First edition of Colombia Foodtech Acceleration Programme kicks off, organised by Vertical-I, Colombia’s Center of Excellence in Innovation Systems, and Eatable Adventures, a food technology accelerator.
Colombia Foodtech Acceleration Program has started its first edition led by Vertical-I, Centre of Excellence in Innovation Systems in Colombia, in alliance with Eatable Adventures, one of the world’s leading agrifood accelerators. This programme aims to develop and strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem of the agri-food industry in Colombia, which is known as the “Innovation Hub of Latin America”. As a matter of fact, according to the Organisation for Economic Growth and Development (OECD), Colombia is the third most entrepreneurial country among its 34 members, behind only Chile and Korea, and is one of the few countries in Latin America with two unicorns.
Furthermore, the agri-food sector is a strategic vertical for Colombia, since this industry, led by the food and beverage area, is one of the main manufacturing sectors in Colombia and in the Department of Atlántico, accounting for 29.3% of the country’s gross production (EAM, 2021). These data reflects the market’s interest in promoting innovation and applying new technologies in the sector, creating a solid and competitive industry and entrepreneurial ecosystem on a global scale.
Mila Valcárcel, Managing Partner and co-founder of Eatable Adventures, has highlighted Colombia’s strategic position on the Latin American map to develop the agri-food industry globally. “Colombia is a strategic market to accelerate the transition of the food system, thanks to the strength of its agri-food industry, at the forefront of innovation. As part of our partnership with Vertical-i, we are launching an incubation and acceleration programme that adds to over 10 programmes that we have already developed for corporations, governments and our own. We believe it will be a great opportunity for startups in the country, and we are confident that this will be the engine of a new generation of Foodtech startups in Latin America that will help us drive the transition of the food system globally”.
Eatable Adventures is expanding its operations on four continents and creating a global ecosystem of more than 25,000 founders and entrepreneurs in order to consolidate its growth in the international market.
For his part, José Polo, CEO of Vertical-i “This disruptive and pioneering programme in Colombia will have an intensive work plan for 4 months. Upon completion of the first cohort, we intend to make a second version, so as to empower more startups with this Vertical-I initiative, which aims to provide an effective way of connecting entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs who have a broad vision of business, growth, and innovation. Those who are constantly seeking to expand their products and services, as well as those who want to share their expertise or contribute to the growth of the sector, will be able to connect with us effectively”.
As part of the first cohort of this program, 5 startups specializing in developing new products with healthy properties will work in a high-impact program supported by the governmental entity Gobernación del Atlántico, Vertical-I, and the General System of Royalties. The following companies will work in a specialized high-impact program that will help them scale and gain investors and customers: Amande Cocina, Albesa de Colombia, Cron Foods, Mimi Día and Spiga Food.
More information at https://colombiafoodtech.com/