Meet GES Delegate: Carolina Castro

Name: Ana Carolina Castro
Country of Origin: Mexico
Organization Name: sLAB “Technology for Agricultural Soil Protection”
Brief Description of Organization: sLab is a stake, that measures soil health and water quality through sensors. The farmer has to bury the stake in strategic points, and when the territory is fully covered, the data can be transferred to any device. The farmer receives the information in graphs, and specific recommendations for soil treatment, including proper products and techniques. The objective is to avoid the accelerated loss of soil fertility by providing a tool that allows the constant analysis and subsequent treatment. The soil status data obtained will provide local, national and international mapped diagnoses.

What inspired you to start this organization?

In my last year as a student of the B.A. in Product Design, I realized that my portfolio was mainly composed of handcrafted luxury products. However, this time, the challenge was to design a tech product that could solve a major environmental problem in Mexico. During the process I noticed the impact that my profession could generate in a wider range of people. That factor inspired me to continue the development of the project as I realized that good design is not only about aesthetics, but also about offering high quality, efficient, and affordable user centered solutions.

What is the next big step you hope to help your organization reach?

What has been your biggest obstacle as an entrepreneur?

I think my biggest, but most rewarding obstacle, was to realize that having a first prototype was just the beginning. As a product designer, all my projects developed during my degree finished with a well manufactured and aesthetic focused prototype. However, the biggest challenge I had to overcome with this project, was taking the first step after that phase, the one out of the designers’ world to enter the entrepreneur society and start to develop it far beyond thinking about it as a product.

What advice would you give other emerging entrepreneurs?

Believe in yourself, but never forget that hard work and passion are always going to be a requirement to succeed. If you have an idea, and you feel it has potential, go on and take the risk. Start by enriching it in all the ways possible, validate your idea, and decide your next steps. There will always be obstacles, so many obstacles that can disappoint you during the process, but if you are determined enough to continue and focus all your efforts on it, believe me, you have no idea how far you can get.