María José Escobar
ChampionDirector of Community Engagement and Strategic Alliances, Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María
Valparaíso faces significant challenges in building an innovation-driven entrepreneurial ecosystem, including economic decline, high inequality, and low R&D investment. Despite this, our region benefits from solid educational institutions, emerging deep-tech startups, and important comparative advantages in diverse economic sectors. Initiatives like EIVA are enhancing collaboration among key stakeholders to boost innovation.
Engaging with MIT REAP will help the Valparaíso region to consolidate a shared vision, transforming its entrepreneurship ecosystem by adopting lessons from other ecosystems. Our purpose emphasizes cross-sector collaboration, linking academic research to industry needs, diversifying the economy, and transforming comparative into competitive advantage. By leveraging successful strategies from REAP participants, we aim to create opportunities for deep-tech startup development and scaling, promoting economic growth and establishing the Valparaíso region as a leader in innovation-driven entrepreneurship in Latin America.
