In Cali, the DeepTech Report 2024 was launched and the new Sciencepreneurs who are transforming the country were recognized.
The YAWÁ Science, Art and Technology Center was the setting for the launch of the DeepTech Report 2024 and the awarding of scholarships for the Sciencepreneurs Business & Built program, a day that brought together 117 actors from the ecosystem, including entrepreneurs, investors, universities, research centers, corporations and public entities.
This event marks a new milestone in positioning Cali and Valle del Cauca as regional leaders in scientific and technological innovation.
- Natalia Campillo, BioDx – Cali
- Isabel Pulido, Biocold – Bogotá
- María Clara Arrieta, Astrolab Bio – Medellín
- Luz Marina Flórez, Nateco – Cali
These women leaders shared the challenges, opportunities, and lessons learned from leading ventures that originate in laboratories and seek to scale based on scientific evidence.
A report to build the future
MenteX CEO Claudia Aparicio presented the key findings of the DeepTech Colombia 2024 Report, an updated overview of a growing ecosystem that already boasts more than 50 startups in Latin America (according to the DeepTech 2024 report), many of them based in or impacting Colombia. The report highlights the potential of the country, and Cali in particular, to establish itself as a DeepTech hub thanks to its biodiversity, scientific capabilities, and business network.
New scholarships for scientific entrepreneurs
One of the highlights was the awarding of scholarships from the Sciencepreneurs program, led by Mauricio Muñoz (Mayor’s Office of Cali), Vivian Argueta (Cali Chamber of Commerce) and Juan Diego Vargas (MenteX).
The startups selected for the 2025 phase were:
– Nateco – Autonomous University of the West
– BioAgro Technology
– Recover
– Ajicap – Icesi University
– Nanotech
These initiatives represent the future of sectors such as bioeconomy, agriculture, health, and sustainability. From medical diagnostic technologies to nanotechnology-based agricultural solutions, the new Sciencepreneurs demonstrate that applied science can solve the most pressing challenges of our environment.
DeepTech: an opportunity for Cali and the region
Driven by the Mayor’s Office of Cali, the Cali Chamber of Commerce, the Governor’s Office of Valle del Cauca and Reddi Colombia, this event consolidated a clear message: science can indeed become a business, and Cali is fertile ground to achieve it.
The DeepTech ecosystem in the region continues to strengthen, connecting talent with opportunities, laboratories with companies, and knowledge with impact. The goal is ambitious: to position Cali as a science and innovation hub in Latin America, and to advance toward an economic model based on technology, collaboration, and sustainable development.
Want to know more? Download the DeepTech Report 2024 and discover the opportunities to be part of this new wave of innovation.
