DeepTech Colombia and Reddi Alliance

The DeepTech Colombia Alliance and Reddi, with the support of the Mayor’s Office of Cali, the Cali Chamber of Commerce and the Government of Valle del Cauca, is mapping DeepTech ventures in Cali and Valle del Cauca:

Initiatives born from knowledge, applied research, and technological development to address the world’s greatest challenges. Join us, participate, and complete the survey.

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The DNP visits Fusióni3 Valle to monitor the project’s progress

The Fusióni3 Valle project received a visit from members of the team of the National Planning Department (DNP), the entity responsible for evaluating and monitoring projects financed by the General Royalties System (SGR).

During the meeting, the National Planning Department (DNP) reviewed the technical and financial progress, as well as the fulfillment of the approved objectives and indicators. Furthermore, this forum facilitated a dialogue with the Fusióni3 Valle team, leading to the delivery of key recommendations to further strengthen the project’s implementation and innovation in the region.

“The DNP visit allowed us to directly present our progress and results to date. This close interaction facilitates the feedback process, since, as a science, technology, and innovation project, its impacts need to be understood beyond the numbers. Sharing the experience is fundamental to ensuring implementation aligned with the objectives,” said Mónica Dueñas, director of the Fusióni3 Valle project.

One of the highlights was the recognition of collaborative spaces and the good articulation between the universities and beneficiary companies, as well as the active role of the technical and administrative teams in guiding and achieving the project’s goals.

Additionally, the DNP highlighted the importance of periodically reviewing the implementation schedule against what was planned, and ensuring the efficient use of public resources.

Fusióni3 Valle continues to consolidate an open innovation model that drives the development of the department, based on knowledge and collaboration.

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Two innovative solutions will transform the energy sector in Cauca

Within the framework of the Fusióni3 Cauca project , Reddi Colombia and the Western Energy Company (CEO) launched the Innovation Challenges Call, an initiative that seeks to connect the capabilities of companies and universities to solve real challenges in the electricity sector in the department.

Following a rigorous technical evaluation process, two winning solutions are selected , one for each challenge posed, which stand out for their technological approach, viability and high potential impact on CEO operations.

Challenge 1: How to manage technical complaints, claims, and requests (PQRS) more efficiently with current resources?

This challenge focuses on improving the handling of technical requests, complaints, claims and suggestions (PQRS), optimizing existing resources without compromising quality or response times.

The selected solution proposes an automated system based on artificial intelligence, capable of classifying, prioritizing, and assigning requests according to the type of maintenance required and the user’s location. It is being developed by Solo por Servicios , the SIGCIENTY research group (UNAD) , and the partner Innovación Digital Corporativa SAS.

Challenge 2: How to reduce the amount of annual pruning and sustainably utilize the waste?

Vegetation near power lines is a major cause of service interruptions. This initiative aims to reduce the frequency of annual pruning, lower costs, optimize resources, and promote the sustainable use of plant waste.

The winning solution consists of a collaborative georeferencing platform, which allows for real-time mapping of critical areas, tracking of cases, inventory registration, and strengthening of the capabilities of technical staff.

This project is being developed by Grupo Inizio SAS , together with the research groups GIFIN and Rutas del Colegio Mayor del Cauca, with the support of Tecnoparque Nodo Popayán.

This call reaffirms the objectives of Fusióni3 Cauca, by promoting joint work between universities and companies to respond to real challenges in the productive sector.

In this vein, Reddi Colombia and the Western Energy Company consolidate their commitment to territorial innovation, promoting collaborative spaces that generate impact through knowledge and technology, at the service of the sustainable development of Cauca.

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: