CzechInvest’s technology mission to Colombia brings significant partnership in the area of Smart Cities

Representatives of CzechInvest have returned from a five-day technology mission in Colombia, which they undertook from 11 to 15 April 2016. During the course of the mission, they met with a full range of Colombian research authorities. The Colombians were very interested in the Czech research infrastructure and the technological level of Czech firms. Besides the area of Smart Cities, they also want to undertake cooperation in the areas of agriculture, materials research, renewable energy sources, materials, healthcare and renewal following the end of a political conflict.

A partner in cooperation for the Czech Republic may be Medellin, a city of 2.5 million people which is actively focusing on the topic of innovation and was visited by the Czech delegation. The city’s transport system includes an underground metro, tramways and cableways. The city has its own transport and energy management centre and everything is administered in sophisticated systems. Medellin has ambitions to become Latin America’s most innovative city in the future. Czech firms, which have an opportunity to penetrate the Colombian market, can be of assistance in achieving this objective.