From October 20 to 24, Medellín became the epicenter of innovation and entrepreneurship with the celebration of the International Ibero-American Startup Congress, organized by the International Startup Association (AIS) and the Business Market Network, together with Columbia Business Market, Talent Hub and Kontinua Group, in collaboration with a wide network of strategic allies of the Ibero-American entrepreneurial ecosystem.
The event brought together more than 1,200 attendees, 300 registered startups and 42 preselected projects with high investment potential and scalability, consolidating itself as the main meeting point for innovation, investment and cooperation in the Ibero-American space. During the two central days of the Congress, nearly 600 meetings were held, 10 startups were presented in pitch stage, and regional cooperation and development agreements were formalized that will mark a before and after for thousands of entrepreneurs.
“The Medellín Congress demonstrates that the strength of the Ibero-American entrepreneurial ecosystem lies in its capacity for integration, collaboration and shared vision. Our mission is to continue building bridges between Latin America and Europe, consolidating an Ibero-American market for innovation and investment where startups are protagonists of the sustainable development and economic progress of our territories,” comments Josu Gómez Barrutia, president of AIS and CEO of Red Business Market.
Medellín: epicenter of historic agreements for the ecosystem
Among the most relevant milestones are:
- Creation of the first investment vehicle for LATAM, the LATAM Ventures CIL Investment Club, promoted by the Business Market Network, with an initial fund of US $3 million.
- Donation of machinery to strengthen the ancestral and sustainable fashion industry of the Embera indigenous community of Urrao.
- Delivery of the first CampLab (Rural Innovation Laboratory) in Entrerríos (Antioquia).
- Signing of an agreement for 500 scholarships between the UNICARIBE University and ARCA for young Ibero-Americans, along with 30 additional scholarships from the Alfonso X el Sabio University (UAX), with a total estimated value of US $6 million dollars.
- Economic impacts derived from pre-investment agreements for more than 7.5 million dollars.
- Launch of the Softlanding LATAM-Spain and Startups House programs.
- Pre-agreements for the export of coffee from Urrao to Dubai.
The Congress was 90% financed by the partners of the AIS and the Business Market Network, while the remaining 10% corresponded to public support—mainly in logistics and transportation—from the Government of Antioquia, with the support of the Mayor’s Office of Medellín and Ruta N, the latter providing a 6×4 screen as a contribution to the event.
Without economic benefits for the organizers, public and free, and in which 90% of the necessary resources came from donations from private entities, universities, volunteers and the association itself, an effort complemented with the support of the Mayor’s Office of Medellín, Ruta N or the Mayor’s Office of Rionegro. This highlights the value of public-private cooperation and the possibility of building unique impact spaces for the development of the region,” says Josu Gómez Barrutia.
Innovation as a driving force in Latin America
Within the Congress, the International Meeting of Innovative Universities for Entrepreneurship stood out, held at the Pascual Bravo University Institute under the coordination of Davison Mosquera, Director of Entrepreneurship of said institution, together with the Salazar Herrera University Institute.
The activity brought together representatives and entrepreneurial students from institutions such as ITM, University of Antioquia, CESDE, Uniminuto, María Cano, Salazar y Herrera, University of Medellín and UPB, with the fundamental support of Meune, highlighting the key role of universities in the formation of a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship. The International Congress of Ibero-American Startups of Medellín reaffirmed the role of the International Association of Startups and the Business Market Network as key platforms for the development of the entrepreneurial ecosystem regional, promoting responsible investment, interregional cooperation and open innovation.
