Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — Waste Neutral Technologies, a Tulum-based company that converts plastic waste into fuel, won the regional semifinal of the Startup World Cup and will represent Quintana Roo in the national final of Mexico 2026.
The competition, held Aug. 27 in Playa del Carmen, brought together nine startups that presented their projects before a jury with ties to the business, tourism, social and innovation sectors, according to Carlos Segura Ponce de León, a representative of the NGO Mayma, which organized the event.
The startup was selected for its proposal to process recyclable and non-recyclable plastic waste through technological transformation. The company develops technology that converts plastic waste into fuels and other valuable products.
Andoni Álvarez presented the project during the semifinal and will represent Quintana Roo at the national final in Chihuahua. Waste Neutral Technologies already operates a plant in Tulum and plans to expand its capacity with new facilities elsewhere in Mexico, including Mexico City. The company is also in talks to bring its technology to other markets, including Asia.
“If it takes first place in Chihuahua, which we all hope it will, it will advance to the grand world final of the Startup World Cup in Silicon Valley, California, where it can compete for an angel investment of up to one million dollars,” Segura said.
The national final is scheduled for Sept. 24, 2026.
Mayma is a Latin American organization with 18 years of experience committed to accelerating the transition to a regenerative economy. It currently operates in five countries.
“What we do is empower entrepreneurs, startups and MSMEs,” Segura said. “In these years, we have supported more than 9,600 entrepreneurs in the region, including 40 projects specifically from Quintana Roo. We are currently working on strengthening value chains in the tourism sector by training, accelerating and connecting triple-impact companies — social, environmental and economic.”
