SociaLi+: Reduce Access Gaps to Clean Energy for the Most Vulnerable Communities
The team created a system capable of transforming discarded batteries from telephone antennas into energy storage solutions for residential photovoltaic projects.
Pablo Jorquera (CEO), Sebastián Molina (CTO), Sebastián Pulgar (CMO), and Pablo Campos (CFO) dreamed of developing a sustainable solution that would have a positive impact on the most vulnerable communities. This is how SociaLi+, a social innovation project, was born, advocating for cleaner and more accessible energy for everyone through the revaluation of lithium batteries.
The team created a system capable of transforming discarded batteries from telephone antennas into energy storage solutions for residential photovoltaic projects. This allows them to address two major challenges: waste revaluation and energy vulnerability u2013 a problem that, according to data from the Ministry of Energy (2022), affects 29,642 households throughout the country.
MAKING HISTORY FROM THE BIOBÍO.
With just over a year of life, SociaLi+ has achieved significant milestones. At the beginning of 2024, the project won second place in the Verde Tournament: Ideating High Impact Solutions of IncubaUdeC, a student entrepreneurship program in which more than 120 students from the Biobío Region solved internal challenges presented by WOM Chile, CMPC Companies, Hualpén, and Valmar Companies.
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Following this milestone, the team added Sebastian Molina to their ranks, and gained access to mentorships and funding to start shaping the project that was formed in the MBA program of the University of Concepción, a postgraduate program where Jorquera, Pulgar and Campos met.
Following this, they were awarded the Corfo financing line, Semilla Inicia Sostenible, an unprecedented program of the corporation in which SociaLi+ was one of the 50 projects benefited nationwide among more than 2000 applicants. In addition, they recently reached the final of the Entrepreneur Impact Contest of the Bank of Chile and the University of Development, where they not only received an economic incentive but also were recognized in the category "Entrepreneurial Spirit".
WHAT'S COMING FOR SOLCIALI+
The next key steps include formalizing the company, registering the brand, and launching operations.
"Our main focus is to expedite the processes for receiving batteries, analyzing them in a lab, and marketing them as soon as possible. The market is the real judge, and we are eager to bring our solution to the public and see how they respond," commented CEO Pablo Jorquera, who also stated that despite the changes they have undergone since the Green Tournament, the social and environmental focus of the startup remains firm.
The ultimate goal is to reduce the gap in access to clean energy for the most vulnerable communities. We know that the impact we can generate is not only relevant to Chile, but at a global level. By reusing batteries, we not only prevent them from becoming hazardous waste, but give them a second life, benefiting both people and the environment.
When asked about the current status of the project, the MBA from the University of Concepción indicated that we are in the midst of pivoting our business model. We found that there's a genuine interest from consumers willing to pay for our solution, which led us to focus on a B2C model. This not only opens up a new revenue stream, but also strengthens our goal of supplying energy to the most needy households.
For Jorquera and his team, the recognition from Corfo has been a significant boost, but also a responsibility. "We are very happy to have been selected in the Sustainable Start Seed. We know that we have reached a relevant milestone, but we are also clear that this entails a high commitment in the efficient use of funds," he comments.
"The team is aware that one of the biggest challenges is the management of hazardous waste. We know that in order to receive and process the batteries, we need infrastructure that complies with strict regulations, and we are working on that," indicated Jorquera.
"Although the concrete impact of SociaLi+ is still in its initial stages, the first experiments have been encouraging. We reclaimed two batteries from a supplier, and while it's a small sample, it confirms that what we want to achieve is feasible. As we move forward, we will have more opportunities to validate our hypothesis and scale up the project to maximize its impact," commented the CEO.
"The decision to choose IncubaUdeC as our sponsor wasn't really difficult, but we still took the time to research other providers of this service because it's obviously important," explained the CEO of SociaLi+, Pablo Jorquera.
He added that, "IncubaUdeC offers us a personalized service, and its recognition at the national and international level gives us a lot of confidence. We know we are in good hands. We know the team and its director, and that also facilitates the process. We are happy to have made this decision and trust that together we can achieve the goals we have set."