New expectations for the 2024 Entrepreneurship Olympics

Organized by SUBO and the Coca-Cola Bolivian Foundation, the 2024 Olympiad of Entrepreneurship (ODE) is open to young people aged 17 to 25 from all over Bolivia. Registration is free and can be done through the website https://ode.bo

The launch ceremony and festival took place at CAINCO Towers, under the leadership of María José Pomacusi and Mauricio Toledo, with the participation of well-known entrepreneurs such as Mauricio Barreza of IZI Soluciones; Manuel Laredo of Mamut SA, Martín Vargas of Una Gran Nación and José Carlos Márquez of Quantum Motors, who shared their success stories, letting the new generation of entrepreneurs know that their stories have one thing in common: they all believed in your idea, starting from creating and generating value.

The last edition of ODE 2023 demonstrated its positive impact, with a record participation of 10,106 young people from 8 countries and 61 cities, and 100% of participants stating that the experience was useful for their career and work future. In addition, the event highlighted the high participation of women, with 62% of the registrations being female.

“Winning the ODE is truly a dream and something we have worked very hard for. It will allow us to take a new step forward in our platform, which we will launch on the market to change the lives of Bolivian girls,” said Hilvia Calvimontes, winner of the 2023 edition of the ODE.

“This impact is possible thanks to an ecosystem of companies and organizations that trust and believe in the ability of young people to create value and strengthen entrepreneurial capacities in Bolivia, according to their specific roles. In this adventure, the Coca-Cola Foundation Bolivia has been essential as an ally, being the most recognized brand in the world, supporting Bolivian youth and enabling them to change their reality. Our alliance is now three years old and these experiences have already produced far-reaching results, changing the lives of thousands of young people,” highlights Andrés Aramayo, CEO of SUBO° Bolivia.

Luis Lugones, Director of the Coca-Cola Foundation in Bolivia, stressed the importance of dreams and entrepreneurship, especially during challenging times. “In the midst of difficulties lie opportunities. In the most challenging moments, when things seem insurmountable, dreams and careers become viable ways to change reality. At the Coca-Cola Foundation in Bolivia, we firmly believe that young people have the power to lead this change. EAW is a platform that not only educates young people, but also inspires and empowers them to turn their dreams into reality.”

This year, ODE 2024 has expanded to include new thematic areas such as Education and Technology, Finance and Technology, E-Commerce, Tourism and Technology, Recycling and Water, and Orange Economy. Finalists will have the opportunity to receive partial scholarships for undergraduate or postgraduate studies at UPB. In addition, the UCB Production and Competitiveness School (EPC) will award four full scholarships covering studies, food and housing to semifinalists and finalists who meet the criteria of socioeconomic vulnerability. In addition, the incubation of the eight winners will be managed in 2025 using SUBOº’s own methodology.

The approach aims to provide a comprehensive educational journey, starting with awareness and pre-incubation, through an educational platform to prepare young people for the classification process. Among the projects presented, 500 entrepreneurial ideas will be evaluated and selected to advance to the next stage, which includes personalized mentoring and face-to-face workshops in strategic locations. Semi-finals and training are aimed at strengthening the skills of the contestants, culminating in the ODE Festival, where the finalists will showcase their progress and compete for a place in the finals.