Second Fusioni3 Valley Sprint: Tangible results and collaborative experiences

The second edition of the Innovation Sprint for the alliances benefiting from the Fusióni3 Valle Maturation Fund left a positive balance, after the projects presented advances such as prototypes, interactive platforms and beta models of the innovation products they are working on.

Researchers and businesspeople shared their collaborative experience, which took place between March and April 2025, with the Reddi Colombia team. They presented relevant data on technical and financial progress, as well as how they have successfully coordinated their efforts.

In this regard, most highlighted the support provided by the Fusióni3 Valle managers to each of the alliances and the positive relationship that has been consolidated between universities and companies.

“ It is very satisfying to know how the relationship between companies and universities has strengthened, that they have even considered the possibility of continuing to work together, and that the beneficiary entrepreneurs already identify academia as a fundamental actor for their innovation activities,” said Anny Parra, coordinator of Objective 2 University-Business Connection.

Among the new features of this edition, some sessions included sensory tests, especially in the food sector, which made Sprint 2 a much more experiential event for all participants.

“ This type of exercise helps us connect with the market and strengthen our partnerships. It took us out of the routine of the sessions and allowed us to interact with the initial products. That added value,” said María Fernanda Meneses, business analyst at Reddi Colombia.

Impressions of this space

For project members and session attendees, the Maturation Fund Sprint remains a key event to boost communication between alliances and the work team, as well as to build joint solutions to potential unforeseen events.

William Ríos, plant manager of Implameq, a company working in partnership with the University of Valle to develop an external fixator for bone fractures, commented:

“ The Sprint has allowed us to track the most relevant milestones of each stage of our project. It has facilitated the sharing of issues that we must manage as a team with Reddi Colombia, and strengthened coordination and decision-making.”

For their part, research professors such as Diana Paola Navia, from the Agroindustrial Engineering program at the University of San Buenaventura Cali, which is part of the USB Cali – Bioagro Technology alliance, indicated that this was a space to coordinate laboratory activities and the hiring of suppliers, something fundamental.

“I believe that during the sprint we were able to enrich the interaction of all those involved and clarify key concerns for the management of external contracts. In our case, this is essential for project management.”

Sprint 3 is coming

In the next edition of the Innovation Sprint, the ten alliances will meet at a joint event, where they will present their processes and

technologies that are much more tangible. Furthermore, they will have the opportunity to recognize the progress of their colleagues and the important step that

They represent today for regional innovation.

This is how universities and companies will work with the Innovation Voucher

The Innovation Vouchers have already been assigned to the universities that will solve a total of 20 innovation challenges presented by 16 SMEs, which involve process validations, product improvements and technical and/or commercial feasibility studies, among others.

The selected research groups from the Pontifical Javeriana University Cali, the Autonomous University of the West, the University of San Buenaventura Cali, the University of Valle, and Icesi University have begun contractual or implementation activities with the assigned companies. Each project will have a maximum completion time of six months.

“The solutions will be developed collaboratively, taking into account the work plan and the proposals made by the universities. Throughout the process, there will be ongoing interaction between the companies and the higher education institutions, through activities such as progress presentations, facility visits, access to information, and product validation, depending on the specific case,” said Eliana Briceño Clavijo, coordinator of Objective 3: Strengthening SMEs.

This is a valuable networking opportunity for universities partnered with Fusióni3 Valle and companies, especially those that did not receive funding from the Maturation Fund. Many of them have expressed their enthusiasm for this first experience of working together with the research groups.

What are the university-business partnerships of the Innovation Voucher?

The Autonomous University of the West will partner with Bioagro Technology to develop more efficient water treatment technologies that reduce energy consumption. This will be the first time the two institutions have collaborated.

The Business Administration program at the University of San Buenaventura Cali will support two companies: Grupo North and K-Listo Productos Alimenticios SA, the latter recently linked to the project.

