María Amorín, a young social entrepreneur from Guatemala has been awarded the 2025 DHL Scholarship for the Climate Entrepreneurship Academy at the AFS Youth Assembly (in August 2025 in New York City). In a very competitive selection process, among almost 1,000 applicants for this scholarship, María stood out for her passion for biomaterials, biorefinery, and creating circular economy solutions through science-based innovation.
María is the CEO & Founder of CrustaTec, a startup transforming seafood waste into biodegradable materials for sustainable wastewater treatment. CrustaTec turns seafood waste into environmental value, building a circular economy for cleaner water and cleaner coasts. María’s startup solves two major environmental issues: untreated wastewater and shrimp shell waste. Their products have been validated, and companies are ready to adopt their solution. The next step now is to scale up production, which is why this scholarship opportunity is especially valuable for María.
“I’m eager to connect with peers, refine our strategy, and contribute to the global climate innovation community while advocating for clean water, the circular economy, and coastal preservation. I’m especially interested in learning how to navigate sustainable supply chains and quantify environmental impact key steps for scaling CrustaTec effectively,” shared María.
María was excited to join the Climate Entrepreneurship Academy and get the tools, mentorship, and global network to scale CrustaTec. The Climate Entrepreneurship Academy, hosted by New York University’s (NYU) Center for Global Affairs, and supported by DHL, equips delegates with practical insights and strategies for founding, financing, and sustainably growing climate-focused start-ups. The Academy offers a collaborative environment where young leaders can team up with peers and industry mentors to turn ideas into impactful ventures. The AFS Youth Assembly is a global platform that cultivates an international network of young leaders and changemakers through exchange, education, action and impact.
This fully funded scholarship sought to recognize and empower a talented young leader within the Americas region. The initiative is a result of a multi year partnership between DHL and AFS Intercultural Programs, building on both organizations’ strong commitment to youth development and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). DHL’s support for this scholarship and the 2025 Climate Entrepreneurship Academy specifically aims to empower aspiring entrepreneurs to develop innovative solutions that tackle the urgent challenges of climate change.
The DHL Group is committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, reflecting its dedication to sustainability through ambitious goals and eco-friendly practices. GoGreen Plus is the latest addition to DHL’s portfolio of sustainability solutions, offering customers more ways to reduce their environmental impact. By leveraging sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in place of conventional jet fuel, GoGreen Plus enables up to a 90% reduction in carbon emissions associated with air shipments. Since air freight accounts for approximately 90% of the company’s carbon footprint, sustainable air transport solutions like GoGreen Plus play a vital role in creating greener logistics.
AFS Intercultural Programs is an international, voluntary, non-governmental, non-profit organization that provides intercultural learning opportunities to help people develop the knowledge, skills and understanding needed to create a more just and peaceful world.