By: Juan Esteban Hincapié – Co-founder and CEO NEU Energy.

Ten years ago, when we started dreaming of building a solar energy company, we couldn’t imagine, even in the rosiest scenario, what the idea we were trying to build during our college days would turn into.

Our purpose was very clear: implementation of renewable energies. What made us want to do it: the passion we felt when talking about energy issues, but we didn’t really know how we wanted to achieve it.

During our journey as entrepreneurs, we learned something that perhaps would have been invaluable at the time: it doesn’t matter if we don’t know how to do it, the most important thing is to know our goal and be 100% positive that we can make it happen. Eventually, the “how” is revealed as we go along the way and learn from our mistakes. 

I feel that today might be similar. We have a road travelled and some knowledge gained by making mistakes; however, we have a clear vision of what we want our company to be in the next 10 years, we know our purpose very well, and our passion to keep building not only a company, but a team that creates a positive impact, is the same. We will be a digital energy company that offers clean, affordable, and digital energy through an amazing service in Colombia (where it all started) and in Latin America.

For this purpose, we have designed a strategy focused on using technology and data to optimize the implementation, generation, commercialization, management, and operation of our energy generation systems, to offer our customers clean, reliable energy that saves them money, increasing their productivity and leveraging their future growth.

As I mentioned at the beginning, we don’t know where this path will lead us, but we are certain that we have a reason to do it: optimize energy consumption through the implementation of clean, affordable, and digital energy projects to contribute, from our place, to the great goal of achieving zero net greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Finally, I would like to mention two lessons learned over the years: first, that purpose and passion are the key skills to move forward on a challenging path and to maintain motivation on a daily basis. Secondly, the most important thing is to start making that vision come true, even if the details of the path are not very clear. The way to do it will be understood along the way and will be stronger with each step we take.