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FINAL REPORT
With the support of RIAC’s Chair Pro Tempore: #ACXchange 2
THE 8TH AMERICAS COMPETITIVENESS EXCHANGE ON INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP (ACE)
A six-day high-level tour for global senior leadership through the communities of Orlando, Melbourne, Cape Canaveral, Palm Coast, St. Augustine, Gainesville, and Tallahassee in North-Central Florida, United States, December 3 to 9, 2017
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TABLE OF CONTENT
1. ABOUT THE EXCHANGE 4
2. IN REVIEW: THE 8TH ACE ON INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP 7
3. PARTICIPANTS 21
4. RESULTS 26
5. TESTIMONIES 29
6. PRESS RELEASES 32
7. PRESENTATIONS 37
8. PHOTOS AND VIDEOS 39
9. POINTS OF CONTACT 40
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ABOUT THE EXCHANGE
The Americas Competitiveness Exchange (ACE) is a innovation, strategic investments and public- regional initiative of the Organization of American private partnerships from a specific region/country States (OAS) and the Inter-American that contribute to the economic development at Competitiveness Network (RIAC). Ministers and the local, national and regional levels. The event High-Level Authorities of the countries of the brings 50 decision makers from across the Americas Americas approved ACE as one of the main and beyond for a five to six-day tour of innovative activities of the 2016- 2018 RIAC’s Work Plan. hubs, leading firms, and educational and research The ACE was originally created in 2014 by the U.S. institutions, to explore local and regional economic Department of Commerce, the U.S. Department of development models, share experiences and State and the Organization of American States knowledge, and build networks among the local (OAS) as RIAC Technical Secretariat. and visiting stakeholders to enhance innovation The objective of the Exchange is to showcase and competitiveness of the Americas. successful examples of entrepreneurship,
“THE ACE IS AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT WITH PEOPLE, TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS, TO ESTABLISH PARTNERSHIPS AND IT ALL GET TO BUILDING THE INCLUSIVE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR HEMISPHERE.” Kim Osborne Executive Secretary for Integral Development Organization of American States
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Some examples of the mutually beneficial and training organization, and Mexico’s National partnerships developed, include: the collaboration Council of Science and Technology (CONACYT). between stakeholders in Conover, North Carolina Such has been the success of ACE that it was and the State of Hidalgo, Mexico, supporting recognized as part of the 2016 North American entrepreneurs in the textile industries of both Competitiveness Work Plan, agreed to by countries; research centers and co-ops such as President of the United States Barack Obama and Organic Valley in Wisconsin and Escuela Superior the President of Mexico Peña Nieto and Canadian Integral Lecheria (ESIL) of Villa María in Cordoba, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, in June 2016 at the Argentina, working on business and export North American Leaders Summit (NALS) held in development in the dairy industry; inspiring the Ottawa, Canada’s capital. enhancement of the New Belize Enterprise and http://pm.gc.ca/eng/news/2016/06/29/economic Innovation Institute to include incubation -prosperity-trade-and-competitiveness programs; facilitating the cross-landing process of young entrepreneurs from UNITEC Honduras to Also, due to the ACE success, the Government of interact and collaborate with the Argentina adopted the ACE model internally to entrepreneurship ecosystems led by UC San Diego; share best practices within its country regions and sectors. inspiring UNITEC University, Honduras through the exposure to innovative projects in America with http://prensa.cba.gov.ar/economia/la- ACE to write a proposal for BCIE and obtain a innovacion-en-tecnologia-medica-se-reune-en- donation of USD $56 thousand approved to cordoba/ strengthen their ecosystem and convert their
Entrepreneurship Hub into an Incubator; giving momentum to the launch of a bilateral industrial
internship program between Canada and Mexico through Mitacs, a Canadian not-for-profit research #ACXchange 6
HOST REGIONS/COUNTRIES INCLUDE:
ACE I:
Georgia, North and South Carolina, ACE V: USA, April 2014 Arizona and California, USA, April 2016
ACE II:
Mexico City, Aguascalientes and ACE VI: Guadalajara, Mexico, August 2014 Province of Ontario, Canada, September 2016
ACE III:
Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois, ACE VII: USA, April 2015 Central Texas, USA, April 2017
ACE IV: ACE VIII:
Province of Cordoba, Argentina, North-Central Florida, USA, October 2015 December 2017
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THE 8TH ACE
The 8th Americas Competitiveness Exchange on Innovation and Entrepreneurship gathered 42 key leaders and decision makers from the public, private, and academic sectors from 19 countries of the Americas and beyond.
