The capital of Antioquia will become a regional platform for the development of public policies and regulations for the implementation of technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. This Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution will put Colombia at the forefront of regulatory matters. Also, it will enable the creation of quality jobs, seize international knowledge networks, and the development of new businesses.

The joint contributions between the Presidency of Colombia and the Municipality of Medellin and the allocation of more than 3 million dollars allowed the opening of this Center.  

The World Economic Forum opens Latin America’s first Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution in Medellín and the fifth in the world. This will position the city as an international benchmark in the progress towards a new model of business, economic and cultural development. Medellín was chosen for its innovative culture in science, technology and entrepreneurship, and its social and economic transformation. This initiative is achieved thanks to a partnership between the National Government and the Medellín Mayor’s Office.

The Center will begin operating in the Ruta N facilities and will focus on developing public policy frameworks to accompany Colombia and the countries of the region in the implementation of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

“Colombia feels extremely proud about hosting one of the three centers for the Fourth Industrial Revolution which will be inaugurated in 2019,” said President Ivan Duque, after stating that our country became the first in Latin America and the first Spanish-speaking one, hosting a Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. He said, “This Center will have a great global and regional impact.”

He added that, indeed, Medellín will become the regional epicenter of the development of important topics such as Artificial Intelligence, the Internet of Things and the blockchain technology for encrypted security.

Likewise, he indicated that this Center will allow “developers, public agencies and the private sector to present projects which can be scaled worldwide.”

The Center Affiliated with the World Economic Forum for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Colombia will begin to work specifically on projects aimed at improving public-private capacities, defining the necessary regulatory frameworks to address issues like corruption, and generating opportunities for people through the implementation of technologies such as Blockchain, Internet of Things and Artificial Intelligence.

“Having the allied Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution in Colombia and for Latin America in Medellín is a very important recognition. This is a city that has been increasing its investment in science, technology and innovation to transform its economic vocation, and supporting its institutional strength. For the new technologies can generate economic and social development, our purpose is for this Center to focus on a revolution not only on technology, but on talent,” said the mayor of Medellín, Federico Gutiérrez Zuluaga.

Although this Center will not be focused on the development of technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, nor on technological research, it will do so in structuring regulatory frameworks supported by other the centers which can carry out this type of activities.

“Colombia is taking a step forward as a leader in the Fourth Industrial Revolution with this new Centre in Medellin. They are the first to open a Centre like this in Latin America. Emerging technologies can benefit all of society, but they must be shaped. We are looking forward to working with Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Colombia to accelerate and scale what we have learned across our global network of Centres” said Murat Sonmez, Member of the Managing Board and Head of the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Network.

The global network of Centers for the Fourth Industrial Revolution brings together governments, leading companies, civil society and experts from around the world to jointly design and test innovative approaches applied to policies and governance of technological development. The network will develop, implement and replicate pilot projects focused on the human being that can be adopted by policymakers, legislators and regulatory bodies around the world.

The Agency for Cooperation and Investment of Medellín and the Metropolitan Area – ACI Medellín, will present the reasons why Medellín is an ideal destination for foreign investment to businessmen and executives interested in investing in the city. This event will take place on Tuesday, April 30 from 1:00 pm at the Capital Factory facilities, ACL Room (701 Brazos Street, Suite 1601 – Austin, TX 78701 United States); and next May 2 at the same time in Miami, Florida, at the Consulate of Colombia located in 280 Aragon Avenue, Coral Gables FL33134.

Austin, the capital of the state of Texas, stands out as one of the most enterprising cities in the United States and is home to large multinational companies.

Miami, the economic capital of Florida, headquarters important infrastructure and real estate companies.

These meetings are called Why Medellín? and have become the tools for ACI Medellín to present investors with the advantages of the city as a business destination, its investment climate, its innovation ecosystem, and its growth as a technological development hub.

Supported by entities such as Procolombia, Ruta N and Capital Factory, the meeting will show some success stories of American companies installed in Medellín: Accenture, DAPI, IBM, Team International, Astound Commerce, Owens Illinois, Stanley Black & Decker, among others.

Medellín will host the first Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution in Latin America, joining the network of centers in San Francisco (United States), Tokyo (Japan), Beijing (China) and Mumbai (India). 

