Edición 2008
Diving Andorra and Síntesi Disseny are the Innovadors'08 award winners
Andorra-la-Vella, 27 November 2008: The Bureau for Business Innovation (OIE) of the Government of Andorra announced today the results of the international INNOVADORS´08 competition. The INNOVADORS Prize rewards entrepreneurs who have presented promising business plans to create or diversify their activity through entrepreneurship and dynamism in Andorra.
This year, the winners in the different categories are:
- Creation: DIVING ANDORRA
Diving Andorra was founded by two passionate divers who thought they could make a living of their favourite hobby: diving in mountain lakes. They intend to make Andorra the leading European country for diving at high altitudes thanks to all its natural and artificial lakes. Diving Andorra provides recreational ice diving activities and certificates as well as R&D activities such as materials testing and geological and biological studies.
- Diversification: SINTESI DISSENY
Síntesi Design has been created by a designer of graphic and industrial solutions for companies specialised in eco-design and sustainable solutions. On the one hand, he is a consultant for companies in eco-design et on the other hand he works on concepts, creating ecological items like the “Bobhanger”, a clothes hanger made of recycled materials like cardboard and plastic bottles. He aims to create at least one new product each year for the promotional items market, which amounts to 18 billion dollars in Europe.
Each of them will be rewarded with 100.000 €.
The awards were given by Martin Varsavsky, the famous entrepreneur, founder of Jazztel and Ya.com, and Albert Pintat, Prime Minister of Andorra on the sidelines of The Future of Europe Summit, an event which is bringing together top policy makers, academics and executives in Andorra to brainstorm on economic sustainability and the new opportunities it represents.
The INNOVADORS Prize was initiated by the OIE in 2006 with the aim of diversifying the Andorran economy and improving the business environment. The Creation Prize is awarded to business projects in their initial stages and the Diversification Prize includes projects by existing businesses in Andorra or abroad which intend to diversify their activity in Andorra. On 7 November 2008, Andorra completely opened up more than 200 economic activities to foreign investments.
More than 50 initiatives were proposed to the OIE in 2008. 30 participated to the competition and among the 9 finalists, 4 were proposed by Spanish citizens, 4 by Andorran citizens and one by a French citizen.
The finalists were:
- HABITISSIMO - Sr. Jordi Ber
The idea is creating an international website dedicated to architecture & design, focused on the new behaviors from the net generation, seeking a single stop shop for their needs, when they are building or renovating their home.
- CAP K. - Sr. Marc Capdepuy
Based on the idea that implementing an innovative shock absorber inside casual shoes could create a new market, forboth males and females, thanks to their accurate know how technology taken from space industry.
- DIVING ANDORRA - Srs. Raúl Baró i Héctor Encuentra
Creating a brand of diving activities specialized in high altitude diving, to position Andorra as the reference destination for this type of activities. Their services include recreational, training, R&&D and ice diving certificates.
- PRODUCCIONS I SERVEIS AUDIOVISUALS DEL PIRINEU - Sr. Jordi Albà
A company providing all services required by film producers and audiovisual companies, in order to position Andorra asa prime location for shooting films, basically in three fields: advertising, cinema and TV. These organizations are known as Film Commissions. A Film Commission promotes the geographic area under its scope and offers it to film producers.
- IP4W - Srs. Jorge Isern, Miquel Huguet i Josep Carbonell
IP4W is a global marketplace for technology patents and industrial property rights (designs, patents, brands, models or intellectual property). Owners of this patents or rights, and people or corporations interested in licensing them can use this platform to interact, as well as getting the information required for decision making.
- CRYOSALUS - Sr. Cristian Bellsolell
Establishing a innovative and high tech freezing system for fruits and vegetables without loosing organoleptic properties like flavors, textiles or aspect. Patented process, with high business expectations.
- CLICK&& - Srs. Robert Pere Vilagran i Daniel Moner
Based on a web technology for both private and public companies, having their own technology, with different R&D applications. Their value added is bringing facilities to users, proposing online and real time solutions.
- SÍNTESI DISSENY - Sr. Joan Nadal
Sintesi Design provides graphic and industrial solutions for andorran and foreign companies. Being sensitive to eco design, its team developed some sustainable solutions like Bobhanger, and creates an integral eco-conception from its R&D to its conception and further distribution.
- INLINGUA - Sr. Ferran Costa
Company based on teaching languages (english, french and spanish) intensively, isolating children from their tradicional lifestyle. Such idea is willing to bring value added to the andorran economy, via learning processes.
