Subscription of the first agreement of the Regional Institutional Strengthening Program regarding Patentable Technological Innovation

CAF, Development Bank of Latin America, and the Sartenejas Technological Park of the Simon Bolivar University (PTS, for its acronym in Spanish) signed the first agreement of the Regional Institutional Strengthening Program regarding Patentable Technological Patents, in the framework of the workshop on the Technological Patents for Development Regional Initiative.

The agreement, signed on October 8th, defines the lines of action that will be taken by both institutions during the next three years. Specific issues include: 

1. Programs on Promotion of Policies for Patentable Technological Patents of the PTS and related entities. 
2. Programs in support of the Programs Patentable Technological Patents Ecosystem of the PTS and related entities. 
3. Definition of Financing Programs for Patentable Technological Innovation in the PTS. 

This agreement intends to identify opportunities to establish programs, projects, and activities in areas aimed at promoting the development of patentable technological innovation that contribute to solve national and international problems, thus strengthening the region's participation in the area of technological innovation. The program also identified other institutions in the region with whom agreements are expected in coming months. 

The agreement was signed by Luis Enrique Berrizbeitia, CAF's Executive Vice President, and Gerardo Fernández, President of the Sartenejas Technological Park.

Creativity for Innovation 

During the workshop regarding the Regional Technological Patents for Development Initiative, Álvaro Atilano, Coordinator of the Regional Institutional Strengthening Program regarding Patentable Technological Innovation, spoke about how important it is that Latin America becomes a region that exports high technology, as "the different countries of the region have not shown signs of significant advances in past years". 

In this regard, the regional challenges include the diversification of the innovation strategy by training the population in conceptualizing patentable innovating technologies with a commercial approach. Atilano emphasized that for this, "it is not necessary to have a high academic degree, but rather to have creativity".