Added to this growing ecological and sustainable perspective is the entry of Artificial Intelligence into the game board and the development of other cutting-edge technologies. Precisely, the main experts, investors and leaders of the ecosystem who have passed through this year's Deep Dive by South Summit podcast agree that sustainability and the revolution of the LA have set the agenda to follow for entrepreneurs and startups during 2023.

In this sense, the challenges posed by the implementation of AI for entrepreneurs are almost as many as the infinite opportunities that open up with each advance. There is still a long way to go in this regard, since, in the words of Jack Hidary, CEO of SandboxAQ, "AI is right now in its adolescence. It's very useful, but it's not yet ready to save lives, run businesses, or govern, so the big challenge to overcome is not to give AI too much responsibility ahead of time."

In addition, Hidary, one of the main speakers at the latest edition  of South Summit Madrid,  believes that education can be the field that has benefited the most from the development of AI: "this technology is a magnificent opportunity that we must take advantage of to personalise education and help teachers develop the specific talent of each student."

Sustainability and Green Business: innovation to build a better world

Sustainability is driving the activity of companies towards a green economy in which the commitment to the environment is placed at the centre of business strategies, without forgetting any of the parties or actors involved.

"Climate change is no longer a debate about what may or may not happen in the future. It is something that is already here, within everyone's reach and knowledge. For this reason, companies are becoming aware to face this challenge, while the new generations are eager to change the course of the economy towards a greener path," highlights Andrew Winston,  founder of Winston Eco-Strategies, who also believes that "there is a huge desire in companies to learn about sustainability and AI,  It's impossible to be competitive in today's world if you don't know anything about these fields."

However, any startup needs to find the most scalable business model to grow. Jared Yarnall-Schane, Director of Innovation at the Biomimicry Institute, said: "Startups need to find capital as soon as possible. To do this, the programs of large companies and a lot of patience are essential. Green Business is profitable in the long term, but perhaps entrepreneurs have to spend years to make a profit and it is not easy to weather the storm."

Andreea Constantinescu, managing partner at Planet First Partners, agrees with this perspective, stating that "it is difficult to achieve profitability with sustainable purposes". In addition, Constanstinescu also calls for "public collaboration and regulation that supports us" because, although "companies and society are adapting to this green revolution, nothing we do since the energy transition makes sense without this help".

Ruchika Sikri, Managing Director of Wisdom Ventures, said: "Investing in small businesses that have a project that improves people's lives is very important. Our first investment was in a company that helps companies identify and protect talent, which is a critical part of business strategy, as well as improving communication between employees." Jenny Fielding, co-founder and managing partner of Everywhere Ventures, agrees, saying  that "the key to success is to create that sense of community through good communication and a close relationship."

The Deep Dive by South Summit podcast is made in collaboration with Cloud District and can be listened to on the main audio platforms: Spotify, Apple Podcast, iVoox, Amazon Music.