decompress and to solidify what one hopes will be lifelong relationships, strengthening the global impact entrepreneurship network that is WSA. The day ended with the Gala, in which the winners were celebrated, and the global champions were announced.
Why Chile? Why Patagonia?
Patagonia absorbs up to 3 times more carbon per hectare than the Amazon. Chile is a leader in Green Hydrogen - capacity to produce H2V cheapest than any other nation, thanks to solar photovoltaic and wind energy in the sites with the greatest potential, Atacama and Patagonia. Meanwhile, it has the potential to be a top lithium supplier, it has the biggest float of energy buses outside China and over 71% of its energy comes from green sources.
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Key Participants
Topics
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hacking climate crisis
Join WSA for some panel discussions on how to help prevent and mitigate the climate crisis through ICTs.
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hacking social cohesion
Learn from leading experts how to assimilate and include marginalised migrant groups, indigenous cultures and minorities.
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hacking impact entrepreneurship
Engage in peer to peer knowledge transfer, learn industry secrets and connect with key partners.
Core Values of the WSA Global Congress Patagonia
- Decentralization: The Internet has facilitated the sharing of information across even the remotest of locations, but the rise of digital divides poses a risk to society's integrity. How can we progress from an information society to a knowledge-based one? And how do we provide essources and access also for rural areas. What are successful models that allow people transfer control and decision making from a centralized entity to a distributed network.
- Collaboration: Incorporate diverse perspectives to enrich measures or solutions. Listen and learn from each other and best practices. Bold discussions, accepting different perspectives and meeting on an eye level.
Location
The Global Congress was held in Teatro del Lago, a beautiful venue with a rich history overlooking the Llanquihue lake. The surrounding area is known as the Los Lagos Region, and is famous for it's breathtaking landscapes, hot springs, and nature tourism.
Winners:
Media resonance:
Patron Statements:
50% of the world’s population is under 30, compared to just 2.8% of parliamentarians globally. If this proportion were reflected in a year, the views of those under the age of 30 would stop being represented just 10 days into the year. This is a stark reflection of the fact that millions of young voices are excluded from decision-making spaces at a time when the world is facing extreme systemic challenges.
Young people must be included in the decision-making spaces and their recommendations and innovative solutions must be meaningfully supported. Initiatives to support young people's leadership and efforts to shape our world's future to be better, safer, and more sustainable are critical avenues to engage with young people as equal partners to achieve Agenda 2030. I therefore would like to congratulate the work of WSA and, more importantly, the work of the WSA Youth Community in contributing to these efforts.
Congratulations once again to all WSA Young Innovators and the Global Youth Ambassadors of WSA
Felipe Paullier
UN Assistant Secretary-General for Youth Affairs
This year, the Global Congress is specifically celebrating the innovative spirit that drives progress around the world, echoing UNIDO's motto of 'Progress by Innovation'. The pioneering solutions presented at this congress show the transformative potential of digital technologies. Our shared task is to bridge digital divides that threaten to leave many behind, especially in developing countries. The importance of sustainable development powered by digital innovation cannot be overstated. From enhancing food security to optimizing clean energy, digital technologies enable and scale solutions to our most pressing global challenges.
Digital transformation and the leveraging of technologies, especially Artificial Intelligence, are revolutionizing diverse fields like healthcare, agriculture, education and energy. However, we must work together so these innovations do not widen inequalities, but reduce them and ensure that the fruits of digital transformation are accessible to all.
Entrepreneurship and startups are at the heart of this transformation. UNIDO prioritizes nurturing these innovative forces, recognizing their capacity to introduce groundbreaking solutions to our most pressing challenges. Our focus extends to bolstering innovation ecosystems within developing countries, where enhancing manufacturing productivity through digital integration can propel economic growth and development, marking significant strides towards achieving the SDGs.The WSA Global Congress 2024 is more than a celebration of technological advancement; it is a commitment to an inclusive, sustainable future powered by collaboration, creativity and innovation. As we move forward, let us continue to foster this spirit, ensuring that the advancements we champion today lay the foundation for a brighter, more equitable and sustainable tomorrow.
Mr. Gerd Müller
UNIDO Director General
The vision of sustainable and inclusive development that we have been working on in the Los Lagos Region is further strengthened by this type of initiative. We were the first to support the proposal to host the event, due to the impact it will have on the innovation ecosystem and entrepreneurship, with the visit of entrepreneurs who have had a worldwide experience. In this line, it is important that national authorities have joined the project in response to our call, as it demonstrates that the focus that underpinned our public-private Pact for a sustainable and inclusive region is calling on other influential actors to contribute to what we do from this territory.
Patricio Vallespín
Governor of the Los Lagos Region, Chile
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