Hernán Asto

"Thanks to studies on plants, I learned that through photosynthesis they release organic substances and these, in contact with microorganisms in the sky, release electrons [...] As a nanotechnology has been created inside, as the plant develops, electrons are captured and stored in a battery. It’s enough to light a light bulb for a whole night."

He is a civil engineer and innovator from Ayacucho, Peru, and founder of Alinti, a pioneering company in biotechnology applied to renewable energy. His work focuses on developing devices that generate electricity from microorganisms and plants, revolutionizing access to clean energy in under-resourced rural communities.

Thanks to his commitment to sustainability, Hernán has been recognized with national and international awards, such as the Global eAwards 2024 granted by the Fundación NTT DATA; the National ProInnóvate 2023 Award from the Ministry of Production of Peru; recognition from History Channel with "Una idea para cambiar la historia"; finalist in the Expo 2020 Dubai; finalist in the Iberoamerican Design Biennial (BID) 2022, in Spain; and the Technology with Impact award from the Premios Latinoamérica Verde 2019, considered the region’s Environmental Oscars. In addition, 50 Alinti units were implemented in homes in Carapongo, Lima province, Peru, by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Hernán has collaborated with universities, governments and companies to implement sustainable technological solutions in urban and rural spaces. His vision is to transform the way the world accesses energy, combining innovation, science and nature.