Teleperformance is a worldwide leader in customer service solutions with a presence in 80 countries, serving more than 170 markets and 25 years of experience in Colombia. They are considered as one of the five largest employers in Colombia and one of the main sources of first employment.

The company closed 2018 with 18 thousand employees in its operations centers in Bogota and Medellín. In the first half of 2019, they will open a new operations center in Medellín.

After the acquisition of Teledatos in 2010, Teleperformance began operating in Medellín and then expanded its services to Bogotá, where they work with large multinationals in the health, transportation, energy, food, services, entertainment, and other sectors.

As part of its expansion plans, they will open a new services center in Medellín during the first half of this year with the best technological infrastructure, solid energy conditions, connectivity, and human capital.

Ruta N, Procolombia and ACI Medellín have supported Teleperformance in its expansion process, developing innovation projects, attracting bilingual talent and positioning the company in the local market.

“Customer service in Colombia is one of the best in the world because of the good attitude of young Colombians. Teleperformance not only exports services, but also talent and innovation. Many of our clients use technological tools developed in their home countries which are now considered to be best practices in other offices at the international level” said Juan Carlos Hincapié, CEO of Teleperformance in Colombia.

The North American real estate firm RE/MAX arrived in Colombia in 2010 and currently has 35 offices and more than 350 associated agents. They opened their first facilities in Medellín in December 2018 and will open two new offices in Laureles and Envigado.

The international real estate company RE/MAX, with more than 40 years in the market, continues its expansion plan in Medellín with the opening of new offices.

RE/MAX included Medellín in their expansion plan for its real estate potential, its projection as a destination for the foreign market, the country’s political and economic conditions, and the availability of human talent, among others. “Colombia’s talent, especially the one in Medellín, is key for our project. We want to highlight the entrepreneurial spirit which is key in our way of doing things,” says María Eugenia Hermelo, general manager of the company.

Since December 2018, they started operations in Medellín with its RE/MAX Coffee Realty, a collaborative and experiential space which offers their agents a place to develop real estate businesses.

Its operations in the city consist of facilitating the real estate purchase and sale in the local and international market. This is possible due to the connection with its worldwide network of 8,500 offices in 105 countries.RE/MAX brings to Medellín a professional real estate brokerage model which benefits buyers, sellers, investors, builders, and developers.

The Role of ACI Medellín

The company acknowledges the role of ACI Medellín during its exploration and installation process in the city and highlights the importance of being clear about the conditions and advantages for foreign investment in the territory. Also, they value ACI Medellín’s support in positioning them in the local market, attracting and connecting them with investors to strengthen their relationship.

The French group Accor, the world’s leading operator in the travel and tourism sector, bought the Atton chain and changed the name of the El Tesoro shopping mall to Novotel.

Novotel has 278 beds and the total operation sums up an investment of 73,000 million pesos .

Novotel has chosen Medellín for being one of Colombia’s main financial, industrial, commercial, and service centers with one of the best strategic locations. In recent years, hosting national and international events, and receiving major national and international companies have made Medellín an important development hub for the country.

“Accor got to South America more than 40 years ago. Today, we have more than 350 hotels in Latin America and we want to increase that figure by the year 2022. Novotel is one of our best brands and we want it to be present in all the metropolis of the country. That is why we are in Medellín.” said Frank Pruvost, General Manager Mid & Eco – South America Hispana Accor.

Mr. Pruvost said that, after Brazil, Colombia is Accor’s second market. They plan to open other hotels of the 35 brands they operate, including Ibis, which already has a hotel in Medellin and Swissôtel.

Special report on Investment: 2016, 2017, 2018:

The interest Medellín generates to the world due to its social and urban transformation and constant innovation have become the gateway for entrepreneurs and investors to consider establishing their companies in the territory.

ACI Medellín makes the city-region visible in different scenarios to generate confidence amongst investors. Also, it seeks to aim efforts and initiatives to favor the city’s inhabitants through the generation of employment, the transfer of its best business practices and the improvement of local infrastructure.

The interest Medellín generates to the world due to its social and urban transformation and constant innovation has become the gateway for entrepreneurs and investors to consider establishing their companies in the territory.

