25 May 2023
Colombia, a strategically located country in the Americas, stands out for its population of 50.3 million. Sectors such as infrastructure, housing, and agriculture are driving this growth. In terms of competitiveness, Colombia ranks 54th out of 63 global economies according to the IMD in 2020. Furthermore, at the regional level, it ranks fourth among the most competitive economies in Latin America, according to the IMF in 2019.
The virtual event featured the participation of Verónica Tramer, Sector Coordinator for Professional Services at ProChile, and Marcela Aravena, Commercial Director of ProChile Colombia. During the meeting, opportunities for the expansion of Remote Waters, FreshWater Solutions, and AinWater in Colombia were explored.
Marcela Aravena, Commercial Director in Colombia for ProChile, emphasized the importance of establishing solid strategies for entering the Colombian market: “We are identifying key contacts so that Chilean companies can establish a long-term strategy here in Colombia. While virtual interaction is interesting, what Colombian businesspeople truly value is our physical presence here in the market. In that sense, over the last few months we have noticed a significant increase in visits from Chilean companies, and each week we receive at least two or three businesspeople who come for events and meetings, which strengthens their business management and their internationalization process. Chilean companies in this sector have the advantage of experience in the national market, and from that perspective, they are highly valued here. That is an added benefit that we must leverage, as that is the objective of these types of initiatives.”
AinWater, a global company that uses artificial intelligence and sensors to optimize and monitor water treatment plants, was also presented. Through specialized algorithms and software, they predict plant performance and achieve energy savings. They offer personalized alerts and recommendations to clients to help them conserve energy. Claudia Grossi, the team manager, stated: “As partners, we are most interested in the food industry, as well as water utilities responsible for distributing drinking water. We have experience working with large companies in Chile, and in Mexico, Brazil, and Peru. We are currently working with a city's water and sewage system, where we are evaluating water loss using sensors. Therefore, we are interested in any location that wants to monitor and improve the efficiency of its water distribution.”
FreshWater Solutions, a technological innovation initiative with social and environmental impact, seeks greater social inclusion by delivering purified water from the air to communities in remote, water-scarce areas. Héctor Pino, CEO and founder of the company, mentioned his company's interest in establishing partnerships and collaborations in Colombia: “We seek to establish alliances and collaborations with both global and local companies, with the goal of carrying out collaborative and jointly funded projects. Our aim is to implement our technology in different locations, in conjunction with these companies, to provide effective water supply solutions.”
Remote Waters presented its solutions to the problem of access to clean drinking water in rural areas. Represented by CEO and Founder Pablo Cassorla, the company expressed interest in expanding into Colombia: “We are interested in learning about the legal manufacturing process and the legal protection of our designs in the country. We greatly value understanding the local culture and would like to adapt to it, so we would appreciate guidance on working with Colombian personnel or local references.” Remote Waters specializes in solving the problem of water supply in areas where the available water is not suitable for human consumption. Their goal is to establish autonomous mini water treatment plants in locations without sanitation services. They use automation to purify groundwater sources, lakes, rivers, or nearshore water, thus providing safe access to clean drinking water for rural communities.
Opening high-level doors in Colombia and promoting the entry of Chilean technology companies into the Colombian market is the goal to be achieved with the support of ProChile. This was stated by Marcela Aravena, Commercial Director in Colombia for ProChile: “Colombia stands out for being receptive to foreign cooperation and values the experience and support that Chilean companies offer.” The next round of discussions will be held with the four ProChile USA trade offices and the ProChile Peru trade office. Confidence in the quality of technology developed in Chile is a fundamental pillar for Climatech Chile. As an association, they seek to promote and advance the work of their members both nationally and internationally. The association brings together companies that share a common vision regarding the environmental crisis we face. They emphasize the potential of technology applied in diverse economic, community, institutional, and social sectors to solve multiple environmental problems.
Marcela Aravena, Commercial Director of ProChile in Colombia: "Chilean companies in this sector have the backing that comes from experience in the national market, and from that perspective, they are highly valued here. That's an advantage we must take advantage of, since that's the objective of these types of actions."