Many of us are capable of identifying a number of Latin American athletes or singers; we might even recite the words of some of their songs. But, who would be able to mention a group of people involved in scientific, technological, economic, environmental or educational fields? How many people know that a Brazilian was the first person to ever fly a self-propelled plane; or that a Costa Rican was a NASA astronaut and invented a magneto plasma engine; or that the whole in the ozone layer was discovered by a Mexican, as was also the inventor of the first color TV?

This prize is not only trying to rescue from oblivion the most brilliant Latin American minds but also it hopes to motivate new innovators of future generations so that our children not only dream of becoming a Maradona or a Paulina Rubio, but a Dionisio Soldevila, who discovered muscles which were unknown in the human body until he published his findings, or in a Concepción Campa, who created a vaccine to prevent meningitis

The Prize Innovadores de America will endeavor to disseminate in a massive scale the achievements of Latin Americans in the fields of social development, entrepreneurship, culture, and science in order for their excellence and innovative capacity to act as motivators within and outside their frontiers.

As stories of famous travelers or heroes who left in search of the unknown were passed from generation to generation, so will the Prize make these achievements known. Their legends will influence others to follow their example and contribute to publicize and promote their project´s objectives to assist with their financing.

Each of the winners will receive US$40,000 to contribute with the financing of their projects.

The present is filled with great challenges: global warming and climate change, energy problems, and its relationship to the planet; educational systems obsolete in terms of the new communications technologies; the abuse of drugs and corruption.

Latin America needs to deal with these challenges and to achieve this is must refocus its people and work together. Latin America must recognize and stimulate its values and the innovative people that are struggling to achieve sustainable development.