With a proposal that revolutionizes refrigeration through bio-nanotechnology, Isabel Pulido, co-founder of NanoFreeze, received the Cartier Science & Technology Pioneer Award in Bangkok, the global category of the most prestigious program for women entrepreneurs in the world.
On June 10, in Bangkok, Isabel Pulido became the first Latin American to win the Science & Technology Pioneer Award from the Cartier Women's Initiative. She did so in the program's only global category, competing against the best science-based companies in the world.
The Cartier Women's Initiative was founded in 2006 and this year marks two decades. It is one of the most important recognitions for high-impact women entrepreneurs in the world. Each edition awards nine regions of the planet and also distinguishes a single global category, science and technology, dedicated to the most disruptive deep tech startups led by women. Getting there requires overcoming a rigorous selection process before an international jury of investors and industry leaders. The recognition includes seed capital and a year of support from the INSEAD business school.
Behind the award is a technology taken from nature. NanoFreeze uses a protein from the Pseudomonas syringae bacterium, the same one that forms hail and snow, and combines it with metal oxides to freeze water more efficiently and keep it cold twice as long. The result is a biodegradable cooling material that can save up to 50% of energy, with applications ranging from agriculture and food to health, data centers, and heavy industry. The idea was born eight years ago, when Isabel visited a Colombian town with limited access to electricity and understood that, without refrigeration, the expiration date of food was sunset.
That a Colombian wins in the global category leaves a clear message: Latin American female talent can compete and win at the forefront of global innovation. In a sector where companies led by women receive less than 3% of venture capital worldwide, Isabel's achievement is also an invitation for Colombia to bet on its science.
"We always have to prove our credibility among investors to obtain capital, in industries historically led by men. We do it, always with a deep sense of purpose," Pulido said in Bangkok.
"Women lighting the path," women who illuminate the path, was the motto of the night. Isabel Pulido made it a reality and brought honor to Colombia. *Some of NanoFreeze's achievements have been reached thanks to the strategic alliance with P4G and Reddi to reduce food waste in Colombia.
