Climathon Ecuador 2025 concluded with great success, consolidating itself as an open innovation space where young people, professionals, and entrepreneurs from across the country joined efforts to design solutions to address the effects of climate change.
IMPAQTO joined this international initiative, which was carried out in collaboration with France and Climate-KIC, strengthening the connection between local talent and global perspectives to generate sustainable solutions.
This edition brought together 79 participants from 13 Ecuadorian cities, promoting sustainable, collaborative, and technological ideas to strengthen resilient communities and ensure food security.
Strategic Partnerships that Amplify Impact
The event received support from strategic allies who strengthened the outreach and the technical component of the proposals. Among them are:
- Universidad Tecnológica Empresarial de Guayaquil (UTEG), as the main academic partner.
- Fundación Recicla Latam, focused on sustainability and circular economy.
Thanks to these partnerships, participants received specialized guidance and access to high-level training tools.
A Climate Innovation Methodology
The process of Climathon Ecuador 2025 was developed under a practical climate innovation methodology, which guided teams from understanding the problem to validating their solutions. This approach was implemented simultaneously in 13 cities, connecting coastal, Andean, and Amazonian territories under a common purpose.
The applied methodology included the following stages:
- Understanding (October 2) – Exploration and in-depth analysis of the problem
- Ideation (October 3) – Generation of ideas and solution alternatives
- Decision (October 3) – Prototype selection and justification of its approach
- Construction (October 4) – Initial development of the prototype or functional concept
- Validation (October 4) – Testing with real users or stakeholders
- Iteration (October 5) – Adjustments and improvements based on validation results
- Final Pitch (October 8) – Presentation before an international jury, with 15 semifinalist teams and a three-day working process
During the virtual Bootcamp, the teams had 40 mentorship sessions with the participation of 12 mentors and 2 speakers specialized in innovation, sustainability, technology, and marketing, who guided the teams in structuring their climate solutions.
Evaluation with International Standards
The ideas presented were evaluated under international climate innovation parameters, considering their impact, feasibility, and potential. The applied criteria included:
- Connection with the Challenge: Level of understanding and response to the problem presented
- Local Relevance: Ability of the solution to generate benefits in the community or city
- Team: Skills, commitment, and collaboration demonstrated during the process
- Development Potential: Clarity about actors, validations, and possibility to scale the solution
- Transformative Potential: Capacity to generate systemic or behavioral changes toward sustainability and emissions reduction
Key Results
- 79 participants registered nationwide
- 28 teams formed in the initial phase
- 15 semifinalist teams, evaluated over three working days
- 5 finalist teams in the Ecuador–France grand final
- 4 international winners: 2 from Ecuador and 2 from France, selected together with our international partner Descartes
The Ecuadorian teams were the winners and presented Challenge 2: Resilient and adaptable systems for the agro-industry, aimed at facing natural disasters and climate change, promoting sustainable food security.
Winning Teams from Ecuador:
- Suelux – Challenge 2: Resilient and adaptable systems for the agro-industry
Members: Francisco Javier Paredes Proaño, Nicolás Alejandro Arroba López, George Mike Reinoso Franco, Alan Bladimir Carrillo Guamancuri. - Kpulí Voltando Terra – Challenge 2: Resilient and adaptable systems for the agro-industry
Members: John Ayala, Paúl Núñez.
Both proposals stood out for their innovative approach, environmental impact, scalability, and potential application in rural communities of the country.
Impact and Learnings
Climathon Ecuador 2025 demonstrated the potential of Ecuadorian talent to address environmental challenges through innovation, technology, and multisectoral collaboration. The process also strengthened the connection between academia, the entrepreneurial ecosystem, and international actors, consolidating a network of specialized mentors and new opportunities for cooperation.
As Belén Pástor, Head of IMPAQTO Labs, stated:
“Climathon reminded us that climate challenges transcend borders, and that only through empathy and collaboration can we generate sustainable solutions. Thanks to Climate KIC, EU-LAC Digital Accelerator, Descartes, and IMPAQTO, we created a space where different perspectives came together to solve common challenges. Real change happens when local knowledge and global perspective meet. Climate challenges are global, but solutions are born in the territories. Climathon allowed us to connect minds from Ecuador and France to co-create ideas that inspire action.”
The program demonstrated that innovation and collaboration are key tools to face climate change, and that major changes happen when we think together, both locally and globally.
