Research & Innovation
From The Report: Colombia 2014
View in Online Reader

The economic growth Colombia has seen over the past decade is multiplying opportunities to strengthen research and innovation, while new investment from a growing number of firms already operating in the country is helping to raise the sector’s profile. Averaging 0.18% from 2009 to 2013, investment in research and development (R&D) remains well below regional neighbour Brazil’s 1.2% and the OECD average of 2.4%. However, it is set to reach 0.2% in 2014. A marked imbalance between private and public investment remains, with only about 30% of R&D in Colombia being conducted by private businesses, compared to 65-75% in OECD countries. Nonetheless, an impetus to improve the laws for intellectual property, coupled with funding programmes for innovation at small and medium-sized enterprises, continues to push private companies to modernise. This chapter contains an interview with Juan Camilo Quintero, Executive Director, Ruta N.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Legal measures and investment in human resources are pushing innovation towards the centre of growth efforts
OBG
plus

The economic growth Colombia has seen over the past decade is multiplying opportunities to strengthen research and innovation. New investment from a growing number of firms already operating in the country is helping to raise the profile of research and development (R&D). New public financing schemes, meanwhile, are becoming instrumental to ensuring that investments in science are better distributed across Colombia’s regions. An impetus to improve the laws for intellectual property (IP), coupled…

Interview

OBG talks to Juan Camilo Quintero, Executive Director, Ruta N
OBG
plus

Interview:Juan Camilo Quintero In what ways can stimulating technology-based businesses increase economic competitiveness? JUAN CAMILO QUINTERO: A major concern over the past decade has been that the country is suffering from low levels of productivity, which is damaging overall economic performance. To address these issues, Colombia has focused on innovation as a means of improving competitiveness and productivity by further promoting education and positioning itself as a knowledge-based…

Analysis

All about incentives: Better intellectual property legislation could boost innovation
OBG
plus

As economic growth opens up new possibilities for innovation, authorities are working to make the regulatory framework for intellectual property (IP) more expedient for Colombian companies and research centres. Encouraging entrepreneurs and small businesses to file for patent and trademark registration has long been a challenge in Colombia. Now, however, a round of regulatory changes looks set to boost demand for IP instruments in a country where patent filings have typically been a low priority. Going…

Analysis

State support programmes and a growing appetite from private investors are helping fuel the rise of innovative firms
OBG
plus

As economic growth brings investment into the country and business opportunities for domestic firms increase, Colombian start-ups are being encouraged from many angles. This support is coming from a combination of both government-led financing schemes and capacity-building initiatives, and through an environment in which private equity funds, business angels and entrepreneurship networks are coming together to take advantage of emerging opportunities. A stronger emphasis on entrepreneurship came…