Interview with Juan Manuel Chaves. The new era of collaboration: from dialogue to action.

Reddi Colombia has established itself as a strategic platform to transform knowledge generated in universities and startups into solutions that boost business competitiveness and sustainable development in the Pacific region.

From his role as a facilitator between researchers and entrepreneurs, it became clear how the connection flowed between those institutions that sought to develop projects to solve global problems such as climate change, loss of biodiversity, food insecurity, among others; that is, points of connection that further strengthened this collaborative work.

Under his leadership, Juan Manuel Chaves, an economist with a background in finance and innovation management, has strengthened Reddi’s role as a facilitator connecting researchers, entrepreneurs, and businesses. This work has enabled the emergence of projects aimed at addressing global challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and food security.

“More and more universities and companies understand that social and environmental challenges not only demand solutions, but also open up opportunities to create value and compete globally. Integrating technical, scientific, and business knowledge has become key. At Reddi, we promote programs that make this connection possible and transform collaboration into strategic and sustainable alliances.”

Xpanz by Reddi: from collaborative work to visible impact

With this purpose in mind , Xpanz by Reddi was created , a space designed to inspire, connect, and transform. Its fifth edition will take place on November 21st at the Hotel Dann Carlton in Cali, solidifying its position as the leading platform for showcasing the results of projects developed collaboratively by industry and academia.

For Juan Manuel, this version stands out for presenting consolidated alliances in strategic sectors such as agribusiness, food, health and energy, where Valle del Cauca has demonstrated a clear competitive advantage .

“As a region, we have tangible results that demonstrate our leadership in the bioeconomy. Xpanz is that opportunity to see it to believe it : a stage where universities and companies shine with success stories that inspire and show how collaboration becomes an engine of transformation for the entire ecosystem,” he explained.

More than an event, Xpanz is a meeting point designed to generate conversation and facilitate real connections between the actors in the science, technology and innovation ecosystem.

“It’s time for conversations to evolve and transform into alliances that change realities. Trust isn’t decreed: it’s built with results, and that’s precisely what we’ll demonstrate this year.”

Juan Manuel Chaves will be leading "The Future of Innovation: Connections that Transform," one of the conferences at Xpanz by Reddi. Registration is now open.

November 21, 2025
Ritz Room, Dann Carlton Hotel, Santiago de Cali
8:30 am – 12:30 pm
FREE ENTRY

Reddi led the Experience Day at Qualinn 2025: innovation in health came to life

Reddi was present at #Qualinn2025 leading the Experience Day , a space designed to connect innovation, technology and talent in the health sector.

This leadership meant taking on the search and call for innovations in health at the national and international level, with the purpose of bringing together in one place the leading figures who are transforming the sector through science, technology and creativity.

Thanks to this process, we were able to bring together exhibitors from Chile, Peru, Mexico, Spain and Argentina , along with prominent representatives from Colombia, who shared technological solutions applied to health from different perspectives:

Argentina: Motivia , a digital health platform that supports people with chronic diseases or prevention programs.
Mexico: Unblind , developer of AI-based solutions for visual accessibility.
Peru: Xrai , a platform that integrates AI and data analysis to improve hospital management.
Spain: Zerintia HealthTech , specializing in remote assistance technologies and augmented reality for clinical environments.
Chile: Safe by CareYou , innovation focused on patient safety through digital monitoring.

Colombia: HEXAGON 3D Laboratories SAS, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana , UNIMINUTO, Custom Praxis, SalvaHealth, Fundación Valle del Lili , Wekall , among other institutions that promote the advancement of the national digital health ecosystem.

Each exhibitor had a stand in the experience zone , where attendees could interact directly with the technologies, and also presented their pitch on a stage open to the public , showing how their solutions contribute to the future of health.

In this space, technology came to life with demonstrations of medical simulators, artificial intelligence, digital tools and more , allowing visitors to experience firsthand how innovation is transforming healthcare and training.

At Reddi, we continue to promote the connection between knowledge, innovation and action , facilitating experiences where collaboration and technology become real impact.

