‘New Business Competition’ Hosts Talks: Innovation and Collaboration to Improve the World

Emilio Velis will speak on “​Latin American Collaborative Solutions to World Problems”  [photo submitted]

A new business model competition focused on supporting ventures related to agriculture, water, and energy will kick off a speaker series in early March.

The AWEsome Business Competition will host two talks in March: “​Latin American Collaborative Solutions to World Problems,” featuring Emilio Velis on Tuesday, March 3; and “Building and Investing in Regenerative Indigenous Economies,” by Dr. PennElys Droz on Tuesday, March 10. Both talks will take place at the Arcata Theater Lounge in Arcata. Doors open at 5 p.m., with talks going from 5:30-6:30, followed by a meet and greet.

Velis is one of MIT’s top eight innovators under 35 years old in Central America. He is coming to Humboldt from El Salvador to present on his past projects aimed at tackling the pressing needs communities face, particularly rural communities. His projects utilize various levels of technology, often are entrepreneurship driven, and are always participatory.

“We’re in love with technology, but sometimes we don’t know for what purpose,” says Velis. His work shows how exploring technology has a purpose, making a direct impact in communities.

Dr. PennElys Droz will speak on “Building and Investing in Regenerative Indigenous Economies.” [photo submitted]

Droz, the NDN Collective Director of Fellowship & Prize, will speak on the role of Indigenous Nations in the re-creation of economies that honor the Earth and relationships with our lands, waters, and each other. She will share her experiences supporting this practical work in Indigenous Nations and communities.”Emilio Veliz’s work in rural collaboration and Dr. PennElys Droz’s work in indigenous investments continue to inspire me. I am deeply excited for them to share what they’ve learned from their global sustainability projects, which are incredibly applicable here in Northern California,” says Lonny Grafman, HSU Engineering Lecturer and Competition Coordinator.

Sliding scale ($0-$20) tickets can be purchased at ​https://awesomecomp.bpt.me/​ for Velis’ talk and ​https://awesomecomp2.bpt.me/​ for Droz’s talk. To learn more about the AWEsome Business Competition, and upcoming events, visit ​www.awesomecomp.com​.

AWEsome Business Competition describes its mission as:

The AWEsome Business Competition is a business model competition in far Northern California for new ventures related to Agriculture, Water, and Energy. We host speakers, workshops, and a competition with real cash prizes. Our aim is to help grow entrepreneurship that improves our world in this pressing time.