A decade of entrepreneurship: Highlights from INCmty 2022

Over 100 national and international speakers participated in the INCmty entrepreneurship festival organized by the Tecnológico de Monterrey on its 10th anniversary.

Trends and ideas were shared at the event during talks and panels, as well as startup presentations, networking opportunities, and competitions within the entrepreneurial community.

“INCmty emerged as an idea of entrepreneurs with great innovative spirit and passion; the idea that this community needed a space where it could project itself even more has today been consolidated,” said David Garza, Rector and Executive President of the Tec.

CONECTA lists some of the topics that were discussed in person from November 15 to 17 at the Cintermex convention center in Monterrey.

These were some of the top tips for entrepreneurs:

Bestselling author of “Atomic Habits” James Clear reflected upon the small habits that can impact an entrepreneur’s career with significant and powerful change over the long-term.

“They are atomic habits for three reasons: firstly, the meaning of the word atomic is minute or small; secondly, an atom is a fundamental unit in a larger system; and thirdly, because the word atomic means a huge source of energy,” Clear said.

Simon Mainwaring, author, founder, and CEO of We First, shared 6 director mindsets for building successful forward-thinking brands that are able to tackle crises.

These included leading in turbulent times, thinking ahead, turning challenges into opportunities, focusing on purpose and action, and fostering leadership together.

How to achieve work-life balance as an entrepreneur

Former monk, bestselling writer, and content creator Jay Shetty shared 4 habits for finding a balance between happiness and success.

Practicing gratitude, having inner vision, and training the mind and body through meditation and exercise are some of the habits described by Shetty.

“When we change the way we look at things, things change; my wish for you is that you leave healthier and happier,” he shared.

Penny Locaso, who is considered the world’s first happiness hacker, shared how human beings are constantly evolving and adapting to survive.

Locaso discussed her mission to teach people how to intentionally adapt in order to future-proof happiness, as well as her “Intentional Adaptability Quotient (IAQ)” pedagogy and measurement tool.

Antonio Rodríguez, CEO of Efficient Happiness, pointed out that innovation lies in humanizing work as a way to achieve happiness and emotional excellence in the workplace with a tool known as the “Efficient Happiness Index”.

“This exercise enables you to understand where you are, why you got that score, and you can prioritize what you can do to start changing those results,” he added.

David Villarreal, program manager at Google, criticized the “work-life balance” concept during his talk and made recommendations for building a healthy relationship with work.

He emphasized the toxicity of productivity, as seen in the “workaholic” culture, and recommended accepting the things that don’t happen the way you want, discomfort, and acknowledging that life is more than just work.

Spaces for connection, investment, and promotion

As part of the Founders & Investors Summit, founders and investors met to exchange their stories and create synergies.

Talks on analyzing trends in financing and spaces to promote the mobilization of impact investing were part of this Summit’s activities.

What’s more, recognition was given to a few outstanding entrepreneurial projects from previous years at INCmty, which is celebrating 10 years since its creation in 2012.

Rutopía, Polybion, Verde Compacto, and Xilinat, were just some of the outstanding startups that have excelled in certain challenges such as the Heineken Green Challenge or INC Accelerator.

Tech, data & digital guidance

Alejandro Preinfalk, CEO of Siemens Energy Central America and the Caribbean, spoke about the connection between the real world and the digital world.

Some of the benefits of the digital enterprise are that it seeks to create better products, with fewer human errors, and improved and more sustainable production.

The director pointed out that data is the “oil” of today.

“The digital industry is built on data and that’s why it’s important that we begin working on its integrity and protection from now on,” he said.

Creating strategic alliances with banks and financial institutions in order to adapt to the future was one of the tips shared by experts such as Martín Mexia, Lorena Sánchez, Mauricio Madrigal, and Juan Carlos Flores, from companies such as RappiBank, Billoneurons, Retrypay, and Doopla.

Some of their ideas also included relying on the government to promote public policies to reduce cash usage, as well as risks related to cybersecurity and exploring blockchain technology.

Rewarding entrepreneurs in challenges

Various events were held during INCmty to bring together entrepreneurial projects in a number of areas such as energy, environment, logistics, and technology.

During the INC Disruptair Challenge, in partnership with air conditioning company Daikin, awards were given to SolarX, a solar investment platform; Flair, an intelligent ventilation system; and Bono, software for calculating environmental impact.

For its fifth year, the Heineken Green Challenge was another challenge to reward entrepreneurial projects with high potential impact for conserving and improving the environment.

In 2022, awards were given to BioEsol, solar energy storage software; Greenfluidics, a startup producing smart biopanels that filter CO2; and Carbon Power Mexico, which transforms CO2 into raw material and fuel.

Similarly, INC Accelerator gave awards to Biogrip, an intelligent prosthetic arm system; Databits, a data and analytics business learning platform; and Cuvo, a virtual marketplace that connects clients, workers, and suppliers in construction.

In PrepApps, a PrepaTec student entrepreneurship contest, awards were given to Kidsucary, an application for monitoring diabetes; Trashify, one to transform the way we handle waste; and Flow, an app for saving water when bathing.

“PrepApps aims to create and bring together projects focused on developing applications that can address social issues,” said Isaac López, a professor at PrepaTec Garza Sada and host of the event.

Entrepreneurial Family Forum

This forum aimed to encourage entrepreneurial families to continue building their legacy by taking advantage of the opportunities that the present and the future promise us.

Speakers such as Alberto Gimeno (ESADE), Alejandro Salazar (consultant and author), and Juan Clemenza (Citi Private Bank) were present throughout the talks, workshops, and other activities.

“We thank all of you attending this forum, where we’ll hear about the stories of large, extraordinary families and how they experience business culture,” said María Fonseca, Director of the Entrepreneurial Family Institute at Tec de Monterrey.

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