Startup World Cup Spotlights the Riviera Maya's Regenerative Tech Ecosystem

Nine startups competed in Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, at the region’s first Startup World Cup semifinal, showcasing technologies aimed at environmental challenges for coastal communities. Coordinated by Mayma and hosted at Hyatt Centric Playa del Carmen, the lineup addressed sargassum, waste, coastal resilience, biotechnology, energy and circular materials. The winner was Waste Neutral Technologies, represented by Andoni Álvarez, developing technology to convert hard-to-handle plastic waste into new value streams. The company will represent Quintana Roo at the Startup World Cup Mexico final in Chihuahua on September 24, then advance toward the global competition in San Francisco on November 4–6 for a $1 million prize. The event also highlighted Pegasus Tech Ventures’ role in expanding the competition worldwide.