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YABT/OAS Announces Winners of the Talent and Innovation Competition of the Americas

The Young Americas Business Trust (YABT), a nonprofit organization affiliated to the Organization of American States (OAS), announced the winners of the Talent and Innovation Competition of the Americas (TIC Americas) that recognizes young entrepreneurs of the region and their business initiatives.

Thirty-two finalists were selected from over 1,200 teams after participating in a two-day exhibition in which they showed their talents and business plans and were evaluated by a jury of Peruvian and international experts.

Congratulating the competition’s participants, OAS Assistant Secretary General Albert Ramdin affirmed that the TIC Americas event “is evidence of the OAS commitment with the youth of the Americas and with the promotion of entrepreneurship by young people through innovation and scientific knowledge.”

Ramdin invited event participants to analyze the impact of the business initiative, explaining that “this is not only about winning or getting an award but about the impact it is going to have on your own communities. This is not an isolated event but something that will mark your and your society’s future.”

The winners in 13 categories were:

- Responsible businesses Award Winner I: Mi Guía Educativa.com from Costa Rica

- Responsible businesses Award Winner II: Prospera from México

- Responsible businesses Award Winner III: Vigo Pan from Peru

- TIC MERCOSUR Award: 3D Housing from Argentina

- TIC Américas Perú Award: Taximart

- Social Enterpreunership Award: Verdeate from Colombia

- New Markets Award: Mi Guía Educativa.com from Costa Rica

- Internacional Alliance Award: Wormhole It from Argentina

- E-business Award: Mikomovil from Colombia

- Tradition and Culture Award: Virtualibros from Uruguay

- Creative Design Award: Touchit Dream on from Uruguay

- Spirit of Entrepreneurship Award: Alyra Labs from Costa Rica

- Audience’s favorite Award: Clean Plastics de Colombia

- Eco Challenge Award 1 sponsored by PepsiCo: Big Tank from Colombia

- Eco Challenge Award 2 sponsored by PepsiCo: Ingenieros sin Fronteras from Colombia

The Minister of Labor of Peru, Manuela Esperanza García Cochagne, also participated in the TIC Americas awards ceremony and greeted participants, stating that “a competition like this reflects the concerns of the OAS Members States, expressed during the Summit of the Americas, to work for the youth and generate awareness and democratic responsibility in international and regional problems to generate a unified vision of development with equal opportunities.”

The winners of the TIC Americas 2010 will participate in the global TIC that will be held in Asia in August.

A photo gallery of the event is available here.

For more information, please visit the OAS Website at www.oas.org

Reference: E-221/10