Just a few weeks ago, I had the chance to take part in a profoundly transformative experience as a mentor at Unreasonable Impact UK & Europe 2025—a gathering of professionals and visionaries organized by the Unreasonable Group and sponsored by Barclays.

It took place along the banks of the River Mimram in Hertfordshire, England, at the picturesque Tewinbury Farm Hotel. Since 1931, this charming spot has been devoted to nurturing both the land and its guests. It’s a truly magical place—peaceful, surrounded by woodlands that seem to speak, and steeped in rural beauty.

Among the many highlights of those days, one moment stands out—a completely unexpected experience born from a simple yet deeply meaningful exercise.

I think it was on the third day when Daniel Epstein, founder of Unreasonable, invited the mentors to take turns starting a sentence with one of two phrases: “I wish…” or “I love…”

I couldn’t choose. What I was feeling at that moment went far beyond a mere wish or a casual appreciation. So, what flowed from my heart and onto my lips was this:

“I love the experience we’re having. And I wish we could bring something like this to Latin America, to Central America, to Costa Rica.”

“I love…” and “I wish…”
“I Love,” “I Wish.”
It came from the soul.

What I didn’t expect was how seriously Daniel and Unreasonable’s Chief of Staff, Britt Mazal, would take my words. Since then, the conversation has continued—and now, together with Mario Solari, a Chilean based in London, there’s a real possibility of bringing this experience (and this model) to our region.

What is Unreasonable Group?

Unreasonable Group is a global organization that partners with entrepreneurs tackling the world’s most pressing current and future challenges. Their mission is crystal clear: to support financially sound companies that are aligned with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Through immersive programs, a global network of partners, mentorship, and access to capital, Unreasonable helps scale solutions that positively impact the planet—with remarkable expertise.

They’ve accelerated over 400 entrepreneurs across more than 60 countries, facilitated more than $10.2 billion in investment, and ensured that 93% of their companies are still active and growing. To date, they’ve helped generate over 25,000 jobs, and 100% of the companies they support directly contribute to the SDGs.

But let’s be clear—Unreasonable is not an NGO. It’s a professional organization with high standards and a radically practical approach to using entrepreneurship to improve the world. Its track record speaks for itself:

Unreasonable Impact and Barclays’ Support

Barclays plays a crucial role in these gatherings, and the European event I attended was no exception. More than just a sponsor, they were fully engaged and deeply committed. Several of their executives were present throughout the sessions—listening, sharing, and forming authentic, lasting connections with the entrepreneurs.

This level of involvement is essential. At Unreasonable, sponsorship isn’t symbolic—it’s all-encompassing. Entrepreneurs incur no costs. Everything—flights, accommodation, meals, workshops—is covered by the sponsor.

The same applies to mentors, with the exception of travel expenses. Once we arrived, Unreasonable and Barclays took care of everything.

This model ensures the focus stays where it belongs: on creating solutions. Financial concerns are set aside.

 

A Curated, Demanding, and Human Process

Before we even arrived, both entrepreneurs and mentors signed a mentoring agreement and a code of conduct. I must say, the selection process was thorough and highly professional—Unreasonable doesn’t leave things to chance.

Each entrepreneur was meticulously selected for both the economic potential of their business and the quality and impact of their solution.

This became clear during our days at Tewinbury, working closely with each startup, driven by the pure joy of giving—without expecting any financial return. The mentors’ work, entirely altruistic, involved sharing expertise, refining business models, challenging assumptions, encouraging critical thinking, providing emotional support, and often, simply listening.

 

What This Could Mean for Our Region

Bringing an experience like Unreasonable Impact to Latin America would be an extraordinary opportunity to support the growth of high-impact entrepreneurship in our region.

But making it a reality will take more than goodwill. It requires replicating a robust sponsorship model.

Banks, corporations, or family offices will need to make a genuine commitment—not only to fund the logistics but also to professionally support the selected entrepreneurs.

This wouldn’t be just any sponsorship. It would be a visionary one—designed to create the right conditions for Latin America’s remarkable talent to flourish, scale their solutions, generate real community impact, and transform their environments.

That possibility is now on the table, along with the hope of seeing it come to life in our countries. After all, dreaming big has always been part of this company’s DNA.

 

Unreasonable Impact UK & Europe 2025 – Participating Companies

To illustrate the kind of ventures selected for the European program, here’s a list of the startups, their founders or contacts, and links to their websites. Each one is extraordinary—innovative, disruptive, and with a powerful vision for the future:

Final thought

Today, I feel privileged to be part of the global community of entrepreneurs, mentors, investors, and sponsors that make up the Unreasonable Group. To my surprise—and great honor—Daniel Epstein has named us Mentors for Life.

At the heart of all this is a powerful idea: business can—and must—be a force for solving the world’s greatest challenges. This belief resonates deeply with the way I see both the present and the future.

Even though this experience took place thousands of miles from Costa Rica, I can’t help but dream about seeing Unreasonable’s impact take root in Latin America.

I remember the spark in the eyes of the entrepreneurs at Tewinbury Farm Hotel—and I imagine how extraordinary it would be to see that same light in our lands, a region overflowing with talent, passion, and resilience.

The mere possibility of bringing something like this to our corner of the world should encourage us to dream big. Because that’s what this is all about: creating spaces where extraordinary talent knows no bounds, and world-changing ideas get the momentum they deserve.

And perhaps, not too long from now, we’ll be able to look back and say: we turned an “I wish” into the moment we helped shape something truly Unreasonable in Latin America.