The program provided a unique opportunity to restoration and preservation, research, experience first-hand advanced technology entrepreneurship and commercialization. centers, innovation hubs, public-private partnerships, and strategic investments in the CONVENING INSTITUTIONS North-Central Florida region, United States. The 8th ACE was convened by the Organization of Featured sites on the tour targeted the following American States and the Inter-American clusters: advanced manufacturing, simulation Competitiveness Network (RIAC); the Government technology, magnetics technologies, life sciences of the United States, through its U.S. Department and biotechnology, aerospace, aviation, national of Commerce (the International Trade security, agriculture and sustainability, tourism and Administration (ITA) and the Economic hospitality, logistics, disaster preparedness, Development Administration (EDA)); the U.S. #ACXchange 8
Department of State-Permanent Mission to the OAS; and the Government of Argentina, as Chair Pro Tempore of RIAC 2017 – 2019.
REVIEW OF THE 8th ACE TOUR
The six-day high-level tour through the regions of Orlando, Space Coast, Flagler County, St. Augustine, Gainesville, and Tallahassee in North-Central Florida, United States allowed participants to get a deep sight of Florida’s economic ecosystem, along with the opportunity to establish global commercial relationships and FDI partnerships among hosts and participants and share and promote best practices in economic development to strengthen local innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystems.
December 2, 2017 ORLANDO
WELCOME TO ORLANDO
The Program started on Saturday 2, 2017 with an optional activity in Disney Springs at Walt VIDEO OF THE DAY Disney World Resort. Participants walked around and enjoyed a nice dinner with their colleagues; while getting a first approach to the ACE dynamic, being introduced to organizers and get to know participants, their reasons for attending and visualize future connections and alliances.
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December 3, 2017 ORLANDO DAY ONE VIDEO OF THE DAY The ACE 8 begins! The program started on December 3, 2017 in history and expectations of ACE and the US Orlando, Florida with the Check-in of participants Innovation System. at 1 pm. The opening of the Americas Later, Jerry Ross, CEO of the National Competitiveness Exchange was carried out at the Entrepreneur Center and Elizabeth Krekel, JW Marriott Grande Lakes Hotel by Dr. Maryse Program Manager at the Central Florida Robert (ACE Original Partner and Member of the International Trade Office gave an Entrepreneurial ACE Committee), Director for Economic Welcome to participants and lead the group in a Development, Organization of American States fun activity to introduce them to their new who stressed the importance of the ACE program economic development friends from different and in the context of the Inter-American countries of the Americas. Competitiveness Network (RIAC), Guillermo The day continued with an overview of Acosta, Under Secretary for Federal and Sectorial Innovation and Simulation Technology of Walt Articulation, Ministry of the Production of Disney World Walt Disney’s Magic Kingdom with Argentina in representation of the RIAC’s Pro Dennis Lind, Vice President, Design & Engineering, Tempore Presidency and Dr. Barrett Haga (ACE Walt Disney Parks & Resorts and Michael Tschanz, Co-Founder and Member of the ACE Committee), Director, Systems Technology Strategy and Senior Administrator at the U.S. Department of Processes, Walt Disney World as speakers. Later, Commerce who, in his speech, talked about the participants could enjoy a behind the scenes tour of the Magic Kingdom and the Seven Dwarfs Mine #ACXchange 10
Train full of Innovation, Engineering, Animation, and Artistry!
