Publications

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Assessment of the Deep Tech Ecosystem for Early-stage Entrepreneurship and Investment in Chile

This study is developed in a context of accelerated global technological change, in which frontier technologies or Deep Tech based on advanced science and long R&D cycles, are acquiring a strategic role for competitiveness, technological sovereignty, and the response to social, environmental, and productive challenges. While countries such as the United States, Germany, France, and Spain have advanced with specific national strategies, in Latin America and particularly in Chile the Deep Tech ecosystem remains at an early stage, though with clear signs of maturation and high potential. The objective of the report is to provide a comprehensive and up-to-date diagnosis of Chiles early-stage Deep Tech entrepreneurship and investment ecosystem, identifying its capabilities, key actors, structural gaps, and strategic opportunities from a systemic perspective. The analysis highlights important advances in scientific, institutional, and support capacities, driven by the creation of the Ministry of Science, pioneering public programs, and a growing network of hubs, technology centers, and early-stage funds particularly in biotechnology, artificial intelligence, advanced materials, and clean technologies. Nevertheless, critical challenges persist: weak linkages between science and business, limited availability of specialized financing, bottlenecks in scaling infrastructure, and an entrepreneurial culture with relatively low international ambition. Based on these findings, the study proposes five strategic pillars aimed at strengthening governance, financing, capabilities, talent, and internationalization, in order to consolidate Chile as a regional Deep Tech hub in Latin America.

2026-01-05

Ser o no ser B2G, guía para startups en el mercado del sector público de América Latina

Esta publicación es una brújula para startups que evalúan incursionar en el mercado B2G (business-to-government). A través de un análisis del ecosistema latinoamericano, desglosa las particularidades del sector público: su ritmo, procesos de contratación y oportunidades ocultas. Combina datos con casos reales de startups que lograron escalar en este mercado, revelando cómo adaptar modelos de negocio, navegar la burocracia y construir relaciones estratégicas. El contenido no solo expone los beneficios como contratos estables y alto impacto social, sino también los riesgos y mitos comunes, desde plazos prolongados hasta falta de transparencia. Incluye un marco práctico para tomar la decisión "B2G o no B2G", basado en criterios como capacidad de adaptación y alineación con políticas públicas. Cerrando con una hoja de ruta, la guía ofrece pasos concretos: desde identificar puntos de dolor gubernamentales hasta estructurar propuestas de valor diferenciadas. Su enfoque es regional, con insights de expertos en GovTech y lecciones de fracasos y éxitos en LATAM. Ideal para emprendedores que buscan minimizar incertidumbre y maximizar oportunidades en un mercado complejo pero lleno de potencial.

2026-01-05

fAIr Tech Radar: Exploring the Adoption of Artificial Intelligence in Latin America and the Caribbean

In Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) is advancing in a context marked by structural gaps, developing regulatory frameworks, and heterogeneous digital capabilities. The fAIr Tech Radar study, promoted by IDB Lab within the work of the fAIr LAC initiative and the IAméricas project, together with NTT DATA and the Universidad de los Andes, responds to this reality with a strategic tool to assess both technical maturity and alignment with responsible AI principles. Methodologically, it combines a comparative review of international frameworks on responsible artificial intelligence (RAI) with the application of structured surveys, building a Maturity Index of the Responsible Use of AI. The regional average is 2.9 (of a scale from 1 to 5), reflecting significant technical advances, but lags in governance and inclusion. The study confirms maturity at different rates: startups innovate quickly without responsible structures; SMEs balance innovation and governance; corporations face institutional rigidity. The regional challenge is not only to adopt AI, but to do so in a responsible, inclusive and sustainable way. fAIr Tech Radar offers evidence and recommendations for AI to consolidate itself as a driver of productivity, trust, and human development in LAC.

