By Evelyn Mutzutz and Omar Arreaga

UVG Highlands represents! The Enactus team from Universidad del Valle de Guatemala Highlands Campus (UVGA) participated in the Enactus World Cup 2023, representing Enactus Guatemala. In this event, entrepreneurship and innovation are promoted among university students, and high-impact projects are presented. This year, the contest was held in Utrecht, Netherlands, from October 17 to 20.

The main goal of this event was to bring together students from more than 30 countries to present their social entrepreneurship projects. In the preceding months, each Enactus organization held a nationwide competition that allowed a team to represent their country during this event to become “world champions.” The UVGA team “Amaranto Plus” was selected the national champion on September 4th and had the opportunity to travel to Utrecht, Netherlands to compete for the highest prize. This is their story…

Images of the opening ceremony.

The beginning of the journey

The “Amaranto Plus” team is made up of 9 students: Dina Suy, Manuela Cumes, Gudelia Vasquez, Alondra Carabantes, Kevin Vasquez, Meiry Mazat and Evelyn Mutzutz, students in the Bachelor’s in Tourism Business Administration degree program; Jose Alvarado, from the Engineering in Agroforestry Technology degree program; and Cornelio Cotiy, student teacher in the Education degree program. Five of the nine students were able to travel: Dina Suy, Alondra Carabantes, Evelyn Mutzutz, Jose Alvarado and Kevin Vasquez. The students were accompanied by engineer Omar Arriaga from UVG, as well as Adriana Melgar and Johanam Abdalla from Enactus Guatemala.

The exciting journey began when the team placed first nationally at the beginning of September 2023. This achievement gave way to new challenges, such as figuring out how to get to the Netherlands. This challenge not only raised the question of how to find the necessary resources to get there, but also required developing a mindset focused on problem solving.

Determined, the students tirelessly explored several avenues, contacting multiple people and institutions for support. Although answers did not come immediately, perseverance finally paid off, and with great joy, they were able to purchase five tickets for the trip, a testament to the team’s resilience and efforts.

Photos of the students at the airport.

The weeks leading up to the next round were full of dedication and preparation, since the team was well aware that they would face stiff competition in Utrecht. However, team members also realized they needed to maintain focus on their high academic performance. As a result, each day was full of intense and constant work.

Furthermore, these were not the only challenges they faced. Some students did not have a passport and had to request one on their own, not fully aware of how  complicated this process can be. Carrying out the necessary formalities became a challenging task, given that at that time the country was going through an adverse situation. Despite the obstacles, everyone maintained hope and kept moving towards obtaining their passports.

Along these same lines, another difficulty arose. When they were ready to start the journey, the country’s roads were blocked and the situation forced members to make significant sacrifices, such as walking long distances to get to the airport on time. However, despite these challenges, the team managed to overcome them and were able to participate in the Enactus World Cup.

Enactus World Cup

The week kicked off with a series of scheduled events, including the team photo session and the opening ceremony, which provided their first opportunity to interact with other students. A few days into their stay, the presentations began, and a drawing was held to determine the order and the competing leagues. In the first round, Enactus Guatemala found itself in League three, competing against countries such as Colombia, France and South Africa.

The presentations took place simultaneously, and during the first round, the judges delved into the background of “Amaranto Plus”, the social enterprise that represented Guatemala. After extensive deliberation, that same day, Guatemala received the jury’s first place recognition in its league, which enabled their passage into the semifinals of the competition. Sixteen countries advanced to the semifinals, which took place that same afternoon, where “Amaranto Plus” faced teams from Puerto Rico, Italy and Egypt.

The presentations.

Engaging others 

The team took the opportunity to attend presentations from other countries, admiring the high, international quality of all participants, and reaffirming that Guatemalans have great potential in entrepreneurship. In addition to the competition itself, the UVGA team immersed itself in a series of activities throughout the week, strengthening its networks. Students had the opportunity to connect with other students, entrepreneurs and leaders, all while expanding their knowledge and keeping up-to-date with the latest trends in entrepreneurship and innovation.

Student reflections

“The Entrepreneurship and Innovation World Cup turned out to be an incredible experience for us,” says Alondra, a member of the team, adding: “We learned a lot about entrepreneurship and innovation, and we also made many friends from all over the world.”

“This world competition is over, but learning is not. We know what we have, what we need, and without a doubt, the next competition will be another great challenge that will be taken with all responsibility” highlighted José Alvarado. On the other hand, Dina Suy commented “we are sure that no one will return home the same; this experience changed us for the better and it will be one of many.”

Participants know for sure that not having won first place worldwide does not imply a failure, but rather a very valuable learning experience. They came back motivated because they advanced to the semi-finals, which  is a significant achievement. Kevin Vazquez pointed out that the team was always inspired by the phrase: “when we compete to improve people’s lives, we all win.”

Images of the announcement at semifinals.

Evelyn Marina shared her gratitude and motivation on behalf of the team, since they shared a dream that became a reality thanks to the support of countless people. She emphasized that success was not due solely to luck, but to preparation, dedication and hard work from each team member.

Juan Carlos Villatoro, Executive Director of the Highlands Campus commented on the students’ work: “[projects like Enactus Highlands and Amaranto Plus help] motivate our campus students to dream about their life projects and to be certain that they can achieve our vision at UVG: deliver ingenious and committed people to Guatemala and the world.”

He concluded with a message: “Now, the challenge for our team becomes greater, as we aspire to multiply these same opportunities for more young people of this and future generations. We want to contribute not only to our country, but to the world. We accept this challenge with enthusiasm and look forward to continuing to explore and make a positive impact on the world.”

Final message

We call on all young people, no matter which university they attend, to join team initiatives like Enactus. We invite you to join this exciting adventure, where you can acquire valuable experiences and skills through teamwork. You will also have the opportunity to share your own skills and contribute meaningfully to social change and progress. In the same way, we encourage professors and staff to motivate and support students to develop their activities. Everyone plays a fundamental role in the team’s success.

About ASPIRE

The ASPIRE Project is a five-year, $15 million project funded by USAID and implemented by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Universidad del Valle de Guatemala (UVG), and the Guatemalan Exporters Association (AGEXPORT), with the goal of creating a world-class, replicable model for how Latin American universities, in collaboration with the private sector, government, and local communities, can respond to local and regional development needs. The project implements a collaborative approach to research, teaching, innovation, entrepreneurship, and tech transfer, based on the combination of local assets and knowledge with MIT’s experience in the innovation ecosystem.