Enterprise Innovation Institute Vice President David Bridges recently traveled to Lima, Peru, to take part in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Technology and Innovation Management (TIM) workshop, a two-day event dedicated to enhancing technology commercialization between public and private sectors, including academia and industry.
Attendees, drawn primarily from universities and innovation policy organizations, were introduced to best practices through case studies, roundtable discussions, and presentations from experts.
Among those experts was Bridges himself. In his capacity as APEC’s delegate from the U.S. State Department, he gave a panel presentation on best practices in technology transfer programs, which help move research from the lab to the marketplace, transforming innovations into products and services.
EI2 Global has collaborated previously with the U.S. Department of State, said Juli Golemi, director of EI2 Global, which manages Georgia Tech’s Medellín Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center, launched in Colombia in March 2023.
“One of our practice areas is inclusive, sustainable innovation and entrepreneurship capacity-building programs,” Golemi said of the center. “Under this practice area, we help communities and universities in Medellín with technology transfer/commercialization programs.”
The Medellín Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center is not just an innovation hub that connects industry to cutting-edge research; it also serves as an inspiration to other countries in South America.
While he was in Lima, Bridges met with Georgia Tech alum Raul Delgado along with representatives from the Universidad de Ingenieria y Tecnologia (UTEC). One of the university’s donors, Roque Benavides of Mine Buenaventura, expressed an interest in the Medellín center and wants to create a similar project in Peru.
“This initiative aligns perfectly with EI2’s focus on socioeconomic development and EI2 Global’s dedication to inclusive, sustainable innovation and entrepreneurship capacity building,” said Bridges.
“The Medellín Center bridges the gap between research and real-world application, driving innovation by nurturing entrepreneurship and empowering researchers and students to turn their ideas into successful startups. The advanced practices we’re co-creating in Medellín are cutting-edge,” he added.
“From an entrepreneurial standpoint, we are giving communities the tools to create job creators.”