The event, organized by ProChile in conjunction with ProColombia, the Mexican Ministry of Economy and Promperú, brought together 157 companies, including 33 startups, 16 investors, 28 buyers and 80 exporters of services from the member countries of the Pacific Alliance.
November 27, 2024.- With results that reaffirm its impact on the innovation and export ecosystem, the XI LAB4+ Forum concluded with business projections exceeding US$10 million. This meeting, held in Santiago, Chile, stood out as a strategic platform to strengthen the international presence of startups, exporters and innovators from the Pacific Alliance (PA).
The event brought together 157 companies, including 33 startups, 16 investors, 28 buyers and 80 exporters of services from the member countries of the Pacific Alliance: Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru. A total of 189 business meetings were held, generating concrete opportunities to expand markets and establish strategic alliances in key sectors such as information technologies, climate change, cybersecurity and financial services.
The general director of ProChile, Ignacio Fernández, said that “the results of this Forum reflect the potential of the Pacific Alliance as an innovative and competitive economic bloc. A business projection of more than US$10 million not only represents an achievement for the participating companies, but is also an indicator of the transforming impact that this platform generates in the internationalization of our entrepreneurs”.
During two days of activities, a business roundtable was held between exporting companies from Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru, and importers from the Pacific Alliance countries and priority markets. In addition, there were academic spaces and a day of pitch sessions between investors from the innovative ecosystem of the countries of the bloc, Europe and North America, interested in the services and technological innovations offered by entrepreneurs from the countries of the Pacific Alliance.
The president of ProColombia, Carmen Caballero, highlighted Colombia’s role in strengthening innovation and sustainability in the framework of the XI LAB4+ Forum. “Colombia, ‘The Country of Beauty,’ has immense potential to position itself as a key player in global markets thanks to its diversity and its ability to develop innovative and sustainable solutions. From ProColombia, we celebrate the outstanding participation, creativity and talent of our entrepreneurs in this important meeting, which included services in agritech, cybersecurity, edtech, healthtech and other software solutions from creative and cultural industries,” she said.
For his part, the Director of Business Investment Promotion of PROMPERÚ, Daniel Córdova, said that “we are very satisfied with our participation in LAB4+, because it has allowed us to show that Peru aims to grow and consolidate its entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem, whose strength lies in a thriving business network that is gradually becoming more sophisticated, composed of universities, incubators, accelerators, impact investment funds, corporate actors and business groups that form and nurture startups. Proof of this has been the participation of Peruvian startups, which have been able to present the value of their technological solutions and the potential of their business models to representatives of venture capital companies, which -we trust- will bet on Peruvian entrepreneurship in innovation. I welcome the effort being made by the Pacific Alliance to promote the economic and technological development of our region”.
Beatriz Cervantes Mandujano, Economic Affairs Attaché of the Embassy of Mexico in Chile, said that “the XI LAB4+ Forum reaffirms Mexico’s role as a benchmark in the export of innovative and sustainable services. From the Ministry of Economy and the Embassy of Mexico in Chile, we promote regional integration and seek to expand opportunities for our companies in key sectors such as technology, cybersecurity and clean energy. We highlight the participation of startups and service exporters, who achieved business projections of more than US$10 million in a space that connected talent, creativity and technological solutions between the countries of the Pacific Alliance. With an eye on the future, the next edition of LAB4+ in Colombia will be an opportunity to continue consolidating the presence of Mexico and the region as an innovative and competitive bloc in global markets.”
About LAB4+
Since its creation, LAB4+ has supported the internationalization of more than 100 startups and innovative companies. This year, with projections of $10,943,701 million, the Forum reinforces its position as a key driver for economic growth and the development of sustainable and innovative solutions in the region.
The next edition of the LAB4+ Forum will be held in Colombia, further strengthening the collaboration between the Pacific Alliance countries in innovation and technological development. This move symbolizes the bloc’s commitment to maintain and expand cooperation spaces that connect Latin America with the world, promoting its entrepreneurs in global markets and consolidating the Pacific Alliance as a leader in innovation and entrepreneurship in the region.
With LAB4+ in Colombia, a strategic space will continue to be offered to promote growth, business opportunities and technological development throughout the region.
Communications PPT 2024 Pacific Alliance