During the first three years of this administration, the city has achieved a historical figure in terms of investment: 836.61 million U.S. dollars through companies from Canada, China, Denmark, El Salvador, Spain, the United States, France, Guatemala, Mexico, and Switzerland.

The relationship of ACI Medellín with the companies interested in expanding in the territory has led them to trust in the capacities of the city. In several cases, these companies reinvest their capital. Thus, between 2016 and 2018, 73 investments and reinvestments became a reality, mainly in terms of infrastructure and real estate, manufacturing, industries 4.0, aerospace and life sciences.

This joint work with national and foreign companies in Medellín generates an employment dynamic which benefits the region, improving the business fabric and boosting its installed capacities. This is translated into the creation of 8,911 jobs during these last three years.

Why Medellín? That’s the question the Agency attempts to solve to investors who explore the city as a possible option to expand their business. This strategy seeks a proactive relationship with entrepreneurs in their own territory. Since 2016 to date, 23 events called Why Medellín? have been carried out in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, Spain, the United States, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Turkey, Uruguay, and Venezuela.

Achievements

2016

• Contribution to the settlement of 15 investment projects and foreign reinvestments totaling 211.60 million U.S. dollars. They were possible through the creation of 12 new investments and meant the generation of 3,039 jobs.
• The leadership of services in information and communication technologies (ICT) and value-added services as large recipients of foreign investment.
• Realization of six events Why Medellín? in the destinations where opportunities were identified with potential investors. It is worth mention that in 2016 this event was carried out in countries where the agency had not made internationalization management, including Turkey, New Zealand, Australia, and Uruguay.
• These missions generated relationships with around 200 representatives of companies and organizations who see Colombia as a good opportunity to expand their businesses and that, from now on, have Medellín among their investment options.

2017

• The attraction of 371.74 million U.S. dollars in investment and a growth of 76% compared to the previous year. This is the highest amount registered in ACI Medellín’s history.
• 92% of the total investment arriving in the city came from Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, El Salvador, the United States, France, Mexico, the Netherlands, Panama, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, and Uruguay.
• These investment resources benefited the sectors of agribusiness, services, renewable energy, infrastructure, manufacturing, tourism, industries 4.0, which represented the creation of 2,692 jobs.
• Constant demand from investors for local talent in the areas such as engineering, architecture, software development, and bilingual personnel for the tourism sector, services and technology.
• Articulation with countries like Germany, Brazil, Korea, Singapore, and Turkey to share experiences, learn from best practices, attract foreign investment and strengthen new technologies related to the Electric Mobility Ecosystem.
• In 2017, eight events Why Medellín? were carried out in Argentina, Brazil, the United States, Spain, Mexico, and Venezuela.

2018

• Strengthening investor confidence in the city with the attraction of 253.28 million U.S. for the establishment of 34 investment and reinvestment projects.
• 76% of the total investment amount corresponds to new investments of national and foreign companies, and 24% comes from organizations that strengthened their confidence in the city by materializing reinvestments.
• The largest number of investment projects comes from the United States with 18% of total investments received, followed by France, Spain, Japan, Canada, and Argentina. 15% comes from national investment.
• Generation of 3,180 new jobs through direct investment, out of which, 866 are the result of reinvestments.
• The most benefited economic sector was the services sector with more than half of the jobs generated, followed by the infrastructure and real estate sectors.
• Consolidation of the Why Medellín? Strategy through the accomplishment of nine events in Peru, Chile, the United States, Mexico, and Argentina. This strategy allowed us to contact 268 representatives of organizations who see Medellín as a good opportunity for their expansion plan.

The embassies of Denmark, Sweden, Finland, and Norway held the Smart Cities #ThinkNordic event in Medellín to share best practices with the public and private sector of the city.

The director of ACI Medellín, Catalina Restrepo, lead the opening act in the Smart Cities #ThinkNordic. This event sought to generate spaces for exchange Nordic knowledge and experiences from different approaches: sustainability, environment, mobility, energy, innovation, and technology. The best practices exposed by this board, respond to what diplomats and experts call Nordic thinking, a cultural model they have developed to analyze reality from cooperation and the creation of solutions for the challenges of life in the city.