2025-11-25

Catalyzing Women in STEM Entrepreneurship: Ecosystem Gaps and Pathways for Support in Central America and Ecuador

This Technical Note examines womens participation in STEM entrepreneurship across Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras, drawing on cross-country ecosystem reviews, qualitative interviews, and lessons from the WE3A - Supporting Women Entrepreneurs in STEM Areas project. It documents a persistent “leaky pipeline” from STEM education to venture creation, with women representing roughly one-quarter to one-third of STEM graduates, alongside high rates of not being in employment or education (NEET). The Technical Note highlights structural bottlenecks in finance, such as collateral-centric lending, thin early-stage capital, and investor bias, regulatory frictions in business establishment and protection of intellectual property, and uneven digital and innovation infrastructure outside urban areas. The Technical Note profiles policy efforts and ecosystem actors, acknowledging progress, especially in entrepreneurship and innovation policies, and women-focused initiatives, while also emphasizing implementation and coordination gaps that hinder the achievement of intended impact. It proposes sequenced pathways for governments, financial regulators and institutions, the private sector, academia, and civil society to align incentives, expand access to finance, embed STEM in education, improve childcare and safety policies, and strengthen sex-disaggregated data collection and reporting systems. The publication concludes with actionable recommendations and an impact-cost matrix to guide program design and ecosystem strengthening efforts.

2025-11-24

Venture Capital in the Caribbean: A Study of the Ecosystem in Five Countries

This study analyzes the venture capital (VC) ecosystem in the Caribbean, focusing on five countries: Barbados, The Bahamas, Jamaica, Suriname, and Trinidad & Tobago. It provides an overview of the Caribbean VC ecosystem, showing that although VC has become a driver for innovation and private sector development across Latin America, the Caribbean VC market remains less mature, with limited investments and significant funding gaps for startups. To assess ecosystem development, the authors developed the Caribbean Ecosystem Maturity Model (EMM), which scores the region and each country on a five-level scale across 12 critical dimensions: deal flow, entrepreneurial culture, funding sources, VC and private equity activity, exit mechanisms, talent pools, professional services, international connection, investment networks, support organizations, regulatory frameworks, and research & development and innovation. Overall, the region is categorized as “nascent” or “emerging,” depending on the dimension. The study calls for a multi-faceted approach to further develop VC in the Caribbean, addressing many areas such as education and capacity-building, cultural barriers, regulatory progress, and financial de-risking.

2025-11-24

¿Cómo hacer innovación abierta con enfoque GovTech en tu ciudad?

La publicación presenta una guía metodológica para implementar innovación abierta con enfoqueGovTech en ciudades latinoamericanas, basada en la experiencia del programaGovTechLATAM y aliados en la región. A partir del acompañamiento a diez municipalidades de siete países, sistematiza aprendizajes sobre cómo vincular gobiernos locales y startups tecnológicas para abordar desafíos públicos urgentes. La metodología se organiza en cinco fases: identificar problemas pertinentes, hallar soluciones innovadoras, valorar empresas emergentes, probar tecnología y escalar aprendizajes. Su fundamento son tres principios: diseño centrado en las personas, innovación abierta y experimentación controlada, lo que permite alinear necesidades ciudadanas con soluciones viables en el contexto operativo del gobierno. Además, se recomienda formular retos tecnológicamente agnósticos e involucrar en etapas tempranas a áreas transversales clave como adquisiciones, planeación y jurídica para facilitar la compra de innovación. Entre las barreras detectadas figuran la aversión al riesgo, la rigidez normativa, el déficit de capacidades digitales y la desconexión entre gobiernos y startups, entre otras. Para superarlas, se proponen estrategias combinadas de sensibilización sobre tecnología y los procesos de compra pública existentes, así como mapeos de actores y la construcción y o apalancamiento en redes existentes que fortalezcan el ecosistema de innovación, emprendimiento y tecnología, amplíen la visibilidad de soluciones y faciliten el acceso a innovaciones tecnológicas. El documento también destaca el valor de los pilotos tecnológicos: mediante pruebas breves, las municipalidades verifican la relevancia estratégica del reto y comprenden las implicaciones operativas, de infraestructura y culturales de adoptar tecnología. Estos pilotos proporcionan evidencia para ajustar regulaciones, afianzar la cultura de innovación y planificar adquisiciones tecnológicas de mayor alcance basadas en resultados comprobados. Finalmente, la guía ofrece recomendaciones concretas para actores públicos, startups y organismos de apoyo, subrayando la necesidad de institucionalizar procesos de gestión del conocimiento, evaluación de impacto y colaboración intersectorial. Tales medidas son esenciales para consolidar ecosistemas Gov Tech sostenibles, replicables y capaces de generar valor público de forma continua en la región.