For its part, the University of Valle will work with three companies. Two of them, Industria de Alimentos Encanto and IGT, are participating for the first time in a partnership within the project, and Implameq, with which it is carrying out another project in the Maturation Fund.

Icesi University will address three innovation challenges from two companies in the food sector: one from Alimentos La Cali and two from Nutrimezclas, with which it also collaborates on the Maturation Fund. The projects focus on validating healthy proteins and gluten-free blends.

Finally, the Pontifical Javeriana University in Cali is the institution with the most assigned challenges: eleven in total. Five of these were proposed by SMEs that had not previously participated in the Maturation Fund, such as Porcícola La Regina, Ofiproyectos, Grupo Odontológicas, Malú del Campo, and K-Listo. The other companies with which it will work are Pacífico Snacks, Prompack, Colbits, Inversiones Duque Espinosa, and Implameq.

These alliances mark the beginning of a new phase of collaboration between academia and the productive sector at Fusióni3 Valle. This was stated by the coordinator of Objective 3:

“It’s very interesting to see how, with this initiative, we continue to connect businesses with universities, leveraging the capabilities of the universities and the real needs of the businesses. Throughout the process, we will continue to support and share the progress and impact of the voucher program in the region.”

Applied knowledge and business transformation: Fusióni3 Cauca presents its success stories

From the Fusióni3 Cauca project, we make available to the academic, business and institutional community the success stories developed within the framework of the maturation fund, as a result of the collaborative work between Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and MSMEs in the department of Cauca.

These experiences demonstrate how effective collaboration between academia and the productive sector allows businesses to transform challenges into opportunities for innovation, through the design and improvement of knowledge-based products, processes, and services.

Each case is structured to offer a comprehensive view of the process: it starts with the challenge identified by the company, describes the solution proposed by the research groups, details the implementation strategies, and presents the impacts obtained in technical, productive, environmental, and economic aspects.

We invite all stakeholders in the science, technology, and innovation ecosystem to consult these success stories, now available at:

Fusióni3 Cauca: Strategic alliances drive sustainable innovation in SMEs

The Fusióni3 Cauca project continues to generate key advances in strengthening the innovation ecosystem of the Cauca department. One of its most recent contributions is the publication of the scientific article “Strategic Alliances as an Engine of Sustainable Innovation in MSMEs in Cauca, Colombia” in the journal INGE CUC, which highlights how alliances between micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) and Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) can become an engine of competitiveness and business sustainability in the region.

The study, led by the Reddi Agency within the framework of Fusióni3 Cauca, explores the current demands for innovation services from micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in Cauca. Based on this analysis, it proposes a model to identify, classify, and prioritize these services , also evaluating their impact on process improvement, product development, and market positioning. This model was conceived as a practical tool that connects the real needs of the business sector with the capabilities available at higher education institutions (HEIs) and other entities within the regional science, technology, and innovation (STI) ecosystem.

The article’s findings reveal that SMEs in the department focus their innovation needs around four key areas: continuous process improvement, technology management, the development of innovative products, and strengthening their market position. These pillars not only address the companies’ structural challenges but also create opportunities to adopt more sustainable practices and improve their competitiveness at both the regional and national levels.

This publication reinforces Fusióni3 Cauca’s core purpose of bridging the gap between the science, technology, and innovation (STI) system and the productive sector, promoting strategic alliances that generate shared value and contribute to the region’s economic and sustainable development. It also provides concrete evidence of the positive impact that university-business collaboration can have when it focuses on addressing real needs and transforming capabilities into high-value solutions.

Second Fusioni3 Valley Sprint: Tangible results and collaborative experiences

Impressions of this space

Sprint 3 is coming

This is how universities and companies will work with the Innovation Voucher

Applied knowledge and business transformation: Fusióni3 Cauca presents its success stories

Fusióni3 Cauca: Strategic alliances drive sustainable innovation in SMEs

The full article can be found in the INGE CUC magazine.