More than 230 submitted plans, 25 finalists and 5 winners, are the impressive figures for the competition carried out in Argentina, for the second consecutive time since 2007.
From affordable rope pumps, to Braille stickers for groceries, to cosmetics based on grape polyphenol, to processing of natural fibres for textile industry and height-adjustable wheel chair, the winning plans are innovative, scalable and will have a positive impact in the sustainable development of the region where they will be rolled out.

The Jury
The members of the jury were Mr. Juan Padilla, President and founder of GPS; Mr. Enrique Draier, President and founder of IECyT; Mr. Santiago Pinto, founder of bumeran.com, among other firms; Mr. Alan Gegenschatz, TNT Argentina CEO; Mr. Julián Baamonede, commercial and organization strategy consultant for SME; Mr. Alejandro Maglione, director and executive director of Argenpyme Foundation; Mr. Esteban Galuzzi, general manager for Intel Cono Sur; Mr. Alberto González del Solar, Codere CEO; and Mr. Fernando Oriz de Roa, Avex S.A. founder.

The winners
Following, details on BiD Challenge winners

First Prize: Gustavo Gennuso, Emprendimientos Tecnologías para la Vida (Entrepreneurship Life Technologies). San Carlos de Bariloche, Río Negro.
Technologies to upgrade life quality among those less favoured in such basic things as water, power, or central heating. ETV makes and commercializes rope pumps for water extraction and other products to meet the basic needs of those less favoured to whom it is only possible to reach through social organizations and associated Government institutions. ETV is a firm with national and international projection, whose clients’ life quality indeed is improved through their products. www.etvida.com.ar

Second Prize: Santiago Saravia, Blessit; Ciudad de Buenos Aires
Through Blessit products and services, other firms can easily reach a handicapped clients target. Blessit offers tools and solutions to make them loyal clients.

Third Prize: Gustavo Adrián Rojas, Fibras Naturales para el Desarrollo – Inti-Pacha (Natural Fibres for Development); San Salvador de Jujuy
Processing plant for natural fibres. The project consists in establishing a natural fibres processing plant to classify, card and wash llama fibre in order to make tops of llama fibre. The managing structure must benefit all the chain links, as well as take advantage of the region’s sustainable natural resources.

Third prize: Fabián Alfaro, Metalúrgica Futuro; San Salvador de Jujuy. The handicapped implements and rehabilitation equipment factory has developed a new adjustable wheelchair: this mechanism is simple, not expensive and functional, and will allow clients to overcome architectonic barriers such as a high counter or check in desk. Also, it will allow users to execute those activities impossible to carry out with a normal wheelchair.

Third prize: Claudia Segovia, DAZZcare; Ciudad de Buenos Aires
Natural skin-cosmetics products, rich in polyphenol antioxidants and made from Argentinean grapes. This cosmetic line offers anti-age properties in each of its products.

Special mention
Marcelo Boérgesen, Original Garlic; Tucumán
Production of original garlic derived products. Value added to commodity trough intangibles.

Nicolás Lanusse, Make it hapen; Ciudad de Buenos Aires
Develops, commercializes and distributes top quality food products, with positive social impact. Main clients are gourmet stands at supermarkets and delicatessen stores