VIDEO OF THE DAY
December 4, 2017 ORLANDO DAY TWO Participants arrived at the University of Central Florida where they were received by the UCF Cheerleaders and their mascot Knightro. The official Welcome to the program was in charge of Kim Hurtault-Osborne, Executive Secretary for Integral Development, Organization of American VIDEO OF THE DAY States who emphasized the importance of expressed her contentment for the high promoting the participation of women in activities percentage of women participating in this edition related to innovation, science and technology and #ACXchange 11
of the ACE. John Andersen, Deputy Assistant located in Medical City. The TedTalks were in Secretary, International Trade Administration gave charge of Leslie Hielema, Head of his welcoming speech describing the opportunity Transformational Innovation at Guidewell the program offers and the strong ties between Innovation, Dr. Haru Okuda, National Medical United States and all the countries of the Director for Veterans Health Administration and Americas. Mayor Teresa Jacobs, Mayor of Orange Barry Brockway, Director of Operations, County and John Hitt, President of the University GuideWell Innovation. Later, participants toured of Central Florida also gave a speech. After the the Medical city facility where they were able to opening, participants toured the UCF Labs were get a deep insight of the history and work of the specialists gave four presentations on different ecosystem, before departing to BRIDG. “Themes”: Limbitless, Entrepreneurship, Smart Once at BRIDG, the only advanced materials Cities, and Energy. manufacturing development center focused on Thereafter, participants travelled to the highly the integration of semiconductor-based processes secured and classified government contractor and materials into future products like smart facility, Lockheed Martin where they had VIP sensor and photonics devices, the ACE 8 key Access Tour of the Lockheed Martin Global & leaders and decision makers assisted to a panel Training Logistics facility including a tour of discussion and tour, with demonstrations of Innovation Demonstration Center, a demo, a Photon X. Ed Schons from the Florida High Tech Prepar3D overview, and a presentation on Corridor served as moderator and Chester Simulation by David Scott, VP Business Kennedy, CEO of BRIDG, Don Fisher, Osceola Development at LM and Lt. General Tom Baptiste, County Manager, Blair Barbour, CEO of Photon X President & CEO of the National Center for and Dr. Elizabeth A. Klonoff, Vice President for Simulation (NCS). Research and Dean of the College of Graduate This activity was followed by a tour and Studies at the University of Central Florida served presentation at Guidewell Innovation Center, #ACXchange 12
as speakers at the panel. At the end of the day,
participants traveled to the next stop: Melbourne!
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December 5, 2017 SPACE COAST DAY THREE
The first activity of the day was a bus tour of the Florida Institute of Technology’s FIT Aviation Flight Training & Research Center and drive through the FIT CAMPUS. ACE Florida participants learned about how FIT advances in creating new international partners with the opportunity to VIDEO OF THE DAY educate students in the latest high demand STEM Dr. Michael Grieves, Executive Director at CAMID disciplines worldwide. At FIT, they were welcomed and Mr. Rob Salonen, Director of Global Business by the Economic Development Council with Development, FIT. Participants experienced a visit presentations by Elected Officials at Florida Tech to Larsen Motorsports with Mr. Chris Larsen and and received a tour of Center for Advanced Mrs. Elaine Larsen, founders of the program, Manufacturing and Innovative Design (CAMID). explaining how LMS and its partners through Presentations were in charge of Captain Winston concept, design, engineering, fabrication, and E. Scott, Immediate Past Chair at the Economic highly customized finish work are creating the next Development Commission of Florida’s Space generation of high performance vehicles. Coast, and Senior Vice President for External After FIT, the group proceeded to Port Relations and Economic Development at FIT, Canaveral for lunch and welcome by Tom Mayor William Capote, City of Palm Bay, Dr. S. Ann Weinberg, Chairman of Canaveral Port Authority Becker, Senior Vice President for Research at FIT, and presentation and ‘virtual’ tour of the Port by #ACXchange 14
CEO, Captain John W. Murray. Participants were a briefing by Mr. Tom Engler, Director of the later driven to the Exploration Tower at Cape Center Planning and Development Directorate, Canaveral and had free time to explore the Tower, KSC and an up-close look at Space Shuttle Atlantis. the Port, visit gift shops, take photos from the roof, Participants headed over to to the next stop: and enjoy the scenery. Palm Coast! The last activity was a VIP Bus Tour of NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Campus and Complex with
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PALM COAST December 6, 2017 ST. AUGUSTINE DAY FOUR GAINESVILLE
On Wednesday, December 6, participants Economic Development and Donald O’Brien, VIDEO OF THE DAY enjoyed an early morning tour of SeaRay Boats County Commissioner. The Superintendent of with its General Manager, Tim Singly before Flagler Schools, James Tager made the departing to the Flagler Palm Coast High School introduction to the program. Participants where they were received by Helga van Eckert, Economic Development Director of Flagler #ACXchange 16
experienced brunch served by students with VIDEO OF THE DAY Student Ambassadors and Business representatives at tables while seeking for possible opportunities to establish international networks for businesses and students to foster collaboration and develop new partnerships to share best practices. The brunch was followed by Once in Gainesville, participants visited the three Interactive Student Experiences, namely, a University of Florida New Engineering Building Flagship Showcase Booths, Fire academy & where they were received by Dr. W. Kent Fuchs, aerospace lab and the i3 Flagship presentation President of the University of Florida, Erik Sander, with the closing remarks of the County Exec Dir. of Florida Engineering Experiment Station Commissioner and Lynette Shott, Executive and Matthew Hodge, Senior AVP, Director of Flagler Schools. Development/Interim Executive Director at UF Later, participants departed to St. Augustine Alumni Association. Thereafter, the group headed accompanied on the bus by John Regan, St. to Cade Museum for Creativity and Innovation Augustine City Manager. The first place visited was experiencing a Farm-to-table dinner and Welcome the Castillo de San Marcos where the group had a Reception. Welcome remarks and speeches were pleasant, informative visit showcasing the most in charge of Rory P. Causseaux, 2017 Chair of famous tourist attraction and treasured structure Gainesville Area Chamber of Commerce, Mayor of the city and the inventive way their private Lauren Poe, Mayor of the City of Gainesville, Lee industry works to conserve its historic past and Pinkoson, Chair at Alachua County Commission provide successful commercial ventures. The next and Phoebe Miles, Board President and CEO of stop, before travelling to Gainesville, was the St. Cade Museum. Augustine Distillery.
