Juan Chaves, autor en Reddi - Conectamos la innovación tecnológica con el mundo empresarial

Fusióni3 Valle SMEs strengthened to innovate after support from the Cali Chamber of Commerce

With achievements such as identifying their technological innovation challenges and developing new skills to establish valuable connections, the entrepreneurs of Fusióni3 Valle concluded the support sessions for managing their innovation with the Cali Chamber of Commerce.

The process, which began on February 16, 2024, consisted of five face-to-face sessions and personalized mentoring, through which the beneficiary MSMEs identified their main technological challenges, using creative methodologies and exchanging knowledge with their colleagues.

This was significant in the Connection Meetings with the research groups of the allied universities and in the subsequent meetings, where they recently defined working teams for the development of the innovation projects that they will present in the call for the Knowledge and Technology Maturation Fund.

“During the support process, we provide entrepreneurs with the necessary tools to address their challenges, such as generating hypotheses and validating results, which they can apply in collaboration with universities. Furthermore, we emphasize the importance of creating and strengthening the regional entrepreneurship ecosystem,” explained María José García, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Advisor at the Cali Chamber of Commerce.

For their part, the business owners were always enthusiastic and interested in fulfilling their activities, interacting with their colleagues to receive feedback, and were satisfied with the new knowledge acquired.

Gustavo Adolfo Arzayus, operations manager, and Felipe Castaño, commercial manager of Alimentos La Cali, highlighted the practical approach of the method for developing new products, due to the value it can add to their company.

“With all this, we are now ready to begin working with the research group we have defined, on the proposal that we will present to the Maturation Fund,” the commercial manager indicated.

In this way, the 20 MSMEs are prepared to continue strengthening their innovation processes, establish alliances with actors in the Science, Technology and Innovation ecosystem, and develop products, services and processes that allow them to generate competitive advantages in the market.

A Transformative Meeting for Business Innovation in Cauca

On March 7, 2024, Xpanz took place at the Julio Arboleda Auditorium of the Comfacauca University Corporation. This event, organized by Reddi Colombia, attracted more than 200 attendees, representing a significant step in strengthening the science, technology, and innovation ecosystem of the region.

One of the most outstanding results of Xpanz was the participation of 10 alliances between Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and research groups from higher education institutions associated with the Fusióni3 Cauca project. These projects, winners of the Knowledge and Technology Maturation Fund, were presented in an interactive pitch, highlighting the importance of collaboration between the business sector and academia.

The Experience Day , another highlight of Xpanz, acted as a space for connection and validation of technologies developed by associated higher education institutions.

He highlighted the region’s innovative potential and facilitated strategic connections with potential stakeholders.

During the event, two practical workshops were held : “Connecting Ecosystems,” led by the Cali Chamber of Commerce and the Cauca Chamber of Commerce, and “Intellectual Property Monetization Strategies,” led by the Olarte Moure Firm.

In addition, 3 mentoring sessions were held , addressing crucial topics such as Business Strategy and Technology Management, Marketing Strategy and Financing or capital raising, guided by the Reddi Colombia team and Juan Constain.

The “Reddi2Impact” conference , led by Juan Cristóbal Constain, Co-Founder of Quipu, entitled “Quipu’s journey: from research project at MIT to financial inclusion fintech,” offered an inspiring vision on the role of research in entrepreneurship, highlighting Quipu’s success story as an example of how academia can catalyze business innovation.

Also launched was Fusióni360, a connection platform to foster open innovation that promises to open new opportunities for collaboration and co-creation in the regional ecosystem.

With a Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 94% , attendees rated Xpanz as a world-class event, highlighting their satisfaction and the positive impact it generated. One of the aspects most emphasized by participants was the event’s organization, underscoring the commitment to creating networking events.

Xpanz 2024 has been a significant event that has strengthened the link between academia and the business sector, driving innovation and development in the department of Cauca. With the formalization of projects, the validation of technologies, and the creation of strategic connections, this meeting has laid the foundation for a promising future in the field of science, technology, and innovation.

80 connections for innovation were made at the Fusióni3 Valle Connection Meetings

The Fusióni3 Valle project celebrates the development of the Connection Encounters, a two-day face-to-face event, in which 80 connections were achieved between the 20 beneficiary MSMEs and researchers from the five allied universities: Pontificia Universidad Javeriana Cali, Universidad Autónoma de Occidente, Universidad del Valle, Universidad de San Buenaventura Cali and Universidad Icesi, which represents a step forward in the search for innovative solutions for the business challenges of technological innovation.

