The "Comfy" startup began in the university's Coworking StartUPS offices and is now one of the finalists of the 13th edition of the Americas Talent and Innovation Competition.

This project was chosen among 4,713 other proposals at an international level and will now compete in the Eco – Reto women's category. The inventors of the project are students in the university's branch campus in Quito, Paula Salazar (Biotechnology student) and karla Altamirano (Business Administration student) will travel to Lima, Peru to present their product on April 11th and 12th in the 5th youth forum of the Americas. 

"Comfy" is an ecological product that seeks to reduce the high rate of women who contract diseases when using public bathrooms. According to regional statistics, 9 out of 10 women who use pubic bathrooms have contracted some type of disease, such as urinary tract infection. "At Comfy we think that prevention is the best way to protect ourselves from diseases which can be avoided", said the creators of the project.

The event is organized by the Young Americas Business Trust (YABT), a non-governmental, nonprofit organization that works in cooperation with the Organization of American States to encourage social and economic development of young people around the world and help reach global objectives as well as sustainable development.

"We feel very happy about being selected finalists of this competition. it is a great achievement but also a great responsibility. We are the only Ecuadorian representatives among all the projects that were presented", said Paula Salazar. 

Learn more about the finalists of the Competition Talento e Innovación de las Américas