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Xpanz 2025: Innovation connects companies, universities and startups in the Cauca Valley

Xpanz by Reddi returns this year with a new edition where the bioeconomy will take center stage. Experiences of collaboration between universities, businesses, and startups in health, food, and the environment will showcase the progress in collaboration and the strengthening of innovation in the Valle del Cauca region.

On November 21, 2025, in the Ritz Room of the Dann Carlton Hotel in Cali, the fifth edition of this free event, open to the public, will take place, in which initiatives such as Fusióni3 Valle, Agrifoodtech Challenge and Valley Care will present their results, proposals and journey.

Fusióni3 Valle: Results that inspire

The ten collaborative university-business alliances benefiting from the Fusióni3 Valle Maturation Fund will present their experiences and solutions, which include digital tools to improve healthcare and the training of health professionals, innovative and sustainable foods, and new technologies for measuring and using energy efficiently.

Agrifoodtech Challenge: Advances that feed the future

The winners of the first edition of the Agrifoodtech Challenge will share the progress of their initiatives in the face of challenges such as reducing food waste, promoting regenerative agriculture and developing smart foods for well-being.

Valley Care: Finalists and solutions in healthcare

The eight finalist proposals from Valley Care will present their pitches to a jury that will select the four winners. These will advance to the Maturation Fund in 2026, reaffirming the value of open innovation in building a more accessible, efficient, and humane healthcare system.

In addition, Xpanz by Reddi will be a space to connect with new allies, recognize the potential of working together, and project a future of transformation for the region and the country.

Xpanz by Reddi 2025

November 21, 2025
Ritz Ballroom, Dann Carlton Hotel,
Cra. 2 #1-60, COMUNA 3, Cali, Valle del Cauca
7:30 am – 12:30 pm

Nateco: a spin-off that grows with the impetus of science and innovation

At Reddi, we believe in the power of transforming scientific knowledge into solutions that generate real impact on society. That’s why we support technology-based companies like Nateco , a spin-off from the Universidad Autónoma de Occidente (UAO), founded by professor and researcher Luz Marina Flórez , who has successfully turned her academic experience into an opportunity for sustainable development.

Nateco has been recognized as one of the winners of the SciencePreneurs program scholarship, an initiative of the Deeptech Colombia ecosystem , of which Reddi is a part. This award highlights science entrepreneurs who lead high-impact projects based on knowledge and technology.

Luz Marina Flórez

Teacher and researcher

Autonomous University of the West

As part of our work mapping and raising the profile of technology-based companies , Reddi supported Nateco in its application to the Seed Capital program , a strategy promoted by the Mayor’s Office of Santiago de Cali , through the Secretariat of Economic Development and the 2025 Business Consortium . This initiative supports entrepreneurs, informal workers, and SMEs with training, technical assistance, and capitalization resources to strengthen their production units.

As a result of this process, Nateco was selected as a beneficiary of the Seed Capital fund , an achievement that represents a decisive step to consolidate its business model and continue developing technological solutions that promote environmental sustainability.

At Reddi, we celebrate this progress and reaffirm our commitment to technology transfer and strengthening the Deeptech ecosystem . Cases like Nateco are the best example of how, when research and innovation are connected with the right support, ideas can become true drivers of economic and social change.

Four technologies from the Reddi ecosystem shine at the 2025 Colombian National Inventor Award

The creativity and ingenuity of our region once again shone on the national stage. In the 2025 edition of the Colombian National Inventor Award, four technologies supported by Reddi received recognition in this prestigious award that promotes a culture of invention and patent protection, solidifying its position as one of the most important in the country.

What is the Colombian National Inventor Award?

This award, led by the Superintendency of Industry and Commerce (SIC) , seeks to stimulate the inventive capacity of Colombians who develop products, processes or technologies that contribute to the industrial and technological development of the country.

The winners receive a medal and diploma, legal support in new patenting processes, funding of industrial property fees and, above all, visibility to continue growing.

