Transformative Innovation in Medellín
The team of the Agirre Lehendakaria Center met this week with Santiago J. Echevarria, a representative of the Antioquia Center for Science and Technology (CTA) in Colombia. Despite the distance, both contexts face the challenge of developing inclusive innovation strategies that can connect universities, businesses, civil society, and public administration in real time.
The meeting was an exchange session on science, technology, and innovation policies designed to foster mutual learning. This event is part of the research project “The Social Impact of STI Policies in the Basque Country (1980–2030),” sponsored by the Basque Government through ALC (under the direction of Cristina Uriarte). The project collaboratively analyzes nearly 50 years of Basque R&D&I to draw lessons that will strengthen the strategy for the future and its international positioning.
Connecting the Basque Country and Medellín
During the morning, the initial findings of the research conducted in the Basque Country were compared with the experience of Medellín and Antioquia. The discussion focused on how to promote models of transformative innovation as opposed to more traditional models of innovation that do not take into account the need to combat social and economic inequality. In particular, the meeting provided an opportunity to explore how the city of Medellín can capitalize on its designation as a Special Innovation District at the national level in Colombia.
Digital analysis and visualization tools
The second part of the session focused on the use of K tool, the digital tool developed by ALC to collect documentation, map stakeholders, and visualize the narratives of complex processes. The CTA highly valued its potential for knowledge management and the transfer of institutional expertise, and new areas for development were suggested.