Agoris is a non-profit start-up that seeks to improve the quality of life of small farmers in developing areas through initiatives aimed at enhancing farming productivity levels.
The platform is present in Spain, Guatemala and the USA and is integrated by students and young professionals. Students work on achieving impact by implementing initiatives designed and monitored by the Management Team.
Agoris was founded by Guillermo Ayestaran in 2014 while working at McKinsey & Company Madrid office.
2. 2
Trip to Guatemala and
consolidation of Agoris
Development of teams
and working style
Implementation of
initiatives
Initiative implementation
October – March 2018
Impact optimization
March – May 2018
Student onboarding
September - October 2017
▪ Implementation of
initiatives with biweekly
touchpoints
▪ Ad-hoc problem
solving sessions
▪ Development of
workbook per initiative
▪ Management Team trip
to Guatemala
▪ Refinement of
initiative workbook
▪ Negotiation with
universities to roll-over
Agoris platform
▪ Presentation of Agoris
to students from
different faculties within
Columbia and Valle
▪ Development of mixed
teams for each pillar
▪ Definition of final set of
initiatives to push
prioritizing “quick wins”
▪ Definition of workplan
per initiative
Agoris development
1 2 3
Getting ready
Up to August 2017
Battery of
initiatives
▪ Initial contact
with Columbia
and Valle’s
professors
▪ Development of
a battery of
preliminary
initiatives per
pillar
▪ Align working
methodology
WORKPLAN
0
Agoris will represent an exciting and rewarding experience for our
MBA divided in 4 core phases
Desarrollo de iniciativasSetting the ground for the next generation
Key highlights
Project execution
3. 3
▪ Agoris is a non-profit
start-up that seeks to
improve the quality of life of
small farmers in
developing areas through
initiatives aimed at
enhancing farming
productivity levels
▪ The platform is present in
Spain, Guatemala and the
USA and is integrated by
students and young
professionals
▪ Students work on
achieving impact by
implementing initiatives
designed and monitored
by the Management Team
Agoris connects academic and professional talent from USA and
Guatemala to foster inclusive agricultural development in the region
INTRODUCING AGORIS
What is Agoris?
Young
entrepreneurs
Mission for
development
Involved with the
community
Focused on
impact
▪ Platform integrated
by young
professionals and
undergraduates
▪ All initiatives are
designed with a focus
of enhancing
farming productivity
▪ There is a
permanent team
located near the
targeted community
▪ Ultimate goal of
achieving
measurable impact
that improves life
Our purpose
4. 4
Vision Goals History
▪ Focus on impact
• At Agoris we are completely
focused on achieving concrete
quantifiable impact on each
initiative we develop
• We believe intangible benefits
are an externality of our rigorous
and consistent work approach
▪ Global footprint
• Our modular operating model is
designed to be self-scalable
• We aspire to become a truly
global platform for rural
development
▪ Programmed obsolescence
• Our ultimate success criteria is
not to be required
▪ Origins
• Agoris was founded by Guillermo
Ayestaran in 2014 while working at
McKinsey & Company Madrid office
• The platform was initially present in
Spain and Guatemala
▪ Team
• Agoris is formed by a group of
young international professionals
from diverse backgrounds and by
undergraduate students from
countries where we operate
▪ Achievements
• In 2015, Agoris was distinguished
with the Moderna Foundation
award, acknowledging its
contribution to rural development
At Agoris we work for sustainable rural development by improving
farming efficiency
VISION
▪ Ignite development
• Fragmented rural farming societies
are at risk of becoming isolated
from economic development
• We target the economic and social
bottom-line by enhancing farming
productivity levels and
empowering locals
▪ Provide dignity to farmers
• We envision local farmers as rulers
of their own future
• We work to develop the
organizational structures and
human capital required to make our
presence unnecessary in the long-
term
5. 5
Huehuetenango has the lowest HDI index of Guatemala, basing 95%
of its economy on highly fragmented subsistence farming
Human Development Index
2016
SOURCE: IDH in Guatemala | National reports of Human Development Program
Costa Rica
Suchitepequez
Chimaltenango
Guatemala
Chiquimula
San Marcos
Jutiapa
Sacatepez
Huehuetenango
Metropolitan Region
United States
FOOTPRINT
▪ The agriculture of the region is of subsistence, only an
estimated 15% of the production is commercialized
▪ Corn and Beans are the main components of the local diet
▪ Lack of professionalization and cooperation within the
sector:
- 4.3% of landlords own 56% of the land
- 64% of the farms are smaller than 1 “parcela” (aprox. 700
m2)
▪ There is no organized industry or trade of crops due to lack
of scale, instability of production surpluses and disorganization
of farmers
Focus of Agoris
Key takeaways from Huehuetenango
Local production
2016
Productivity by m2
2016
.USA
6. 6
Psychology of change
INITIATIVES
Technical
Catch-up
Organizational Structure &
Human Capital
Internal Development &
Coordination
+
▪ Initiatives aimed at analyzing
the soil and terrain conditions
to optimize harvest potential
▪ Pramod Prasad
▪ Initiatives based on sharing
