On September 18, Medellín and the British government launched a call for tech-based startups, under the Leaders in Innovation Fellowships (LIF) program by the Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng), in partnership with Ruta N and Medellín’s District Administration. Colombia is the only country in the Americas selected to participate in LIF, aimed at developing business capabilities to commercialize innovative solutions globally.
The application process will be open until October 16, 5:00 p.m. UK time (11:00 a.m. Colombian time). Sixty innovators from eight countries will be selected, with Colombia as the only Latin American representative, thanks to Ruta N’s alliance with the UK.
To apply, projects must address a global challenge impacting one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), demonstrate strong English proficiency, show research results with commercial potential or tech-based business prospects, and have a minimum viable prototype in the validation phase.
The LIF program will last seven months and include a trip to London in July 2024. The program previously trained nine Colombian startups, intensively preparing them to maximize their tech impact, learn pitching skills, and engage with London’s innovation ecosystem.
This year, participating countries include Colombia, Malaysia, India, Jordan, the Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, and Turkey.