Promoting Young Talent Through Entrepreneurship Proposals

• The Universidad de Monterrey held the Cátedra Jorge L. Garza UDEM Inspira 2025, which featured a full day of dialogues, workshops, conferences, and presentations of student projects focused on innovation, interdisciplinarity, and social impact, competing for first place in four categories.

An initiative focused on transforming pineapple waste into biodegradable raw materials, a water-monitoring system powered by artificial intelligence and solar energy, and a project that integrates living murals made with mosses and lichens on deteriorated walls were the proposals awarded in the three main categories of the Cátedra Jorge L. Garza UDEM Inspira 2025.

This year’s edition, themed Connect, Learn, and Create, framed a day of learning and collaboration across multiple venues at the University Community Center and the President’s Building with the UDEM Theater as the central stage.

In the Emprende category, the winning project was CeluNova, which seeks to transform pineapple waste into biodegradable raw materials that replace polluting inputs, helping reduce deforestation, emissions, and waste generated by hygiene products. The project was developed by José Manuel Contreras Sánchez and José Adrián Contreras.

Their award included 130,000 pesos in seed capital, 16 hours of mentoring from the UDEM Entrepreneurship Hub, and a course from the UDEM Lifelong Learning program catalog.

The Aquanova project, an AI- and solar-powered water-monitoring system that evaluates the quality of bodies of water in real time and promotes responsible use, won in the Crea category. The project was developed by Juan Roberto Alexander Corona, Sergio Ulises Garza Selvera, and Brayan Hernandez Castillo of Universidad IEST Anáhuac.

This category awards 50,000 pesos in seed capital, 11 workshops from the business incubator, 16 hours of mentoring from the Entrepreneurship Hub, and a course from the UDEM Lifelong Learning program.

In the Idea category, the winning project was Biomurales, led by Juan Luis López Hinojosa, an UDEM Medicine student. The initiative integrates living murals made with mosses and lichens on deteriorated walls, created alongside retired community members to foster artistic expression, wellness, community-building, and cleaner air in Monterrey.

This award consisted of 35,000 pesos in seed capital, 11 workshops from the business incubator, and 8 hours of mentoring from the Entrepreneurship Hub.

In this edition, a prize was awarded for the first time in a new category entitled Imagina, which recognizes outstanding projects by middle school students. The prize includes 4 consultations with the Entrepreneurship Hub, an invitation to the incubation program, and a 100% scholarship for training workshops at UDEM Lifelong Learning.

The winning project in this new category was Agua que enciende esperanza (“Water That Sparks Hope”), developed by students Ian García Kuhns, Samuel Kozlovsky Abad, and Yamilet Pérez Bernal from Instituto Peninsular Baja California. Their proposal seeks to generate clean energy through the water pressure of a rooftop tank, store it, and use it to light rural communities without electricity.

The family of Jorge L. Garza attended the award ceremony as guests of honor, along with UDEM Rector Mario Páez González; vice-rectors; faculty members; students; and families of the participants.

Mario Páez González highlighted that the initiative marked its fifth anniversary, surpassing initial expectations in participation and project quality. Conceived as a tribute and legacy, the Chair celebrates a dream that began with the Garza family five years ago.

Throughout these five years, the purpose of the Jorge L. Garza Chair has been clear: to honor someone who, with vision and perseverance, believed in the power of young people to transform society,” he said.

Submissions have grown exponentially—from 40 projects in the first year to 542 in this edition. Páez González noted that the competition now draws interest comparable to major entrepreneurship events and expressed hope that its impact will continue to expand.

He concluded that the Chair has become a space where innovation and knowledge converge to equip students with tools for their professional lives, reflecting both the legacy of Jorge L. Garza and UDEM’s values of forming ethical leaders.

For her part, Ana Cristina Garza Herrera, representing the Garza family, encouraged students to view the Chair as a starting point rather than merely a theoretical space. She reminded them that now is the moment to chart their paths and build their own futures.

Garza Herrera emphasized the event’s three key words: Connect, Learn, Create, as guiding principles that could change students’ lives.

“Let me remind you of three words, three words you’ve certainly heard many times today and that can change the course of your life: Connect, Learn, Create,” Garza Herrera stated.

Regarding entrepreneurship, she noted that beyond starting a project or business, its true meaning is “dare to begin.” She called students to action, to move beyond ideas and take risks, even when afraid or uncertain.

“The only way your ideas can truly change your life, or that of others, is if you dare to set them in motion”, Garza Herrera concluded, urging young people to use their talent and willpower to bring their dreams to life immediately.

REDEFINING SUCCESS

In the keynote speech, Oso Trava, entrepreneur, investor, and creator of the Cracks podcast—shared personal experiences and reflections on motivation, purpose, and redefining success.

Trava warned that success can become the greatest obstacle to growth because it creates the illusion that one already has all the answers. The moment one stops questioning, arrogance opens the door to failure.

“The worst enemy of transformation is success, because you think you already know it all”, he remarked, explaining how arrogance blocks continuous learning and personal evolution.

The speaker shared that despite his external achievements by age 40, internally he was full of frustration and envy. This deep crisis forced him to redefine his priorities and rethink his identity.

“And that’s when I had to stop, to realize I was about to lose the most valuable thing in my life, and begin a process of reconfiguring who I am”, he recounted of his personal and professional turning point.

Trava introduced a dual-force model of motivation: Pain, which pushes people to take their first step, and Light, a noble and aspirational mission that sustains long-term effort.

“This moves us into action, but what helps us continue is the other side of the coin. That is your shadow; this is your light”, explained the author of “Do What Matters”, distinguishing the two forces that drive a purposeful life.

Finally, the podcaster urged young people to seek their purpose and define fulfillment beyond external approval. He emphasized that “success is always about how it feels to you”.

PRIORITIZING INNOVATION

Entrepreneur Luis Palazuelos, CEO of Xhant and Xenpal, encouraged young entrepreneurs to prioritize constant innovation and to rely unconditionally on their collaborators to succeed. He also urged them to maintain resilience and seek guidance from experts and family values when facing challenges.

Palazuelos delivered the opening talk of the Cátedra Jorge L. Garza UDEM Inspira 2025.

He described how he founded the Xenpal park, a wildlife conservation center that has constantly evolved to keep up with strong competition. He noted that one of his biggest challenges has been the need to innovate in order to attract visitors and sustain the park.

Faced with competition from air-conditioned shopping centers and large seasonal fairs, they developed the Xhant project, the first giraffe-themed lodging experience in Latin America, designed to provide a unique attraction that does not depend on seasonal tourism..

The CEO shared one of his core principles for success: “Rely on your collaborators; they are the heart of any company. Work with them, support them”.

Palazuelos explained that wildlife conservation is crucial, as climate change and urban growth continue to erode natural habitats.

The park’s mission is to conserve 35 species of herbivores, including Grevy’s zebras and Addax antelopes, species already extinct in the wild.

Finally, to reinforce resilience among young people, the entrepreneur highlighted the value of strong personal foundations and the humility to seek advice: “You know what really helped me? Leaning on my home, on the values my parents taught me, and then on other experts in the field. I always ask questions, I’m not shy about that, so always ask”.