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GAINESVILLE December 7, 2017 TALLAHASSEE DAY FIVE During the fifth day of the tour, participants networks for students, faculty, and partners to visited the Santa Fe College at Gainesville where create a new network of innovation. The welcome they learned about opportunities to establish remarks and presentations were given by the connections with the college, willing to expand President of the College, Dr. Jackson Sasser, #ACXchange 18
Dennis Alvord, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Sohar, Asst. Director UF Innovation Hub and Co- Commerce at EDA, Dug Jones, Associate Vice Founder, Empowering Women in Technology President of Economic Development at the Center Start-ups (EWITS), Kristin Haffert, founder of Mine for Innovation and Economic Development (CIED) the Gap and Antonietta Restuccia, Doctoral and John McNeely, Associate Vice President of Student Department of Biomedical Engineering at Career and Technical Programs. the University of Florida as speakers.
The next activity was a visit and a narrated bus VIDEO OF THE DAY tour of Progress Park and remarks at Sid Martin Biotech Incubator before having lunch at Santa Fe College Perry Center for Emerging Technologies. There, a panel discussion and video presentation took place with Eileen Monck, Academic Director of The Perry Center for Emerging Technologies, The group later departed to Innovation Square, Gary Ascani, Director of Corporate Relations Ology a facility that provides with unmatched access to Bioservices (formerly Nanotherapeutics) and Dr. research infrastructure and technology at the Jackson Streeter. The Perry Center showcases University of Florida, as well as the intellectual local talent growth and engages students of capital of the academic researchers. The welcome various ages with emerging technology and remarks and the tour through the Innovation Hub markets. This positions Greater Gainesville to be and Infinity HallDug Jones was in charge of Mark well equipped with experienced talent as the Long, Director of Incubation Services and Jim world continues to globalize its technology. The O’Connell, Asst. VP of Technology Perry Center showcased participants its Commercialization & Director of Technology technological capacity while promoting their own Transfer. A panel on “The Role of Women in research and development to diverse international Entrepreneurship” took place there with Kathleen #ACXchange 19
markets. Closing remarks were in charge of Susan Long, Reese Good, City of Tallahassee, Tallahassee Davenport, President and CEO Gainesville Area Commissioner Curtis Richardson and Don Farr Chamber of Commerce. from Florida State University. As an optional activity, the group was invited for an evening The group headed over to Tallahassee and placemaking tour of Gaines Street Corridor as well enjoyed a Reception, a networking event and as College Town and the opportunity to sample conversation honoured by the presence of Leon items from local entrepreneurs. County Commissioner, Kristin Dozier, Vincent S.
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December 8, 2017 TALLAHASSEE
DAY SIX The last day of the tour started with the Vice Chair, Dominick Ard’is, The ACT House, Jodi welcome remarks of Cristina Paredes, Deputy Chase, FullScaleNANO, Eduardo Gonzalez Loumiet, Director at Leon County Office of Economic Vitality at Founder of UberOps and Keith Bowers, Florida A&M the hotel, followed by a Panel discussion on risk University Florida Small Business Development Center management and entrepreneurship with Susan Fiorito, serving as speakers.
