Generación Tech Achieves Record Participation in Medellín, Reaching More Than 6,000 Students and Launching an International Educational Mission

The programme reached more than 200 public and private schools across the city and strengthened participants’ skills in science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics.

The Medellín Mayor’s Office officially announced the conclusion of the 2026 edition of the Generación Tech programme, which included a science and technology fair attended by more than 1,000 students and 200 teachers from across the city. The event featured 80 projects developed by children and young people as part of their training, through which they put their knowledge and skills into practice to propose innovative solutions.

“Generación Tech, one of Ruta N’s flagship programmes, has been working to strengthen education. Medellín is the first District of Science, Technology and Innovation, and this also involves implementing a curriculum that includes engineering, technology and everything children and young people in the city need. Under Mayor Fico’s leadership, we have worked to transform the way these schools being built in Medellín incorporate content, methods and tools for innovation and technology,” said Carolina Londoño, Executive Director of Ruta N.

This year, Generación Tech achieved record participation, reaching more than 6,000 children and young people, an increase of over 700% compared with previous years. The programme also involved 600 teachers. An initiative of the Medellín Mayor’s Office, implemented through Ruta N, it reached more than 200 public and private schools across the city. It also enabled participants to strengthen their skills in science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) through experiences that foster scientific thinking, creativity and the search for solutions to challenges in their urban communities and rural districts.

“I have found Generación Tech very interesting because we are not just one thinking mind; we are several people working together to solve the same problem, something that affects society as a whole,” said Victoria Chica, a student at Diego Echavarría Misas School.

As part of this effort to strengthen education, a delegation made up of teachers involved in Generación Tech and representatives from several District entities travelled to Mexico to gather insights that will help shape Medellín’s new educational innovation guidelines. Participants learned about models for collaboration between universities, businesses and the public sector, as well as initiatives that connect education with real-world societal challenges and enhance the capabilities of teachers and students.

“Following this mission to Monterrey, we want Medellín to have a future-oriented education system, with a vibrant, human, scientific and technological ecosystem that enables our students to achieve successful productivity and contribute to a well-rounded society,” said Sandra Oquendo, a teacher at Manuel Uribe Ángel School.

These achievements are complemented by the international recognition received by Generación Tech, which won first place at the 2026 IASP Inspiring Solutions Awards, presented by the International Association of Science Parks and Areas of Innovation (IASP). The programme was selected from more than 60 proposals submitted by 19 countries. The jury highlighted its commitment to fostering scientific vocations and STEAM skills from the early stages of education.

With the conclusion of this edition of Generación Tech, the District reaffirms the role of education as the starting point for building a Medellín with stronger scientific and technological capabilities. Connections among students, teachers, educational institutions and other ecosystem stakeholders help bring knowledge into the classroom, turn it into solutions and contribute to the city’s economic and social development.

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