2025-11-21

Climate Technology in Latin America and the Caribbean

The Climate Technology in Latin America and the Caribbean report, developed by IDB Lab and HolonIQ, maps the regions fast-growing climate innovation ecosystem. It identifies over 1,200 startups that have attracted US$3 billion in venture capital since 2010, spanning renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, circular economy, and green finance. These companies are scaling-up new technologies and developing new market-based solutions to climate mitigation and adaptation challenges. The report shows that with abundant natural resources, biodiversity, and critical minerals, Latin America holds a unique advantage in the global transition to a low-carbon economy. Despite this momentum, most ecosystems are still in early or transitional stages. Key barriers include limited early-stage finance, fragmented networks, and shortages of skilled talent. The report calls for stronger public-private collaboration, targeted R&D, and innovative blended-finance models to scale solutions. With sustained investment and coherent policy frameworks, the region can become a global hub for climate technology, simultaneously driving decarbonization, economic growth, and social inclusion. The report also highlights the opportunity to develop under-funded segments in climate adaptation and nature.

2025-11-12

Unlocking Potential: Real Impact of Virtual Training for Women Entrepreneurs in LAC Lessons Learned from the project WE3A: Strengthening Women Entrepreneurs in Value Chains

This Technical Note builds on the key insights from the endline evaluation of the WE3A Improving Women-Owned Small and Medium Enterprises (WSMEs) Access to Value Chains project and distills lessons from its implementation across six Latin American and Caribbean countries: Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, and Honduras. Anchored in the Aspire, Activate, and Accelerate framework, the project sought to address systemic barriers faced by women entrepreneurs at various stages of maturity through a combination of awareness-raising efforts, digital training, mentorship, and targeted capacity-building strategies. Drawing on qualitative and quantitative insights from beneficiaries and stakeholders, the publication highlights how digital tools enabled inclusive, scalable training that generated tangible benefits. It identifies best practices in outreach, engagement, and retention, showcasing how tailored approaches supported women entrepreneurs at different growth stages. The publication also assesses the institutional capacity of local executing agencies, underscoring the critical role of strong partners in ensuring reach and effective delivery. It concludes with a synthesis of cross-country lessons learned and elaborates actionable recommendations to inform the design, implementation, and replication of gender-inclusive entrepreneurial programs in comparable socio-economic contexts.

2025-10-21

El factor invisible en Chile: bienestar y salud mental para fortalecer el ecosistema emprendedor de alto impacto

Esta publicación forma parte de una serie que busca visibilizar la situación de bienestar y salud mental de las personas emprendedoras de alto impacto (EAI) en América Latina y el Caribe (ALC). Aquí se presenta en mayor detalle la situación de Chile, a manera de ampliar el estudio regional “El factor invisible” llevado a cabo por BID Lab y The Wellbeing Project en 2023 con datos de la región. Utilizando metodologías mixtas que combinan encuestas y grupos focales, se adaptaron los instrumentos de medición al contexto de Chile para comparar el bienestar de EAI de Chile con sus pares en el resto de ALC. El objetivo es visibilizar las dimensiones de salud mental y bienestar, así como contribuir a fortalecer el ecosistema de innovación del país, promoviendo su crecimiento sostenible y exitoso. Se tomó la definición de BID Lab de EAI y las de la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS) sobre bienestar y salud mental. La muestra de la encuesta consiste en 14% del universo incluido en la base de datos de EAI de Endeavor Chile. El componente cualitativo consistió en tres grupos focales con doce participantes con diversos perfiles y provenientes de diversas regiones del país.