best practices in farming and
quick operational
optimization
▪ Initiatives targeted at local
communities to foster a
mentality pro-innovation
▪ Laura Rosales
▪ Paulina Dougherty
▪ Bernat Serra
Description Leader
▪ Initiatives targeted at
developing the optimal
organizational structures and
empowering local farmers
▪ Initiatives to foster
coordination among teams
and to scale the platform
▪ Guillermo Ayestaran
Agoris’ initiatives are structured around core pillars with the
leadership of the Management Team
1
2
3
4
5
Pillars
7. 7
Psychology of
change
Psychology of
change
▪ Develop focus groups among local farmers to
discuss farming issues and show the impact of
proposed innovations in neighboring countries
▪ Set partnerships with local leaders to gain credibility
Example of initiativesPillars
INITIATIVES
Each pillar leader will develop its own end-to-end initiatives
tackling a specific development need with a focus on impact
Technical
Catch-up
Organizational
Structure &
Human Capital
Internal
Development
&
Coordination
1
2
3
4
5
Estimated impact
▪ Increase adoption of overall
recommendations by 10%
▪ Establish a trust-based Q&A local
platform to enhance credibility
▪ Analyse soil to test the NPK ratio (Nitrogen,
Phosphorous, Potash) and benchmark with best-in-
class standards for the country to recommend
optimum mix of fertilizers for local farmers
▪ Increase crop productivity by 20-
30% directly translated to earning
▪ Develop further collaboration agreements with
Columbia University to establish Agoris as a non-
profit platform open to all undergraduate faculties
▪ Reach agreement with Engineering
and Business School to announce
Agoris every School Commencement
ILLUSTRATIVE
NON-EXHAUSTIVE
▪ Diversify crops by rotating them based on soil use
seasonality optimization
▪ Architecture of farms to leverage hill slopes to water
crops from the top down and capture rainfall runoff
▪ Increase soil fertility and quality
improving crop yield by 30%
▪ Reduce water waste by 15% and
overall water requirements by 10%
▪ Develop a cooperative for commercialization of
agriculture surplus
▪ Bancarize local communities and enhance access to
farming insurance
▪ Increase commercialized surplus by
20%
▪ Decrease funding costs by 10% and
achieve 15% insurance penetration
8. 8
The platform bridges the USA and Guatemala through initiatives
implemented by undergraduate students monitored by experts
Initiatives
aimed at
enhancing
farming
productivity
NGOs
Private
Organizations
Public
Institutions
ARCHITECTURE
Students Students
Management Team
Third-party
collaborators
▪ Each Management
Team member will lead
one of the pillars by
managing an
international team of
students
▪ Students will work on
implementing the
selected initiatives with
the support of the
Management Team
▪ Each team will held
biweekly problem
solving and status
update conference call
meetings
▪ Students will have
access to all required
resources including
third-party professional
collaborators
Agoris architecture Work methodology
9. 9
Impact
Commitment
Solidarity
✓ We look for students with a keen sense of
giving back and make the world a better
place, this is the mission of this project
Integrity
Growth
Excellence
1
2
3
6
5
4
STUDENT ONBOARDING
✓ This is aim to be a year
long collaboration,
making true commitment
vital for the succeed of the
initiatives
✓ We do not work for the
sake of it, we want to
have a sizable impact on
the communities in
which we are involved
✓ Students thinking about joining us should
dream of excellence and love for all what
they do, no matter if it is big or small
✓ In life there are no short-
cuts to thorough work and
passion, integrity should be
embedded in everything we
do
✓ In this year experience, you will
be working hand by hand with
young accomplished
professionals and students
with other backgrounds, a
true learning experience
Students are the true drivers of change and development being at
the core of initiative implementation
10. 10
The Management Team of Agoris has solid backgrounds and share
a strong sense of commitment with promoting development
MANAGEMENT TEAM
▪ Guillermo Ayestaran is an MBA candidate at Columbia Business School
and holds a degree in Economics from University of Navarra in Spain
▪ He has developed relevant experience in Investment Banking and
Management Consulting
Management
team Bio Firms
▪ Laura Rosales holds a degree in Economics from University of Navarra in
Spain
▪ She is a Trader at Citibank Guatemala with experience in trading currencies,
fixed income instruments and financial derivatives in emerging markets
▪ Pramod Prasad is an MBA candidate at Columbia Business School and
holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Tech.
▪ He has experience in the pharmaceutical industry and in consulting and
financial analytics
▪ Paulina Dougherty is an MBA candidate at Columbia Business School and
holds a degree in Management from Tulane University in New Orleans
▪ She has significant experience in the financial services industry, mostly
focused in strategy and management
▪ Bernat Serra is a MBA candidate at Columbia Business School and
graduated in Aerospace Engineering by the Polytechnic University of Madrid
▪ He has experience as a consultant in Madrid and in non-governmental
development and agriculture engagements with tribal communities in India
