The initiative received 121 applications from across Chile and selected 30 technology entrepreneurs to participate in the program. The two winning projects were awarded prizes of CLP 10 million and CLP 5 million, respectively.

With strong participation and outstanding representation from technology entrepreneurs across the country, EXPONOR 2026 concluded the eighth edition of Launch Your Innovation, a platform that serves as a showcase for innovative solutions while fostering the development of technologies for the mining and energy sectors, strengthening the connection between entrepreneurship, industry, and innovation.

The call for applications attracted a total of 121 proposals, from which 30 initiatives were selected based on their potential impact, scalability, and contribution to the industry's current challenges. During the weeks leading up to the exhibition, participants took part in a training and mentoring process designed to strengthen their value propositions and business models.

The evaluation process was carried out by representatives from the public, private, and academic sectors, who reviewed all submissions and selected the 30 initiatives demonstrating the highest level of development, growth potential, and industry relevance to participate in the program.

During EXPONOR 2026, the selected technology entrepreneurs showcased their solutions in the Launch Your Innovation area, located in the Molybdenum Pavilion, where they had the opportunity to engage with mining and energy companies, investors, and key stakeholders from the innovation ecosystem.

Following a second evaluation stage, ten projects advanced to the Pitch Day, the program’s final stage, where they presented their solutions before a distinguished jury composed of Maki Ikeda, Head of Innovation Product Development at BHP; Alex Parnás, Director of Entrepreneurship at the UC Anacleto Angelini Innovation Center; Cristian Olivares, Innovation Manager at Antofagasta Minerals; Sebastián Quiñones, Research Director at SQM; and Antonella Malatesta, Head of the Local Procurement Program at Spence | BHP.

The ten finalists were: BQSense, Hi Mining, IAP Solutions, Lavor Mining Technology, Neos AI, Neuritiva, Neuro4B, RHENÜ, Smart Rental Equipments, and Rodrigo Donoso.

Marko Razmilic, President of the Antofagasta Industrial Association (AIA), highlighted that: "Launch Your Innovation reflects one of EXPONOR’s main purposes: connecting entrepreneurial talent with the real challenges faced by industry. Here, we are creating concrete opportunities for new technologies to scale, be validated, and become solutions that generate value for mining, energy, and Chile’s productive development."

Alex Parnás, Director of Entrepreneurship at the UC Anacleto Angelini Innovation Center, stated: "Launch Your Innovation has established itself as an outstanding platform for connecting technology entrepreneurship with the industry's real challenges. We have seen projects with significant potential to generate impact, particularly in sustainability and operational performance. Today, innovation in this sector requires collaboration among companies, entrepreneurs, academia, and support institutions. From academia, we contribute through acceleration programs, training, and technology validation so that these solutions reach industry with greater maturity and real implementation potential."

Winners

Following the final presentations, the jury awarded first place, along with a CLP 10 million prize to support the development and scaling of its technology, to Lavor Mining Technology, a startup from Tocopilla dedicated to developing solutions for mineral processing. Its innovation consists of a new chemical treatment capable of recovering active extractants used in solvent extraction (SX) processes in copper hydrometallurgy. The technology has already been validated under operational conditions and can be implemented both on-site and remotely.

Following the final presentations, the jury awarded first place, along with a CLP 10 million prize to support the development and scaling of its technology, to Lavor Mining Technology, a startup from Tocopilla dedicated to developing solutions for mineral processing. Its innovation consists of a new chemical treatment capable of recovering active extractants used in solvent extraction (SX) processes in copper hydrometallurgy. The technology has already been validated under operational conditions and can be implemented both on-site and remotely.

Second place, together with a CLP 5 million prize to support its development and consolidation process, was awarded to Smart Rental Equipments, developer of SG-12, a heavy-duty electric robot designed to clean beneath conveyor belts without interrupting production.The equipment is remotely operated, eliminates worker exposure in hazardous areas, and has already achieved operational validation after more than one year of continuous operation at mining sites.

The company stated: "This recognition validates the work we have been carrying out. This year we also received a major award at FIDAE, but being here today at EXPONOR, before executives and representatives of the industry's leading companies, confirms that we are moving in the right direction and that there is genuine interest in our technology. For us, participating in Chile’s leading mining exhibition provides an opportunity to show the world that Deep Tech solutions with practical industrial applications are being developed in our country."

With the conclusion of this new edition of Launch Your Innovation, EXPONOR 2026 reaffirms its commitment to technology entrepreneurship, applied innovation, and the creation of opportunities for new solutions that contribute to the development of a more efficient, sustainable, and competitive mining and energy industry.

Launch Your Innovation 2026 was supported by Antofagasta Minerals, Escondida | BHP, Spence | BHP, and SQM Yodo Nutrición Vegetal as strategic partners. In addition, Fundación Chile, the UC Innovation Center, CORFO, and CORFO Antofagasta participated as institutional partners.

The platform was developed within the framework of the Industrial Innovation Connection Network – Antofagasta 2026, a project supported by the CORFO Antofagasta Committee.