Professor Sofía Parra – Mariana University. Recipient of the “Get the Most Out of Your Patent 5.0” program with her Coconut Wood technology

Professor Luz Marina Flórez – Recipient of the DeepTech Alliance Sciencepreneurs Grant with her SpinOff Nateco

The winning technologies in our ecosystem

1. Sugar Stick Sweetener: Technology that sweetens hot beverages without waste, reducing your personal carbon footprint and complying with environmental regulations. Beneficiary of the Get the Most Out of Your Patent 5.0 (SJTP) program . Learn more here: Sugar Stick Sweetener

2. Coconut Wood (MDC): An innovative particleboard technology, with coconut fiber as its main component, offers a versatile and durable solution. A beneficiary of the Get the Most Out of Your Patent 5.0 (SJTP) program. Discover it here: MDC – Coconut Wood

3. Nateco: Specializes in the production of products made with biomaterials, offering sustainable alternatives to replace polluting materials like plastic. Winner of a scholarship for the Sciencepreneurs Built DeepTech program . Learn more: Nateco

4. Cocotech.ai: A digital platform that optimizes healthcare management with smart scheduling, a self-service portal, telemedicine, and a service marketplace. Currently operating in 4 countries, with over 700 healthcare centers and 5 million monthly transactions. Participant in Qualinn ‘s Experience Day . Discover it here: Cocotech.ai

A collective achievement

These awards not only celebrate the inventors behind each initiative, but also the ecosystem that drives purposeful innovation . For Reddi, supporting these processes means further solidifying Colombia’s position as a leader in scientific and technological creativity.

The awards ceremony, held between September 8 and 12, 2025, brought together inventors from across the country and highlighted projects with transformative potential in multiple sectors.

At Reddi, we celebrate this milestone and reaffirm our commitment: to continue connecting talent, science, and technology so that more inventors from our region can have an impact in Colombia and the world.

Businessman Marlio Silva, beneficiary of Get the Most Out of Your Patent 5.0 with his Molinillito technology

Ten alliances from Fusióni3 Valle recognized their potential in the Connection Sprint

More than 50 attendees were present at the Fusióni3 Valle Connection Sprint.

The event, in which the ten alliances benefiting from the Maturation Fund presented their progress for the third time, allowed them to showcase how the knowledge and experience of universities and companies in Valle del Cauca have been successfully combined to strengthen innovation.

In the presence of directors from the allied universities; companies, both beneficiaries of the Maturation Fund and the Innovation Voucher; the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, and the Secretariat of Economic Development and Competitiveness of Valle del Cauca, the progress of the product and service prototypes was presented, and the pitches highlighted how the solutions will impact the markets in the short and medium term.

“ We recognized how these results go to market, can gain traction and, why not, think about new spin-offs and new products launched, and thus be able to design better public policies in the department,” said Secretary Óscar Eduardo Vivas Astudillo.

Likewise, the Sprint highlighted how the region’s industry and academia have found ways to meet, work together, and achieve goals that are celebrated by the institutions that are part of Fusióni3 Valle.

The Vice-Rector of Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the Autonomous University of the West, Jesús David Cardona, expressed his satisfaction:

“ Seeing this excites us so much, because before, when a businessperson visited us, they didn’t see the possibilities of linking the university’s Science, Technology, and Innovation capabilities so clearly. My invitation is for us to continue dreaming together; for businesses to be able to coexist within the university. It’s a great opportunity for new connections to emerge. We can accelerate and refine things based on knowledge.”

New connections and the final stretch

The Fusióni3 Valle Connection Sprint opened its doors to people from various organizations, including companies in the region, researchers and teachers in general, to attend the event, with the aim of recognizing future allies and connecting.

For this purpose, there was a space for conclusions, interaction and display of prototypes, as well as the presentation of processes.

Anny Parra, coordinator of Objective 2 University-Business Connections at Fusióni3 Valle, gave a positive assessment of the day:

“During the Connection Sprint, we saw concrete progress in each alliance and highly satisfactory results for everyone. We are very proud to see that the alliances are now recognized as benchmarks for solving their challenges, and vice versa.”

The ten alliances benefiting from the Maturation Fund will continue working in their final stage, and the completion of each project will take place between September and November 2025, according to the start date of each one.