Unicaja reaffirms its support for female entrepreneurship and is once again present, as a sponsor, in the WOW.up program-contest, organized by Asociación de Empresarios del Sur de España (Association of Entrepreneurs of Southern Spain, CESUR), which aims to promote the creation of companies led by women, as well as to promote female leadership and talent in the business and social ecosystem.
This women's entrepreneurship contest, now in its third edition, celebrated its last event this Thursday, 4 April, at the Global Omnium Auditorium (Aquarium Building) in Seville, where, after the presentation of the finalist projects, the awards ceremony was held to recognize the best female entrepreneurship initiatives of this year.
Thus, the first prize went to the InverAir project, by Ana María Prieto from Cadiz; second prize went to Oleista, by Marina Mérida from Cordoba, and third prize went to SwapYourTravel, by Ana González from Seville.
InverAir is an air distribution system that is coupled to any existing inverter system on the market to unify the temperature in a premise. It achieves the same temperature from floor to ceiling. The project, which is already approved and cataloged, offers a solution to the need for efficient air conditioning, responding to the demand for cooling consumption caused by rising temperatures and meeting the objectives set by the European Union in reducing the carbon footprint.
Oleista is the only platform specialized in trading olive oil in bulk, connecting producers and buyers globally and in record time, allowing them to take lead the negotiation while overcoming physical and dialectical barriers, and increasing their marketing capacity. This international platform enables direct transactions between oil sellers and buyers.
Finally, SwapYourTravel is a digital platform that facilitates the sale and purchase of non-refundable trips between individuals. This project generates a secondary market for trips that cannot be enjoyed, offering a one hundred percent secure environment for both the seller and the buyer.
WOW.up intends to offer advice and promote the training of women entrepreneurs to enable them to develop their business ideas; in addition to contributing to give them visibility as future leaders generating economic activity and employment, highlighting their skills in the field of business.
Unicaja's support for this initiative is part of its interest in supporting activities aimed at promoting the business fabric and entrepreneurship in the areas where it operates. It also responds to its commitment to diversity and equality, in the exercise of its sustainability policy, as well as to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with special attention to gender equality (SDG 5), decent work and economic growth (SDG 8) and the reduction of inequalities (SDG 10).
Female entrepreneurship and leadership
WOW.up is aimed at women who are in university or higher vocational training, or who are taking their first steps in the labor market. The only requirement is that the candidates were born in the south of Spain (Andalusia, Extremadura, Ceuta or Melilla) or that they live and work in one of these areas.
The participants presented an entrepreneurial project with a business idea applicable to any field of activity and technology-based. Of all the projects submitted to the contest, the 25 most viable ones were selected, which were mentored by a group of experts for four months, resulting in a total of ten, which are the ones that have competed this Thursday in the final gala.
A jury, made up of professionals from various business sectors, selected the three finalist proposals, which have received a cash prize and the
opportunity to be included in a business incubator.
Unicaja and CESUR
Unicaja is characterized by its universal banking and sustainable business model focused on retail business. Its mission is to contribute to the economic and social development of the areas where it operates, with full respect for the environment and sustainability, and it does so in accordance with values such as dynamism, openness and progress, as well as prudence, solvency, stability in the management of resources and ethical and sustainable commitment.
CESUR is a non-profit, private and independent association, made up of business owners and executives, which seeks to improve the socioeconomic, business and educational conditions of southern Spain. It brings together more than 200 socially responsible companies from Andalusia and Extremadura that seek excellence in their development and the territory in which they are located, making it the largest business association in the country in terms of number of members. In terms of turnover of its member companies, it accounts for 42% of the GDP of Andalusia and 40% of the GDP of southern Spain (Andalusia and Extremadura).
