Madeleine Valderrama Martinez: Using AI to Help Farmers and Miners Be Sustainable

Ladderworks is a publishing platform of diverse picture books and an online curriculum with the mission to empower over a million kids to become social entrepreneurs. Our current series features interviews by our interplanetary journalist Spiffy with inspiring Social Entrepreneurs, Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Builders, and Changemakers who are advancing the UN SDGs. 

Spiffy here with the scoop on the entrepreneurial leaders of Planet Earth. As the only interplanetary journalist stationed on this blue planet, I’m thrilled to present this galactic exclusive with Madeleine Valderrama Martinez, the co-founder and CEO of Bruna. Let’s learn about what’s happening there and how Madeleine is making a positive impact in the world.

Spiffy: Hi Madeleine, thanks a million for talking to me today. Tell me, what challenge are you addressing through Bruna?

Madeleine: Thanks for having me, Spiffy! At Bruna, we work magic with computers to help those who grow our fruits and mine minerals from the earth. We use artificial intelligence, which is like teaching computers to think a little bit like us, to tell these workers when it's going to rain or how they can do their job without wasting water and electricity. It's like having a crystal ball that really works!

Spiffy: Wow, so cool! What motivates you to do it?

Madeleine: What we love the most is helping the Earth and the people who work hard on it. We think about how we can make things better, like using less water and not spending so much electricity. This is important because we want to take care of our planet and make sure everyone can have what they need without harming nature. It's like being superheroes for the planet and the people!

Spiffy: Can you elaborate on the impact of your work?

Madeleine: Our job is to help farmers and miners do their work in the best way, and at the best time, treating water and electricity like treasures. This way, they can grow food and find minerals in the easiest and smartest way without harming our planet. It's as if we were secretly telling them the best time and place to plant seeds, collect fruits and vegetables, or search for minerals underground.

Spiffy: Tell me about a recent organization milestone or initiative. What impact does it make on your community?

Madeleine: We've found a way to help our farmer and miner friends use less water and light, and do all their work without wasting anything. It's like having a magic wand that makes them super efficient. And the best part is that thanks to this, they've been able to save a lot of water and energy, which makes the Earth happy!

Spiffy: Is there anything else you would love to tell our audience?

Madeleine: I want to share a secret with you: what excites us the most is transforming numbers and data, which may seem boring, into something that helps the planet. It's as if those numbers were secret ingredients for our magical recipes that improve the world. And the most incredible thing is that each one of you can also be part of this, taking care of water, light, and everything around us!

Spiffy: Thanks for speaking with me today, Madeleine—it’s been an honor!

Madeleine Valderrama, co-founder and CEO of Bruna.ai, is an industrial civil engineer with a master's in technology. With over ten years of experience in the manufacturing industry, she has led disruptive projects, was recognized as one of the top 100 Female Leaders in Chile in 2022, and was winner of the Kelu Award 2023. Together with Ismael Valenzuela, she created Bruna.ai, an AI Productivity Coach, expanding to 12 industries in three countries. (Nominated by Max Kahn. First published on the Ladderworks website on April 4, 2024.)

The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the interviewee and do not necessarily reflect those of Ladderworks LLC.