With the firm purpose of promoting Information Technology in Santander and in the country, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the Korean Technology Park Association (KTPA), the Industrial University of Santander (UIS) and the National Planning Department (DNP) launched the technical cooperation that will enhance the IT capabilities of the Guatiguará Technology Park (PTG) of the UIS, consolidating it as a catalyst for the structuring and development of the digital industrial ecosystem in Santander and Colombia.
In addition to strengthening the human capital of Santander and the management capabilities of the PTG in the field of IT, this alliance is essential for the country’s business development in this sector. Thanks to the provision and implementation of business support and technology transfer services, Colombian companies will have access to cutting-edge technology. It will also provide significant support to emerging small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and entrepreneurs in the IT sector, enhancing their ability to adopt and take advantage of emerging digital technologies.
Colombia faces challenges in innovation and technological development that affect business competitiveness and productive development and diversification. In response to these challenges, this project was created to strengthen and enhance the technological capabilities of the Guatiguará Technology Park and promote the development of the IT industry and the digital industrial ecosystem in Santander, Colombia. The initiative has the support of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups of the Republic of Korea (MSS) and the Korean Technology Park Association (KTPA) who have extensive experience in the management of technology parks and is aligned with the efforts of the National Government to consolidate the IT industry and promote the adoption of digital technologies with a territorial approach. The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) will be in charge of executing the project for a period of 4 years, with financing from KTPA.
This support to the Guatiguará Technology Park (PTG) in Colombia becomes a pilot case of this effort. This project will allocate around $4.8 million dollars for its development, with the purpose of strengthening international cooperation in the IT field between the Republic of Korea and Colombia.
KTPA is a Korean public agency dedicated to increasing the competitiveness of local SMEs and revitalizing the local economy through organic cooperation between local organizations, industry groups, academic groups and the government. This association has a node connecting 19 technology parks throughout South Korea, with worldwide experience in supporting the development of technology parks in the global south.
Strategic initiative for IT development in Santander
The Guatiguará Technology Park (PTG), one of the most consolidated in the country, is located in Santander, the fourth most mature innovation ecosystem in Colombia, recognized for its strengths in higher education, human capital, R&D investment, digital entrepreneurship and information technologies (DNP and OCYT, 2022). More than 13% of the country’s IT companies are concentrated in this region, and it is home to eight universities, including the Universidad Industrial de Santander (UIS), which manages the PTG. The Universidad Industrial de Santander, recognized as one of the best public universities in Colombia, is home to the PTG, the most consolidated technology park in the country.
The strengthening of the Guatiguará Technology Park will boost the dynamism of the scientific ecosystem, fostering the production of knowledge, the training of professionals in information technology and technology transfer. This will be possible thanks to the collaboration between the university and the business sector, which will generate more favorable conditions for the development of R&D activities in the country.
This international cooperation project between the IDB, the Korean Association of Technology Parks and the UIS seeks to boost Santander’s growth by strengthening its innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem. It is expected that this initiative will position itself as a key public policy tool to promote regional development based on innovation. Its implementation will not only facilitate the transfer of knowledge and the strengthening of human capital, but will also enhance collaboration between universities, industry and society, creating an environment conducive to technological progress in both the region and the country.
In addition, the project will serve as a fundamental pillar to strengthen the formulation and management capabilities of the Guatiguará Technology Park (PTG), enabling the design of new projects together with key players at the national level. In this way, it will contribute to the development of a support ecosystem for business innovation and technological growth.
During the event, the different actors involved in this alliance made known the importance of this agreement for the development of the region and the country.
Hernán Porras Díaz, UIS Chancellor
“It is a technical cooperation agreement, that is, Colombia signs an agreement with the sister Republic of Korea, which is sponsored by the Association of Technology Parks of Korea and which seeks to strengthen and enhance the Guatiguará Technology Park to serve as a promoter or engine of development in information technology for Colombia and specifically for eastern Colombia. This agreement has several scopes, in the first instance, there is an investment in technologies and software that will be made in the park, there is a formation or training of human resources or talent, professionals in the area of ICT that are linked to the productive sector, in information and communication technologies; and thirdly, to support MSMEs with the aim that they can begin to develop software or digital products. Surely with a trade agreement will be sought in cooperation of alliances with the Republic of Korea.”
“Last year, Korea sought to open up to Latin America, made a public offer to countries interested in forming an alliance with the Republic of Korea to receive support in order to develop what we have said is to impact Information Technology and Communications, especially the digital service in Latin America with their support. The tender was opened, Colombia submitted two or three offers, we were one of the proponents. Through Planeación Nacional the offer was presented to the Inter-American Development Bank, which was the one that consolidated the proposals to take them to Korea and they found the strengths that the Guatiguará Technology Park has; in Colombia is the most developed technology park, and the fact that in the region there are more than 8 universities that offer training in digital services, allowed that look of the Koreans and the Inter-American Development Bank to focus this support in our beloved park”.
Shopia Hong, director of the Korea Technology Park Association
“We are going to make an agreement between the IDB, the Industrial University of Santander and also our association, which is the Technology Park Association of Korea. That has the objective of fostering Santander’s ICT technology industry and also through the technology park of the Industrial University of Santander.
“That the Korean Technology Park serves as a platform to promote the ICT technology of their region and so by installing a technology park in Colombia, this technology park can be an outpost for the ICT technology industry to be promoted, not only in Santander but also nationally. We chose UIS for this agreement for three reasons: first, the ICT technology talents; second, the infrastructure, the laboratories with this technology; and also a great commitment on the part of the university. Based on these three factors we are so confident that this project will be a success”.
Salim Chalela, Director in charge of Innovation and Business Development and Deputy Director of Science, Technology and Innovation of the DNP.
“The National Planning Department promoted this initiative within the framework of the invitation or the call of the Association of Technology Parks of Korea, to select parks or models of technology parks that could have a boost and support for the development of the IT industry in different regions of the world.”
“From the National Planning Department we accompanied the initiative of the Guatiguará Technology Park, a process that began with an articulation with different sectors, including the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, the Ministry of Technology, Ideas of Information and Communications, the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism and other entities of the national and local order, precisely considering the great impact that the Technology Park has had in the construction of an ecosystem of research, development and innovation that articulates the efforts of the university, business and the state for the productive development of the region”.
“This initiative in particular was a selection process within the framework of a call made by the Korean Association of Technology Parks. However, it is important to mention that in the country there are several technology park initiatives that have been developed or are being developed in different cities or in different regions”.
Geovanna Acosta, Senior Operations Advisor, Senior Specialist, Competitiveness and Innovation Division, Inter-American Development Bank, IDB.
“The project aims to enhance the technological and information capabilities of the Guatiguará Technology Park, considered a strategic and central actor for the development of the digital industry ecosystem in the Santander region. The project consists of four components: the first of which will seek to install and supply technology study equipment, create technology to provide spaces and opportunities for companies in the region to have access to cutting-edge technologies for the development of their processes and products. The project will also intervene in the area of human capital formation, generating capabilities not only for the Park, the management and operation of this type of instruments, but also for the entire innovation ecosystem2.
“We also seek to provide support to small and medium emerging companies, entrepreneurs in the sector and enhance the capabilities for the adoption and use of digital technologies. In addition, we will be working to strengthen the Park’s management and monitoring capabilities for the development of the digital industry.
