What is it?
It is an invitation-only event and program.
The Sustainable Mayan InverTour (SMI) is a self-funded project that increases capitalization on talent, starting in Latin America.
It is an invitation to experience an immersive enriched environment where the convergence of visionaries and talent happens, to create and connect ideas with opportunities.
WHERe? WHEN?
Riviera Maya, México.
January 4th to January 9th, 2022.
Our main campus is based in Akumal, near Tulum, in a beautiful area in the Riviera Maya.
The program brings a unique enriched environment that includes Culture, Art, Nature, History, Exquisite Cuisine, and a Demo Day with national early-stage entrepreneurs working on EdTech, Software/Apps, Sustainability, FoodTech, Art, and Culture.
social impact
We have a big, complex problem with early-stage entrepreneurs in many countries, causing poor capitalization on talent:
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Uncapitalized talent: We estimate that 95% of entrepreneurs in Latin America lack adequate opportunities and conditions, for systemic reasons. For more information click here.
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Best teams? On the other side, leaders and investors integrate their portfolios and teams with only 5% of potential talent. The same people, from the same places, with the same ideas.
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We live in a highly fragmented, unequal society. Each market and region need custom solutions. There is no single solution for all.
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To design real solutions for the biggest problems we need a paradigm shift, adequate tools, inspiration, and wisdom.
The Sustainable Mayan InverTour (SMI) is one solution to this multi-sided problem. It is:
An invitation to broaden your vision, to create and connect ideas with opportunities in unconventional ways.
Global leaders, visionaries, and early-stage impact investors.
6 days in the Riviera Maya, arriving in Cancún, México.
Jan 4th to - Jan 9th, 2022.
Who will attend?
activities
The program brings a unique and immersive enriched environment that includes Culture, Art, History, Nature, Integral well-being, Technology, Education, Social Innovation, Exquisite Cuisine, and a Demo Day with national early-stage entrepreneurs working on EdTech, Software/Apps, Sustainability, FoodTech, Art, and Culture.
Plus... Networking, Recreation Time, and Fun! We have it all! Our main campus is based in Akumal, near Tulum, a worldwide known cosmopolitan tourist city with beautiful beaches and attractions!
CO-FOUNDERS
SMI Architect: Ing. Paulo César Ramírez Silva. Founder & CEO, EmprendHEC, an EdTech-Fintech platform for early-stage undiscovered entrepreneurial talent.
He is a Computer and Systems Engineer, Author, and Award-Winning Tech Entrepreneur based in Mexico.
Olga Enciso Smith.
Based in Silicon Valley in San José California, Olga is the Founder & CEO of the Machu Picchu Gallery of the Americas.
Former Chairwoman of the Board and President of the Greater San Jose Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
PARTNERS AND ALLIES
Mexico's National Institute of Technology, Campus Felipe Carrillo Puerto.
Our host and liaison with State Government.
Quintana Roo State Government (Mexico)
Tulum Art Club
Red de Asociaciones y Fundaciones Empresariales, Fundación Grupo México.
SPECIAL GUESTS
Hira Dangol
(USA)
Founders Series Chair, VLAB (Previously MIT-Stanford Venture Lab).
Founding Partner, Stanford focused LEAD Incubator and Startups Accelerator.
Advisory Council Member, Harvard Business Review.
Global Panel Member, MIT Technology Review.
Visiting AI/ML Fellow, MIT Media Lab, MIT.
Samira Khan
(USA)
Director of Citizenship,
Market Development, AI &
Sustainability at Microsoft
Corporation.
Angel Investor, Social
Impact Changemaker
focused on advancing
societal wellbeing and
solving global challenges.
Massimo Mercuri
(Europe-México)
Social Entrepreneur. Former innovation executive in Fortune 100 Companies.
In 2019, he transformed his lifestyle to win the battle against cancer. Then, founded AlterContacts, a think tank featured in United Nations reports, gold medal "Heroes of the COVID-19" for the "Lockdown Economy" initiative.
Sallie Jian
(USA)
Venture Capital & Corporate Innovation at SAP.
Head of SAP.iO New York which is the corporate venture arm of SAP. In her role, she is managing and running SAP.iO New York, including programs devoted to women and diverse-led B2B enterprise software companies.
Karen de Sousa Pesse
(Brazil-Europe)
Digital Advisor at Microsoft.
Belgium 40u40. MIT Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Bain & Co. Female Lead to Inspire. NGWL by McKinsey. Toptal Scholarship Winner.
Nanotechnology and Material Science Engineer, having lived, studied and worked in more than 20 countries
CHANGEMAKERS
SMI is not a traditional conference, event, journey, or program. Is all at once! Is an immersive experience, with activities led by, besides our Co-Founders and Special Guests:
Biol. Arturo Bayona Miramontes
Arturo is the Lead Biologist for the "Great Mayan Aquifer", or "Gran Acuífero Maya" (Spanish), the largest network of underwater caves in the world, located in the Yucatán Península, with a total length of more than 340 Km. The project is funded and supported by the Aspen Institute, NatGeo, INAH, CAF. He is a Faculty Member and Researcher at Felipe Carrillo Puerto Institute of Technology. A true promoter of nature, biodiversity, sustainability, and ancient culture; plus, a poet and a musician who founded his own small museum.
Maria Toshkova & Alfonso Garrido
Maria is from Bulgaria, lived in the United States for 24 years. Alfonso is from México. A unique couple: She is a senior professional on global development projects, and he is a marketeer, photographer, and an artist profoundly in love with culture, nature, and sustainability. Both started Legion Terra Foundation, a U.S. based foundation focused on the arts, wellbeing, and science. Maria is also the founder and CEO of Positive Impact LLC- an international development consulting firm, and Alfonso is the founder of Tulum Art Club.
Felipe Carrillo Puerto Institute of Technology
A unique Institute, led by a unique Principal. "Education, Science and Technology with Cultural Identity". Many of the problems nowadays in a globalized society are related to a mindset focused on isolation instead of integration: Us, and Them. This Institute of Technology has managed to achieve harmony with such hard topics, having its local communities, faculty, alumni, and stakeholders well-integrated. Almost 70% of its students speak the Mayan language, they are a National Award-Winning Institute of Technology, with the mission of being global.
A great program, in a great place, at the best time of the year, for starting 2022 renewed and inspired... with activities designed and led by our Co-Founders, Partners, Allies, Special Guests, and Changemakers.