2025-08-14

Impact Report 2025: Transforming for Scale and Impact

The Impact Report offers a fresh and accessible look at how the IDB Group is working to achieve impact across Latin America and the Caribbean. Formerly known as the Development Effectiveness Overview (DEO), the report offers insights about effective and novel approaches employed by the IDB Group comprising the IDB, IDB Invest, and IDB Lab to promote inclusive growth and sustainable development, in close collaboration with the public and private sectors. The 2025 edition puts a spotlight on infrastructure, showing how expanded access to water, sanitation, energy, and transportation is transforming communities. More than just a report, it serves as a gateway to the IDB Group's broader efforts to ensure accountability, as well as track, evaluate, and learn from development results. It offers readers a clear view into what is working, what needs improvement, and how the Group continues striving to achieve meaningful impact across the region.

2025-07-31

Executive Summary: The Performance of Artificial Intelligence in the Use of Indigenous American Languages

This publication analyzes the performance of artificial intelligence (AI) models when interacting in Indigenous American languages. The study evaluates seven representative languages from Latin America using five different language models, identifying a significant performance gap compared to major languages such as Spanish or Catalan. Through methodologies like the Multidimensional Quality Metrics (MQM) and the Multi-Task Language Understanding (MMLU), the report measures the linguistic, executive, and behavioral performance of the models, revealing significant limitations in comprehension, expression, and cultural adaptation. Additionally, the report examines the scarcity of digital data and linguistic tools available in Indigenous languages, which limits the training of AI models. It presents 21 strategies to promote technological inclusion, ranging from the creation of international consortia to the promotion of hackathons and data collection initiatives. The document concludes with a clear action plan to reduce the technological gap and promote the fair and responsible use of AI in multilingual contexts. * A more detailed version of this publication is available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.18235/0013542

2025-07-11

NFTree: Replication Guide for the Development of Financing Mechanisms for the Conservation of High Ecological Value Ecosystems

NFTree creates incentives to protect ecosystems of high ecological value and strengthens territorial resilience by integrating companies, communities, and key stakeholders under an innovative financing model. Through decentralized community management structures and natural asset tokenization (a process that digitally converts ecological value into verifiable assets), it turns ecosystem stewards into direct protagonists, ensuring transparency, traceability, and placing both people and ecosystems at the core of sustainable development. This publication provides a clear replication guide to consolidate a sustainable financing system that ensures long-term conservation. Based on Fundación Futuro's experience in the Andean Chocó and other successful conservation models, it offers a strategic framework to integrate stakeholders, implement digital tools, and develop governance and financing mechanisms that make ecological and social regeneration viable. The goal is to share experience and inspire replication in other contexts and regions. The publication shares key lessons and insights from Fundación Futuro and Grupo Futuro's journey, aiming to inspire adaptation and replication in diverse contexts and regions.

2025-06-13

Superheroes of Development 2024: Sharing Knowledge Creates Change

Sharing knowledge is key to transforming realities. This publication brings together five finalist cases from the 2024 edition of Superheroes of Development, an initiative through which the IDB Group recognizes teams that implement challenging and innovative projects across Latin America and the Caribbean. It highlights experiences from Honduras, Colombia, Bolivia, Brazil, and Guatemala, along with lessons learned that have high potential for replication and can contribute to better public policy design and improved execution of other development projects. This latest edition of Superheroes reaffirms the Banks institutional commitment to viewing knowledge as an essential tool for regional progress.

2025-05-29

The Performance of Artificial Intelligence in the Use of Indigenous American Languages

This publication analyzes the performance of artificial intelligence (AI) models when interacting in Indigenous American languages. The study evaluates seven representative languages from Latin America using five different language models, identifying a significant performance gap compared to major languages such as Spanish or Catalan. Through methodologies like the Multidimensional Quality Metrics (MQM) and the Multi-Task Language Understanding (MMLU), the report measures the linguistic, executive, and behavioral performance of the models, revealing significant limitations in comprehension, expression, and cultural adaptation. Additionally, the report examines the scarcity of digital data and linguistic tools available in Indigenous languages, which limits the training of AI models. It presents 21 strategies to promote technological inclusion, ranging from the creation of international consortia to the promotion of hackathons and data collection initiatives. The document concludes with a clear action plan to reduce the technological gap and promote the fair and responsible use of AI in multilingual contexts. * The executive summary of this publication is available at: https://publications.iadb.org/en/executive-summary-performance-artificial-intelligence-use-indigenous-american-languages

2025-05-29

Tokenization and Development: Framework and Insights Deck

This research deck aims to map the landscape of tokenization for development, highlight its impact, and propose a way forward by: - Providing an overview of the current state of tokenization, key trends, opportunities, and challenges. - Showcasing best practices and use cases of tokenization to support development. - Offering a way forward and call to action to further develop the use of tokenization for development.

