FutuMed was evaluated based on criteria including innovation, impact, feasibility, scalability, and sustainability.
As part of the Andicom 2026 Congress in Cartagena, Ruta N received its first-ever Smart City Innovator Award, presented by Cintel (Center for Research and Development in Information and Communication Technologies) and ESRI Colombia. The awards recognize smart city and smart territory initiatives that have a positive impact on communities. Ruta N received the award in the “Pioneer City” category for FutuMed, the open-air urban laboratory that enables Medellín to experiment with, validate, and develop science, technology, and innovation solutions under real-world conditions.
FutuMed was evaluated based on criteria including innovation, impact, feasibility, scalability, and sustainability. In 2026, the program has a fund of up to COP 23 billion to continue strengthening Medellín’s capacity as a smart city. Over the past year, it has promoted research, development, and experimentation projects under real-world conditions, addressing the city’s challenges in areas such as healthcare, the circular economy, mobility, and security.
Learn more: 9 key points to understand FutuMed: the District’s first urban laboratory
Recently, five healthcare projects were selected to join the second cohort of the “Experimentation” track and begin field testing, demonstrating Medellín’s strength in this area. These projects will be joined by new challenges related to tactical urbanism and women’s healthcare, with the aim of generating evidence, strengthening local capabilities, and laying the groundwork for solutions developed in Medellín to scale and help position the city as a global benchmark for innovation.