A space for dialogue and collaboration

During the sessions, held on March 20 and 22, each company had up to four meetings with researchers who had previously expressed interest in their innovation challenges. This facilitated an enriching and personalized dialogue, laying the groundwork for future partnerships.

Diana Isabel Riveros, director of the Javerian Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the Pontifical Javeriana University in Cali, highlighted the importance of generating a common language between both sectors.

“We hosted the Connection Meetings, an inspiring space, because it allowed us to build trust so that projects could take place. The fact that there were 80 connections between entrepreneurs and researchers is something extremely important for Valle del Cauca, especially with such important challenges as those that are part of Fusióni3 Valle,” he stated.

“I loved the dynamic. I met with colleagues and professors, and it was a very interesting experience to be able to tell them about the challenge, have them question it, and help us enrich it with ideas and other paths to its solution,” the businesswoman said.

For their part, the researchers appreciated that at the Encounters they were able to approach real problems, which are sometimes not easy to access in the academic field.

“I’m leaving with connections. I met with three companies, and all three were very motivated to continue working and developing projects, even incorporating the strengths of other researchers,” said Claudia Isabel Ochoa, director of the School of Food Engineering at Universidad del Valle.

Likewise, Armando Mejía, Research Coordinator of the Faculty of Engineering at the University of San Buenaventura Cali, highlighted the university’s interest in contributing to SMEs at the process and product level.

“Fusióni3 Valle presents extremely stimulating challenges at the scientific and technological level. Everyone was very open to listening to us, so we have a great interest in continuing until we reach a successful conclusion with developments that serve as a timely transfer of knowledge,” he assured.

“La dinámica me encantó. Me encontré con colegas, profesores y fue una experiencia muy interesante al poder contarles el reto, que lo cuestionaran y nos ayudaran a enriquecerlo con ideas y otros caminos para su solución”, indicó la empresaria.

Por su parte, los investigadores valoraron que en los Encuentros pudieron acercarse a problemas reales, a los cuales, en ocasiones, no es fácil acceder en el ámbito académico.

“Me voy con conexiones. Estuve con tres empresas y las tres se vieron muy motivados en seguir trabajando y armar los proyectos, incluso con las fortalezas de otros investigadores”, expresó Claudia Isabel Ochoa, directora de Escuela de Ingeniería de Alimentos de la Universidad del Valle.

Igualmente, Armando Mejía, coordinador de Investigaciones de la Facultad de Ingeniería de la Universidad de San Buenaventura Cali, resaltó el interés de la universidad en aportar a las MiPymes a nivel de procesos y productos.

“Fusióni3 Valle tiene retos supremamente estimulantes a nivel científico y tecnológico. Todos fueron muy abiertos al escucharnos, por lo que tenemos un gran interés de continuar hasta llegar a feliz término con desarrollos que sirvan como transferencia puntual de conocimiento”, aseguró.

Opportunity to boost innovation

The connections established at the Fusióni3 Valle Connection Meetings are a prelude to submitting projects to the Knowledge and Technology Maturation Fund. This call for proposals, open until May 15, 2024, will finance and promote 10 innovation projects developed through partnerships between SMEs and research groups.

For more information on the Fusióni3 Valle Maturation Fund and Technologies, please see:

Website: https://reddicolombia.com/fusioni3-valle/

Driving innovation in the Cauca Valley: Participate in the Fusióni3 Valle Maturation Fund call for proposals!

The call for applications for the Fusióni3 Valle Knowledge and Technology Maturation Fund is now open. Until May 15, 2024, innovation projects submitted in partnership between research groups from allied universities and the MSMEs benefiting from the Fusióni3 Valle project can apply to receive up to 40 million pesos for their technical maturation, pre-commercial validation, and commercialization.

The activities that will be funded include:

The construction of functional prototypes of their technologies
Scaling up or improving the prototype for pre-commercial or commercial use
Registration or qualification procedures that guarantee quality, good manufacturing practices, biosecurity, sustainability, etc.
Technical assistance and support as needed to achieve the effective transfer of knowledge related to the use and application of technology.

What do you need to participate?

To have an alliance formed between a research group from an allied HEI and a Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) benefiting from Fusióni3 Valle, that have a research result and the interest in carrying out knowledge and/or technology transfer processes to society and the market.