The panelists aimed their presentations to culture and stressed that the Nordic way obeys to factors such as flexibility, prioritization, generation of incentives, equity, inclusion, and cooperation between the academia and the public and private sectors. These factors, rooted in the four countries, have made it possible to make progress which are global referents for smart cities.

Why did Nordic Smart Cities chose Medellín?

The ambassadors agree that Medellín has made great progress as a smart city and has taken significant steps towards improving the quality of life of citizens, which is why it fits in with the Nordic governments’ knowledge sharing objective.

In the words of the Finnish ambassador, Jarmo Kuuttila “by holding this meeting, we hope to promote a collaboration work between Medellín and our Nordic companies, public and private administration.” In addition, from a more human perspective, their purpose is to make people’s dreams come true and contribute to the creation of cities designed for the realization of their life projects.

ACI Medellín celebrates these spaces of knowledge with Denmark, Sweden, Finland, and Norway, and reaffirms its commitment to take actions that lead to opportunities for the city and improve the quality of life of its inhabitants.

The internationalization of Medellin involves the construction of relationships and contacts with various entities around the world to positively activate the progress of the city. It is when ACI Medellín acquires a relevant value as a strategic organization for the attraction and establishment of new international entities, such as the first Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

This is the first Center of its kind to be based in a Latin American country. Medellín stands out for investing of 2.14% of its GDP in science, technology and innovation activities.

This process has been a path of dialogue and agreements with the World Economic Forum in which the national and local governments have set goals in the short and medium term to comply with the agreement. The first agreement is related to the efficiency of public entities through the implementation of artificial intelligence applications; the second will promote the appropriation of new technologies to develop the internet of things and thus consolidate smart cities; finally, a final agreement which focuses on prioritizing Blockchain-based solutions: digitization of information that will allow making decisions to streamline procedures in real time.

Together with Colombia, three more Centers for the Fourth Industrial Revolution will be established in Israel, Norway and the Arab Emirates.

All these advances and the commitment to make them a reality, require the support not only from the government but also from the private and academic sectors. Therefore, Medellín’s University-Business Sector-State Committee will be key to increase the competitiveness of the city to promote the development of regulations and policies at the service of all the countries of Latin America through the Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Finally, after the announcement has been made official on January 23 at the 2019 World Economic Forum, the activities for the implementation of this Center in the Ruta N facilities will start. A specialized team will oversee the activities required for its establishment under the direction of the WEF together with the other Centers of the same category which already exist in the world: San Francisco (United States), Tokyo (Japan), Beijing (China) and Mumbai (India).

“This is a project of great importance for our country, we have worked constantly to make it a reality so that Medellin is the host city. Today I can say that we take a step forward towards the recognition of a new era that implies great advances but at the same time a great commitment. ACI Medellín will have a key role supporting the articulation with the World Economic Forum and meet the guidelines for its opening in the first semester of 2019,” said Catalina Restrepo Carvajal, Executive Director of ACI Medellín.

Four students and a teacher from the Santa María Educational Institution were awarded by RoboRAVE in the Line Following category 2018, in Badajoz, Spain 

The winners are part of the Complementary Education program for the educational strengthening of the Medellín Mayor’s Office, which only in 2018 has served 57,787 students in 30 projects

The event was attended by 20,000 visitors from 10 countries around the world and 300 people divided in 75 teams. The Colombian delegation participated and won with a robot built by the students. It identifies and follows lines and avoids any kind of obstacle on the ground.

RoboRAVE

It is an international educational program in robotics which seeks the know-how exchange for the creation of knowledge and competitiveness in which children, young people, and adults participate in areas such as Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics.

In line with Medellín’s goal of joining the top-three most entrepreneurial cities and becoming the capital of innovation in Latin America by 2023, a study about the entrepreneurial ecosystem of the city was carried out by the Medellín Mayor’s Office, the Créame Business Incubator, and the Entrepreneurial Development Program of Argentina – PRODEM.

High impact ventures grow quickly, sustainably, profitably, and can achieve a significant level of sales in a short time. In the last three years, the Medellín Mayor’s Office has accompanied about 119,000 people in their entrepreneurship ideas.

This research analyzed variables such as human capital, entrepreneurial education, culture, business structure, science, technology and information platform; also, the local demand, social capital, funding, local institutional support, local policies, and regulations, among other aspects.