2025-04-17

El ecosistema de emprendimiento dinámico de Costa Rica: desafíos y opciones de políticas públicas

América Latina enfrenta un problema de bajo crecimiento de la productividad. Gran parte de las políticas destinadas a mejorar la productividad han apoyado al sector improductivo, principalmente a micro y pequeñas empresas o, en el caso de algunos gobiernos, a nuevas empresas con financiación directa subvencionada. Sin embargo, la experiencia en la región demuestra que este enfoque es erróneo. Aunque la mayor parte del crecimiento proviene de nuevas empresas, solo una pequeña fracción de ellas es responsable de casi todo el crecimiento. Debido a asimetrías de información y a capacidades públicas limitadas, es difícil que los programas gubernamentales identifiquen eficientemente a estas empresas. Utilizando información secundaria y entrevistas a actores clave del ecosistema, se identificaron los principales cuellos de botella que afectan el desarrollo del ecosistema de emprendimiento dinámico de Costa Rica. Este documento propone un cambio en la estrategia gubernamental que permita crear un ambiente propicio para que los actores privados logren canalizar recursos hacia las nuevas empresas responsables del crecimiento de la productividad. Las líneas de acción propuestas incluyen, entre otras, la promoción de vocaciones emprendedoras, el fortalecimiento del sistema de apoyo al emprendimiento de alto potencial y el despliegue del financiamiento temprano a nuevas empresas innovadoras. Su implementación exitosa depende del rediseño institucional y del fortalecimiento de las capacidades para que puedan implementarse las políticas públicas requeridas.

2025-02-06

Plan for the Creation of an Entrepreneurial Ecosystem for Long-Term Care in Latin America and The Caribbean

The long-term care sector is an important part of the silver economy. In this sector, given the rapid aging of the population, significant business opportunities are generated. Likewise, there are opportunities for innovation both from the business sector and from civil society organizations (which are important providers of these services). Governments, particularly at the local level, can take advantage of this opportunity in the care economy, with the dual objective of improving the quality of life for older people and their families, and promoting employment and economic growth. To do this, they can support the construction of an entrepreneurial ecosystem in the long-term care sector. This report presents an analysis of the key elements for building the aforementioned ecosystem. The target audience is policymakers at different levels of government, including municipalities, which in many cases are responsible for organizing the sector. The analysis is complemented by a tool that allows policymakers to assess the progress of ecosystem construction in their territory. This tool analyzes five dimensions of the ecosystem: regulatory framework, entrepreneurial financing, entrepreneurial culture, support structures, and human resources. The tool highlights key opportunities (low hanging fruits), which are the most strategic and high-value interventions but relatively easy to implement. These include, for example, the creation of public or private digital portals to facilitate the meeting of supply and demand, the definition of a standardized contract for the paid caregiver at home, and the offer of training for caregivers.

2025-01-16

Perspectivas sobre transformación digital, fintech e inclusión financiera: América Latina y el Caribe

Este estudio analiza cómo las instituciones financieras de inclusión en América Latina y el Caribe están adoptando tecnologías digitales para mejorar su eficiencia y ampliar su impacto. Explora la interacción entre estas instituciones y los proveedores Fintech, destacando los avances, desafíos y oportunidades en su proceso de transformación digital. Además, recopila casos de éxito, recomendaciones estratégicas y datos clave que aportan una visión integral sobre las dinámicas del ecosistema financiero inclusivo y sus retos principales, como la falta de recursos y una cultura digital incipiente.

2025-01-13

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