Watch the 2018 Winners Announcement Video

The Method: Document this year-long journey around Latin America, the Caribbean, and the United States through video and written content. Through the BRG Vlog, BTV, we shared free business advice, highlighted the innovation and entrepreneurship in Latin America, and recorded Brian’s conferences, media appearances, and press. Our Uniting the America episodes have reached millions of viewers.

The Prize: Brian Rashid Global invested $10,000 USD of seed funding between the two winners. They were also awarded an all expenses paid trip to the Silicon Valley of California to meet with executives from companies like Google, Facebook, Uber, and more. The winners met with venture capitalists in Brian’s network who can be potential investors in the future. Brian is now advising the two winners on their branding, marketing, and communications strategies.

The Winners: In July of 2018, Brian Rashid selected two entrepreneurs that are having massive social impact in their countries. In September, they were united in the Silicon Valley for their prize.

The first winner is Carlos Morales from Guatemala. Carlos has created Llenamaster, a product that automates the process of capturing potable drinking water, storing it safely, and avoiding overflow waste in rural parts of Guatemala. It operates without using any electricity, making it practical and environmentally friendly. It is easy to install and inexpensive, and available 24 hours a day. In many parts of Guatemala, residents have limited access to potable water and no idea when the water will be available to them. Residents often have to wake up in the very early mornings and wait for the water to be available. In many cases, these people spend all day waiting for the water to be accessible, preventing them from working, leaving the house, or doing other productive activities. Or even worse, if the residents are not in the house during the limited period of time the water is flowing, they miss the chance to capture the water for cooking, cleaning, and other basic needs. Llenamaster solves this problem.

The second winner is Gabriela Strauss from Bolivia. She has created Mujeres al Volante, a woman for women car ride-sharing app. With the ongoing problem of rape and other criminal activity on public transportation, Mujeres al Volante provides a safe method of transport for women and their children through private and secure vehicles. An early pioneer of ride sharing in Latin America, Mujeres al Volante provides value in a number of areas. First, providing women and children a safe method of transportation to work, school, and other particular activities needed for their professional and personal growth. Next, it offers other housewives and the elderly population with a chance to create a side business. Due to confining schedules and outdated skills, these populations are vulnerable to not finding meaningful work. Mujeres al Volante creates the opportunities for entrepreneurship, purpose, and additional sources of income for these groups of people.