COLOMBIA - The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) inaugurated a new TechLab hub in Bogotá, Colombia, reinforcing its commitment to advance digital transformation across Latin America and the Caribbean. Serving Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, the hub will help integrate emerging technologies into IDB Group projects to address development challenges.
The launch event at the IDB Country Office in Colombia featured remarks from Ramiro López-Ghio, IDB Country Representative in Colombia; Miguel Coronado, General Manager for the Andean Region; and Jean-Michel Baudoin, IDB Chief Information Officer. Speakers highlighted the role of cutting-edge tools in strengthening public policy, digital governance, and inclusive access to technology.
Guests then participated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony, interactive demonstrations in the TechLab Demo Room, and two expert panels. The first explored digital equity and governance with the participation of Nicolás Rincón Munar, from Colombia’s National Planning Department; Diana Celis, from Bogotá’s Mayor Office; and Iván Durán, from Universidad Externado. The second panel addressed productivity in the digital era, with remarks of Mariana Gutierrez, from the IDB; Santiago Pinzón, from ANDI – National Business Association of Colombia; Mario Castaño, from CINTEL – Center for Research and Development in ICT; and Diego Tarazona, from tech education center CampusLands.
The new TechLab in Colombia is the fifth of its kind, complementing hubs in Panama, Paraguay, Washington D.C., and Trinidad and Tobago. Each operates under TechLab’s three core pillars: exploration, experimentation, and knowledge-sharing.
Through this model, the IDB Group and its clients are already applying emerging technologies to solve urgent challenges: In El Salvador, a GIS tool was developed to help coffee producers make climate-resilient decisions; In Panama, drones deliver medical samples to remote areas; and in Paraguay, TechLab hosted Sophia, the humanoid robot, to spark dialogue on the future of work in the era of generative AI.
The new TechLab will also serve as a regional platform to translate shared priorities among Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia into concrete initiatives in areas such as productive development, sustainable infrastructure, and institutional strengthening.
With this inauguration, the IDB Group strengthens its role as a catalyst for digital transformation in Latin America and the Caribbean, helping shape smarter, more resilient, and more equitable development in the digital age.
About the IDB Group
The Inter-American Development Bank Group (IDB Group) is the leading source of financing and knowledge for improving lives in Latin America and the Caribbean. It comprises the IDB, which works with the region’s public sector and enables the private sector; IDB Invest, which directly supports private companies and projects; and IDB Lab, which spurs entrepreneurial innovation.
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