Director of Jim Moran School of Entrepreneurship as The next activity took place at the National High moderator and Mark Powell, PhD, RMS/H-Wind, Ed Magnetic Field Laboratory (MagLab) with a brief Mansouri from WeatherSTEM, Ryan Truchelot, PhD, introduction to Innovation Park and followed by a TED Weather Tiger and David Zierden, State Climatologist, Talk: SciGirls Summer Camp and SciGirls Coding Camp COAPS as participants. with highly qualified MagLab officials in charge of the
The group later departed to Florida A&M University. presentation. A panel discussion on public/private Mayor Andrew Gillium of the City of Tallahassee gave partnerships, university commercialization and global a Welcome-to-Tallahassee speech along with Larry reach was carried out with panellists including Jeff Robinson, President of Florida A&M University who Whalen from FullScaleNANO, Lawrence Tinker from introduced the university and Tim Moore, Vice the Florida Institute for the Commercialization of Public President of Research at Florida A&M University who Research, Al Latimer from Leon County Office of stressed the university’s role on innovation. This was Economic Vitality and David Teek from the Office of followed by a panel discussion on “Minorities and Technology Transfer and Export Control at Florida A&M Entrepreneurship” moderated by Heidi Otway, University. After a tour through the facility, the group SalterMitchell and with Kimberly Moore, Tallahassee was taken to meet Danfoss, a worldwide leading Community College Vice President for Workforce manufacturer of oil-less compressors for commercial Development and Economic Vitality Leadership Council #ACXchange 21
HVACs, using magnetic bearing technology developed Buerstatte, Acting Director and Senior Advisor to the at the MagLab. Secretary for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Economic Development Administration, U.S. Participants travelled to Florida Center for Department of Commerce. Given Israel and Germany will host the next edition of the ACE, the first one outside the Americas, officials from those countries attended the ceremony: Stefan Schnorr, Director General of Digital and Innovation Policy, Ole Johann Janssen, Director of Innovation and Technology Policy VIDEO OF THE DAY and Nikolai Ziegler, Policy Officer at the Ministry of Advanced Aero-Propulsion where they had VIP Access Economic Affairs and Energy, Germany, Les Abelson, to the Polysonic Wind Tunnel and Center for Intelligent North America Director Israel Innovation and the Israeli Systems, Control, and Robotics. The next activity was a Consul General, Lior Hayat. tour of the award-winning Cascades Park led by Blueprint Intergovernmental Agency staff and a discussion on public health and public infrastructure investments. During the tour, participants discussed how public dollars ignite private investment and public health (bikeability and walkability, recreation, toxin remediation via brownfield conversion, wastewater reduction and stormwater treatment, reduction of air contaminants through green space, etc.)
The day ended with a dinner and Closing Ceremony at Florida’s Historic Capitol. Remarks were in charge of As a closing event, participants were invited to an Florida Department of Economic Opportunity’s evening cultural tour of Railroad Art Park and Secretary, Cissy Proctor and a Call to Action from Craig opportunity to sample items from local entrepreneurs. #ACXchange 22
PARTICIPANTS
COUNTRY PARTICIPANTS GUILLERMO ACOSTA Undersecretary of Federal and Sectorial Articulation, National Ministry of Production
ROMINA ELIANA GAYÁ Director of Monitoring of Technological and Productive Services, Ministry of Argentina Production
TOMÁS ROLDÁN Regional Executive, National Institute of Industrial Technology
DONATELTA ORSI Main Coordinator of the Cities for Entrepreneurs Program Ministry of Production
Barbados SHAWN MARTIN TUDOR Chief Executive Officer Barbados, Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation
LEJIA MELANIE GIDEON Belize General Manager of the Enterprise and Innovation Division Belize Trade & Investment Development Service (BELTRAIDE) SHAHERA DIANE MCKOY Manager of the Business Facilitation Unit, Belize Trade and Investment Development Service JUAN CAMILO QUINTERO Colombia Director of Innovation and Entrepreneurship National Association of Industry - ANDI LILIANA PINILLA Manager Office of Transfer of Results of Strategic Research
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COUNTRY PARTICIPANTS Chamber of Commerce of Bucaramanga
FERNANDO SIERRA General Partner of Invictum Capital President Kairos of Society Latin America
ANA MARÍA MUÑOZ Founder and Director, 1/4Tech Lab
ALEJANDRO LÓPEZ President Medellin Startup City Ecuador SORAYA ALEJANDRA BORJA Project Specialist for Strategic Projects of the Productive and Tax Advisory Council
Ministry of Industry and Competitiveness El Salvador LISSETTE CRISTALINA CANALES Business Faculty Dean, Technological University of El Salvador
