Coming from Chile, this startup has developed a biodegradable and sustainable biomaterial that replaces traditional plastic in containers and packaging. Its product, Woodpack, is made from recycled fibres and biomass, offering an eco-friendly alternative for companies committed to the circular economy and reducing plastic waste.

During the closing ceremony of #SouthSummitBrazil25, awards were also given to the projects 'Most Scalable', 'Most Disruptive', 'Most Sustainable' and the startup with a 'Best Team', which all went to startups from Latin America, which confirms the entrepreneurial and innovative muscle of the region. Specifically, the Brazilian startup Jusfy won the award for the 'Most Scalable'  project thanks to the creation of an AI for lawyers that automates case management, legal analysis and document writing, and whose machine learning algorithms make it possible to predict judicial results, offer recommendations to legal professionals and ensure regulatory compliance.

Another Brazilian, umgrauemeio, was recognized as the most 'Most Sustainable' startup, while her compatriot ALTAVE won the project award with 'Best Team'. umgrauemeio has developed the AI-powered Pantera system for early detection of forest fires and monitoring deforestation and environmental health in real time, helping to prevent ecological disasters and optimize natural resource management. Moreover, ALTAVE integrates AI and video analytics to offer intelligent monitoring solutions, providing real-time alerts for asset safety and labor protection. Finally, the 'Most Disruptive'  startup distinction went to the Uruguayan Nanogrow Biotech, for its biotechnology platform that develops localised treatments based on nanobodies for the pharmaceutical and veterinary industries.

During the course of South Summit Brazil 2025, the awards were also presented to the winning startups by vertical:

• Sustainability and Climate Tech: umgrauemeio (Brasil) y Atacama Biomaterials (Chile).
• Health: DIO Inteligência Odontológica (Brasil) y Nanogrow Biotech (Uruguay).
• Industry 5.0: ALTAVE (Brazil) and TerraMares (Brazil).
• Enterprise: Wise CX (Argentina) and Zerotrusted.ai (United States).
• Digital and Tech Solutions: Jusfy (Brasil) y Tecspal (Uruguay).

All the award-winning startups were chosen from the 50 finalist projects, from 10 different countries and selected from more than 2,100 candidates.

During the closing ceremony of South Summit Brazil 2025, María Benjumea, president and founder of South Summit, underlined the value of what was experienced in Porto Alegre during the three days of the meeting: "We have to be very aware of what has been forged during these days: real business has been promoted, permanent contact between investors has been generated,  startups and companies and has connected to people and projects. South Summit is, without a doubt, the best platform to develop business opportunities".

Benjumea also wanted to thank the involvement of the institutions and the collaborative spirit that has characterized this edition. "We have experienced an magical South Summit with the most incredible people from all over the world, among whom business has multiplied, with a vibrant Caís and a dedicated city. South Summit Brazil has reflected the gaucho spirit of Rio Grande do Sul in the last year: a lesson to the world that together we achieve an incredible society. Thanks to the energy of the Government of Rio Grande do Sul and its Governor Eduardo Leite, of the President Sebastião Melo and the Prefecture of Porto Alegre, IE University, Caldeira Institute, Tecnopuc, and all our partners, South Summit has experienced its most spectacular edition. Beyond Resilience is not only our 2025 motto; resilience is the essence of the entrepreneur, his ability to face challenges, overcome them and come out stronger. And that is what Porto Alegre has shown the world. And I cannot forget the strength of the women of Rio Grande do Sul, with Luiza Trajano and the Secretaries of State for Innovation and Digital Inclusion."

For his part, José Renato Hopf, president of South Summit Brazil, wanted to highlight the spirit of improvement that marked this fourth edition after the intense rains that hit Porto Alegre days before the event. "An unexpected storm, with almost tornado force, destroyed about 70% of the temporary structures and damaged a good part of the warehouses of the enclosure. It was a huge challenge, but we managed to move forward, thanks to the tireless work of all the teams. South Summit Brazil 2025 is a demonstration that, together, we can overcome any obstacle."

Eduardo Leite, governor of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, also spoke at the closing ceremony to underline the role of South Summit as a space for meeting and collective construction. "In times of so many divisions and disputes, we need to remember that the future unites us. It is not necessary to think alike, but to identify points of convergence, build on them and move in the same direction," he said. "It is about facing problems together and creating innovative solutions from an ecosystem of cooperation and shared construction. That's precisely what South Summit stands for." The governor closed his speech by announcing that Porto Alegre will once again host the meeting in 2026 between March 25 and 27.

South Summit Brazil and Porto Alegre: Beyond Resilience

One of the most inspiring moments of the last day of #SouthSummitBrazil25 came with the intervention of Nicolas Sauvage, president of TDK Ventures, in a conversation on cleantech startups moderated by Nacho Mateo, CEO of South Summit. Sauvage underscored the impact that the floods that devastated Porto Alegre and the state of Rio Grande do Sul in 2024 had on the company. "We have a presence in Porto Alegre and a factory in Gravataí, with 1,500 people from TDK who were affected by the flood. So at TDK this touched our hearts," he said. In this context, he highlighted the work of one of the startups in his portfolio, specialised in real-time water monitoring, as an example of innovation capable of mitigating the impact of natural disasters linked to climate change.

Under the slogan Beyond Resilience, South Summit Brazil put on the table a reflection on how to scale the positive impact in a context of crisis such as the one that occurred in Porto Alegre. "I am very happy that they have chosen resilience as this year's theme for South Summit Brazil," celebrated the president of TDK Ventures, who shared his vision on technologies that, although not yet profitable, are called to be key to resilience and decarbonisation. "We need to expand our arsenal. And that is where venture capital can help, investing very early in technologies that do not yet have good economics, but that can develop it," he said.

South Summit Brazil 2025 once again demonstrated its global projection and its consolidation as one of the main meeting points for the entrepreneurial and innovative ecosystem in Latin America and internationally. Over three days, the city of Porto Alegre brought together more than 23,000 attendees from 62 different countries, including more than 3,000 startups, 800 speakers, 900 investors with an investment portfolio valued at 215,000 million dollars, and more than 1,000 accredited media.