Reddi Colombia is pleased to announce the launch of our new success stories section on our website, accessible via the About Us / Success Stories button . This section highlights Reddi Colombia’s achievements and success stories as a technology transfer agency, beginning with the 10 success stories from the Fusióni3 Cauca project’s Maturation Fund.

The Fusióni3 Cauca project highlights the collaborative work between the beneficiary MSMEs and the research groups at partner universities. These success stories exemplify the positive impact and growth opportunities that arise from strategic alliances and collaboration between the academic and business sectors.

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We invite all interested parties to explore this new section to learn more about the results and benefits that Reddi Colombia has achieved through its initiatives and collaborations.

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Fusióni3 Valle announces 10 University-partnerships MSMEs, beneficiaries of its Maturation Fund

Fusióni3 Valle has selected the 10 projects that will benefit from the Knowledge and Technology Maturation Fund, presented by alliances between partner universities and beneficiary MSMEs. The projects were evaluated by expert peer reviewers who considered criteria such as quality, degree of innovation and technological development, relevance, results, and expected impacts. Aspects such as the diversity of economic sectors represented in the participating projects were highlighted, including Food and Beverages, Health, Agriculture, Manufacturing, and ICT. These innovation projects will drive the development of new and improved products, encouraging their application and commercialization by companies. The knowledge and capabilities contributed by the research groups at the partner universities will be a fundamental component in achieving these advances.  

“I think that’s what excites us most, that each selected project is very different, with unique challenges involving human capital and diverse knowledge. For us, that’s the biggest draw, because we can impact different areas and people with the same project,” said Jonathan Sandoval, coordinator of the University-SMEs Connection objective at Fusióin3 Valle.

Fusioni3-Valle-proyectos-10

Next step for the projects

The ten alliances supported by the Maturation Fund are being advised on the development of intellectual property agreements, with the support of the firm Clarke Modet. Likewise, meetings have been established to address issues such as resolving concerns, co-financing agreements, designing work routes and signing start-up minutes, with the support of the Fusióni3 Valle work team. Meanwhile, the alliances that were not selected will continue to participate in other activities and services of the project, related to technological and competitive surveillance studies, formulation of tax benefit projects in Science, Technology and Innovation (STI), and support in the generation of innovative products or services, which will allow them to continue strengthening their innovation and competitiveness processes.

Selected innovation projects

Agricultural Sector

Food and Beverage Sector

Manufacturing Sector

Health Sector

ICT Sector

See the final list of eligible projects here.
Learn more about the Fusióni3 Valle project

Universities of Fusióni3 Valle recognized its intellectual capital

In face-to-face collaboration spaces, representatives from strategic areas of the universities allied to Fusióni3 Valle participated in a series of three personalized workshops, where they identified their intellectual capital and co-created proposals to strengthen their regulatory and operational framework in their interaction with the productive sector.

Guide and priority themes

Under the guidance of the R&D&I Capabilities Team of Reddi Colombia, led by Hugo Ernesto Martínez, and answering personalized questions, the participants expressed their vision about the intellectual capital of their Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), reaching agreements on the issues that should be prioritized to establish improvement activities.
 
The dimensions of Intellectual Capital that were analyzed were the following:
  • Human Capital: Related to the knowledge and/or capabilities possessed by the people who work in the institution.
  • Structural Capital: Set of explicit knowledge, such as procedures, organizational structure, information tools, laboratories, software, patents, databases, among others.
  • Relational Capital: This encompasses alliances with companies, the productive sector, and actors considered relevant, from the different areas of each higher education institution. 
Workshop development

During Workshops I, which took place in April 2024, the working teams from the Pontifical Javeriana University Cali, Autonomous University of the West, University of Valle, University of San Buenaventura Cali and Icesi University, identified strengths and opportunities for improvement in mission-related issues, derived from their development plans.

In the following sessions, corresponding to Workshops II and III, the participants reached agreements on which of these topics represented the greatest cost-benefit for each university. This allowed them to develop a joint strategy, coordinated by the Capacity Building Team, in which all participants presented proposals and received feedback from their peers on their levels of impact and effort.

“The participation of the delegates from each institution was fantastic. In the first session, there’s always some shyness because they’re starting a new process. But in the second and third sessions, people were much more comfortable, generating results with greater agility and speed. By the last workshop, important strategies were achieved thanks to the bonds of trust that had been built,” said Hugo Ernesto Martínez, leader of the Capacity Building Team.

The fourth and final workshop session is scheduled for August 2024, in which the results and analyses developed at each university will be interpreted and shared. 

A boost to generate new alliances

The relational approach used in the sessions is expected to facilitate the definition of strategic alliances with the universities’ external environment, including cooperation with businesses and the productive sector. It is also expected to influence internal collaboration among research groups or strategic areas, according to organizational structures.

Learn more about the Fusióni3 Valle project

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. 

Learn more about the Fusióni3 Valle project

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.   

Learn more about the Fusióni3 Cauca project

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/ 

Learn more about the Fusióni3 Valle project
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