The results of research and development must comply with:

A Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 4: That they have completed their laboratory work.
A Commercial Readiness Level (CRL) 2: That they have identified that need in the sector and have carried out market studies, derived from secondary sources.

Likewise, applicants must consult and complete the documents mentioned in the Terms of Reference published on the website www.reddicolombia.com , and take into account criteria such as the degree of innovation and technological development of their project, its relevance and quality.

Consult the Terms of Reference for the Fusióni3 Valle Maturation Fund

Participate and build a more competitive and innovative Valle del Cauca!

In an important step forward to strengthen innovation in SMEs, Fusióni3 Cauca is pleased to announce the names of the ten beneficiaries selected for the Maturation Fund .

This initiative aims to promote the technological maturation of innovative projects , contributing to the strengthening of the business fabric in the region.

The ten projects were evaluated by experts, who applied the criteria stipulated in the terms and conditions to select these beneficiary alliances.

Those selected will receive financial support and the necessary guidance to effectively advance through the crucial stages of maturation and commercial validation of their projects.

Fusióni3 Cauca congratulates all the beneficiaries of the Maturation Fund and eagerly anticipates the positive impact these projects will have on the region, promoting sustainable growth and the competitiveness of local MSMEs.

This achievement reflects Fusióni3 Cauca’s ongoing commitment to promoting innovation and technological development in the business community .

Fusióni3 Valle and the Cali Chamber of Commerce join forces forces in new consulting sessions

The Cali Chamber of Commerce will begin a series of workshops to support innovation management for the 20 MSMEs benefiting from the Fusióni3 Valle project.

These sessions, which will be held in person starting on February 16, 2024, will address strategic topics to strengthen innovation management and the definition of innovation challenges in participating companies.

Sergio Zúñiga, director of Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Scalable Solutions at the organization, highlighted that this type of knowledge and training has fundamental points for collaborating in the best way with university researchers.

“In each of the meetings we will have with the entrepreneurs, we will teach them fundamental tools to identify winning strategic bets for their SMEs, evaluate their innovation capabilities and define the technological approaches they need to enhance it,” he said.

Similarly, this information will be the gateway to recognizing the points of collaboration that will be addressed with researchers from universities allied to the project, who in several cases have solved challenges similar to those that companies may face.

Practical and interpersonal skills

The workshops offered by the Cali Chamber of Commerce will also provide hands-on learning, aiming to help entrepreneurs make successful connections throughout the process of interacting with researchers and presenting their challenges. Topics include:

Structuring innovation challenges to find technological solutions.
Build management indicators for process monitoring and the generation of new business models.
Develop leadership skills for the promotion of innovation and effective project management.
Build pitches for the effective presentation of your challenges to entities such as universities.

Active participation

As in every stage of Fusióni3 Valle, participation is fundamental so that beneficiaries and partners have the best opportunities to develop solutions together. Therefore, you are invited to review the schedule of events for each month and contact your coordinators, if necessary.

This is a strategic moment to continue strengthening innovation dynamics in the Cauca Valley, through allies who can now become success stories in knowledge transfer.

Key innovation data for 2023

This 2024, the Governorate of Valle is proposing the creation of the Innovation District with Technological Centers, which seeks to boost competitiveness in the subregions, provide incentives to strengthen companies with innovation and technological updates, and strengthen the support program for entrepreneurs.

Furthermore, the Cali Chamber of Commerce, since 2023, considers that innovation activates business evolution that impacts the future of the region and the country, as it allows for the detection of possibilities for greater growth, accelerating transformation processes with significant opportunities.

Technology-driven innovation is unlocking creative solutions to a wide range of challenges across various sectors: for the energy sector, technology is transforming the viability and effectiveness of renewable energy, making it more accessible and efficient.

In agriculture, the adoption of precision techniques, supported by data analysis and automation, is improving operational efficiency and reducing environmental impact. Similarly, the development of electric vehicles is revolutionizing mobility by implementing more sustainable and safer solutions that reduce the carbon footprint and improve road safety.

In the field of medicine, unprecedented progress is being made thanks to innovation. Gene editing and personalized medicine are transforming treatment and healthcare approaches, opening up new possibilities for combating diseases more precisely and effectively.

Additionally, the expansion of telemedicine, facilitated by high-speed connectivity, is democratizing access to quality medical services, eliminating geographical barriers and improving healthcare overall.

In conclusion, innovation is key when it is projected as an improvement to the quality of life of humanity in general.