Entrepreneurs from various regions of Antofagasta and Tarapacá participated in different segments of EXPONOR 2024, such as business conferences, technical talks, and seminars. Rocio Bertin from Nanobio (Iquique), one of the participating El Puerto Cowork entrepreneurs, praised the event: “I had seven business conferences, and each went well. I thought it was a great window… Hopefully, this type of initiative will continue.”
Key figures like CORFO Regional Director Melissa Gajardo, SERCOTEC Regional Director Kevyn Galleguillos, AIA Chief Executive Officer Fernando Cortez, and AIA Chairman Marko Razmilic visited the stand. Additionally, communities like Huara and Bajo Soga learned about El Puerto Cowork through a talk by its director and the SERCOTEC Regional Director on efforts with entrepreneurs and public-private collaboration for funding access.
Héctor Anabalón, Executive Director at El Puerto Cowork and Fundación Factor de Cambio, reflected on the event: “We are pleased. These four days have been intense. Our work team has demonstrated a strong commitment, as have the eight entrepreneurs from around the Tarapacá and Antofagasta regions. They showcased our work over the years and made a name for their products and services. We thank the participants and those who visited our stand at EXPONOR 2024.”
Pablo Pisani, Corporate Affairs Manager at SQM Iodine and Plant Nutrition, praised El Puerto Cowork’s presence at EXPONOR: “We are very pleased to see El Puerto Cowork’s strong presence at EXPONOR. The event ties in very well with local development and sustainable entrepreneurship… There are plenty of opportunities in this part of Chile, as highlighted by El Puerto Cowork’s various programs.”
Entrepreneurs from Tocopilla, Calama, Antofagasta, Iquique, and Alto Hospicio who participated in El Puerto Cowork programs also attended EXPONOR. Yerko Soré of Tocgreen Solutions (Tocopilla) showcased his photovoltaic panel cleaning initiative, saying, “This has been a great experience. We made great connections with companies that need our services and suppliers that can provide certain inputs to improve our equipment.”
Mattia Carenini from Matter of Trust Chile (Antofagasta), offering Agropelo and Petropelo, noted, “We were able to connect with mining companies from the region and elsewhere. It was an extremely important opportunity, a great industry showcase.”
Juana Palape of Larama Papelería Ecológica (Alto Hospicio) expressed her amazement at the positive reactions to their products: “Stand visitors were impressed that we are recovering the aromas of northern Chile. I am really happy with the wonderful achievements at this expo.”
Fernando Salinas of Planeta Agrícola (Antofagasta) reflected, “In truth, it has been a very good experience. We were pleasantly surprised by the reactions. People were happy to receive the seedlings and are beginning to recognize our brand.”
Reyna Calle and Rocío Araya of Innova Recicla (Calama) appreciated the opportunity to connect with other companies: “We met many contacts with whom we are quite sure we will reach good agreements.”
Héctor Vera, Founder of Expodesierto (Antofagasta), noted, “EXPONOR has helped us put our company on the map. We have already reached agreements with some companies that visited us there.”
Juan Luengo, a teacher at the Elena Duvauchelle Cabezón Technical Sports School (Iquique), highlighted their interactions at the event: “Ours was a special experience. We interacted with people, showcased our project, and built some collaborative partnerships with schools looking to follow the path of sustainability.”
This was El Puerto Cowork’s second time at EXPONOR, showcasing a range of sustainability-aligned entrepreneurial ventures and its various programs.