“Medellín has a young entrepreneurship ecosystem which keeps moving on and has opportunities for improvement to take the leap towards a new and more dynamic stage,” said Hugo Kantis, Entrepreneurial Development Program of Argentina.

At the same time, opportunities for improvement arose from this research, such as the strengthening of education for entrepreneurship as a tool for the development of business ideas.

Starting in November, Orlando (United States) and Cancun (Mexico) join the international air routes that bring Medellín closer to the world and strengthen bilateral tourism.

The city already has 22 national and 12 international air routes.

“Greater air connectivity increases competitiveness, generates trade and tourism, which translates into economic development. Strengthen our air connectivity and making the city increasingly attractive, should be a constant work of both the public and private sectors,” said Maria Fernanda Galeano Rojo, Secretary of Economic Development of Medellín

Spirit and Aero Mexico are the two airlines that rely on Medellín as an attractive destination for travelers.

“Facilitating the operational conditions for the connection between countries is a very important issue reflected in the arrival of new air routes. This has been achieved thanks to the investments of the national government amounting to 425 billion pesos in the transformation, expansion, and modernization of the airport. Thus, generating more spaces for customers and passengers,” highlights Sara Ramírez Restrepo, General Manager of Airplan.

According to the Civil Aeronautics, in the last ten years, the number of international routes has doubled in Colombia with an increase of 168.4% in the number of passengers. The latest report of Sectoral Studies of the entity indicates that between January and September of 2018, air transport mobilized 27 million 600 thousand passengers, 2.7% more compared to the 26 million 915 thousand users transported in 2017.

According to figures from SITUR, between January and September of 2018 compared to 2016, the growth of travelers has been:

Medellín to Mexico: 31.49%
Mexico to Medellín: 20.44%
The United States to Medellín: 20.52%

Thanks to this commitment of the two airlines, the Mexican Caribbean, the center of Florida, and Medellín, will be just a flight away. This translates in decreasing both time and costs in travel and favors people, cultures, and trade.

Information about the new air routes:

Orlando:
Since November 9, Spirit began operations to/from Orlando, Florida to José María Córdova Airport, operated by Airplan SAS. Airbus A-319 aircraft with capacity for 145 passengers, will travel in two weekly frequencies on Mondays and Fridays.

Cancun:
As of November 17 and on board of Aero Mexico’s Embraer 190, with a capacity for 99 passengers, people can travel between Cancun and Medellín with two weekly trips, on Saturdays and Sundays.

José María Córdova Airport, operated by Airplan SAS:
In 2017, 7,450,000 national and international passengers were mobilized at José María Córdova Airport, is the second airport in passenger mobilization after El Dorado Airport.

The international passenger terminal was expanded by 3,900 m2 and has three new positions for aircraft parking in this area. The capacity of the Airport has increased to 17 platform positions, new commercial and handling facilities were enabled for the service of the airlines.

Written by: Medellín Mayor’s Office

With 30 years of operation, Mercados Campesinos is a government strategy which has managed to benefit more than 500 peasant families in the capital of Antioquia, through 21 selling points around the city.

Mercados Campesinos [Peasant Markets] is a strategy of the Medellín Mayor’s Office which provides a space for small and medium producers from the rural area of ​​the city to sale their products directly to the consumer, thus eliminating the intermediation chains and improving the income of producers and their families.

This strategy, which seeks to promote the entrepreneurship of the rural population of Medellín, not only impacts the rural economy but also provides citizens with access to fresh and organic food with the best quality at a lower cost.

Thus, Mercados Campesinos, together with other programs of the Municipal Administration and the private sector, work together to facilitate access to nutritious food and support the task of Medellín in meeting the UN’s 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals SDG1 No poverty, SDG2 Zero hunger, and SDG12 Responsible production and consumption. 

In line with this task, Medellín has made alliances with renowned international actors, which have allowed it not only to strengthen these programs but also their international positioning, such as:

• The Milan Urban Food Policy Pact, Medellín joined in 2014 to generate a tool that harmonizes all the rules and best practices connected with food production, distribution, and consumption at the urban level. To define new objectives and monitor indicators, provide constant support to all mayors in their daily work and to make cities more resilient to both the famine and Co2 emissions.
• The Food and Agriculture Organization – FAO carried out the Food for Cities initiative between 2015 and 2017   to guarantee the food security of the urban sectors.