JUAN CARLOS PAIZ Member of the Board of the Private Competitiveness Council President of Panifresh Corporation Guatemala LUCÍA MARÍA DEL ROSARIO BARREDA Director General of the Small Business Development Center (PROMIPYME) and the Institution of Tourism Development (PRODETUR)
LORENA QUIÑONES International Project Relations Specialist Chamber of Industry of Guatemala FABIOLA ANTOINE Technical Assistant for Innovation and Incubator Project, Ministry of Economy Haiti and Finance ROCK ANDRÉ Chief Executive Officer and Director Center for Entrepreneurship and Leadership in Haiti
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COUNTRY PARTICIPANTS MARLON BREVÉ Honduras President UNITEC University in Honduras MARÍA TERESA MORAZÁN Co-founder and Director, Impact Hub Tegucigalpa Jamaica DELAINE PATRICIA MORGAN Manager of the Business Information Services Department Jamaica’s National Investment and Export Promotion Agency (JAMPRO)
JOSÉ ALONSO HUERTA CRUZ Chief Executive Officer Council of Science, Technology and Innovation in Hidalgo State (CITNOVA)
GUADALUPE ITZEL VILLA Director General of Entrepreneurship and Financing Programs National Entrepreneurship Institute (INADEM) Secretariat of Economy Mexico LILIANA ARACELI REYES Venture Capital Director
National Entrepreneurship Institute (INADEM) Secretariat of Economy
EUGENIO JOSÉ REYES GUZMÁN Executive Director World Trade Center Monterrey Autonomous University of Nuevo Leon
PAOLA FERRARIO Paraguay Vice President of the Global Entrepreneurship Network in Paraguay MARÍA LIZ PALACIOS Technical Cabinet Director
Viceministry of Education
JORGE ALFREDO HUARACHI Peru Principal Professor and Director of Innovation Catholic University of Saint Toribean of Mogrovejo
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COUNTRY PARTICIPANTS
St. Lucia JACQUELINE CAROLINE EMMANUEL FLOOD Chief Executive Officer Trade Export Promotion Agency (TEPA)
Trinidad and INDERA SAGEWAN-ALLI Tobago Executive Director Caribbean Competitiveness Forum
L. KEVIN JOHNS Director of Economic Development of the City of Austin, Texas
GABRIEL D. YOUTSEY Chief Innovation Officer University of California United States ERIKA MARÍA MEDINA Chief Business Development Officer Department of Economic Development and Commerce Puerto Rico
SEBASTIÁN VIDAL Executive Director of Parallel18 Puerto Rico SARA BEATRIZ GOLDBERG Uruguay Manager of Operations National Agency for Research and Innovation – ANII MARIA MAGDALENA GIURIA
Director Center of Innovation Catholic University of Uruguay
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COUNTRY PARTICIPANTS OLE JOHANN JANSSEN Deputy Director General Innovation and Technology Policy Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy Germany NIKOLAI ZIEGLER Policy Officer, Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy
STEFAN SCHNORR (Special Guest) Director General, Digital and Innovation Policy Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy Israel ALAN URIEL HOFMAN Director Latin America Desk Israel Innovation Authority LIOR HAYAT Israeli Consul General Latin FERNANDO LÓPEZ American President Industrial Latin American Industrial Association (LAIA) Association (LAIA) LISA MICHELLE HARDING Caribbean Coordinator, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Development Technical Cooperation Division Bank Caribbean Development Bank Pan LANCE LEVERENZ American Senior Director of Business Development Development Pan American Development Foundation (PADF) Foundation (PADF)
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RESULTS
ACE by the numbers
225 applications received from 44 countries The Open Call for Applications was launched on August 18th, 2017 and shared with around a million of contacts in the Hemisphere and more than 200 applications were received from 44 countries of the Americas and beyond.
42 participants from 19 countries
The ACE 8 had an outstanding geographic diversity with 42 leaders on innovation and entrepreneurship representing 19 countries from the Americas and beyond (17 from OAS Member States and 2 from outside the region)
+40 projects and good practices were shared in more than 26 sites More than 40 projects and good practices of advanced research and technology centers, companies, incubators and accelerators, public-private partnerships and strategic investment were shared to participants through more than 26 sites.
57% female 43% male
24 women leaders participated in the program The ACE 8 program achieved the best gender balance in comparison to previous editions. During the ACE in Florida, more than half of the group were women leaders (24 out of 42 participants). 3 entrepreneurs were selected and sponsored to participate in ACE For the second time in the program, some spaces were officially reserved for top entrepreneurs. Three entrepreneurs from Latin America were selected and were granted a scholarship to participate. They had the opportunity to learn, exchange and interact with high-level authorities, private sector and academia representatives.
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Results gathered by the ACE final survey