ACI Medellín carried out a work agenda in the capital of the United Kingdom after the announcement of their interest in investing in Colombia. The United States and Spain have also demonstrated their interest in this issue. The agenda included visits to the Peckham Levels creative district, one-on-one meetings with investment funds and companies interested in venturing into Medellín.

The Colombian Embassy to the United Kingdom, Procolombia, and the Consulate of Colombia in London supported the agenda providing relationship, arranging appointments and opening calls to the public of interest.

In line with the international cooperation work line of ACI Medellín, a meeting was also held with the British Council to discuss issues of cooperation in terms of security, peace and coexistence, and bilingualism. In addition, this trip to London was the perfect opportunity to have a meeting with the Paisas living in this city.

“London has always been present on our radar in terms of investment. We believe that we can have good alliances to strengthen Medellín in terms of economic development and creativity. Colombia is an important market for the United Kingdom, and Medellín has competitive advantages that make it very attractive for investors and supporting agencies in terms of cooperation. Colombia is a country of regions, and each one has its benefits. Medellín stands out for its ability to make things happen, its people, its continuity, among others,” said Catalina Restrepo Carvajal, Executive Director of ACI Medellín.

Medellín continues to demonstrate its progress in terms of innovation and leadership in new technologies for Colombia and the region. A priority also being driven by the National Government.

The Center will support the development of policy frameworks for the technological transformation of the country and Latin America under broad schemes of collaboration between the public, private, social and academic sectors. The vision of the Center and its articulation with the global networks of the World Economic Forum will aim towards the maximization of the social and economic benefits of the new technologies.

In technical meetings with José Manuel Restrepo, Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism of Colombia; Federico Gutierrez Zuluaga, Mayor of Medellín; Flavia Santoro, President of Procolombia; Marisol Argueta, Head of Latin America and Member of the Executive Committee, World Economic Forum; Diego Bustamante and Nima Elmi, from the same organization, the capital of Antioquia was chosen as the headquarters for this important initiative.

A joint work plan has been established and it is expected that President Iván Duque and Mayor Federico Gutiérrez formalize it in the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, to be held in January of next year. This is one of the meetings most important of the global agenda.

Working groups were defined to structure official agreements and get them ready to be signed in Davos, Switzerland, in January next year during the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum. The office will be located in Ruta N and will provide service for Colombia and Latin America.

Context:

The concept of the Fourth Industrial Revolution is one of the topics widely developed by the World Economic Forum, its founder Klaus Schwab and other recognized academics, global leaders and organizations. It states that if the third industrial revolution is the digital revolution which has been in force since the mid-twentieth century, this new stage is characterized by a fusion of technologies blurring the lines between the physical, digital and biological spheres, and is marked by technological advances emerging in fields which include robotics, artificial intelligence, blockchain, nanotechnology, quantum computing, biotechnology, the internet of things, 3D printing, among others. This new revolution is irreversibly impacting society, the economy, the government and individuals.

Decathlon, the French chain dedicated to sale and distribute sports accessories and equipment, will provide Medellín and the metropolitan area with the most complete inventory and innovative spaces for testing products also referred to as “testing areas.”

In this store, which generated 65 new jobs, visitors will have access to 4,000 m2 of clothing and items for 70 sports and 100 different sports practices. 

The store will have a specialized technology to automatically record every purchase and update inventory in real time. As part of its commitment to the environment, Decathlon will not offer plastic bags to customers.

The company has as the corporate principle of make all its workers know the different positions through job rotation, so there’s no rank distinction in each activity. Therefore, the worker generates a transversal knowledge to understand the business in a comprehensive way.

“To democratize the sport” is one of the main goals ​​of the company.

Decathlon has two stores in Colombia: one in Bogotá and the other in Barranquilla and has plans to open three more stores in the metropolitan area depending on the results in Viva Envigado.

During its installation process, ACI Medellín actively supported Decathlon managers with two city agendas for the recognition of spaces in shopping centers; the relationship with companies in the real estate sector and contacting them with key entities such as INDER, the Secretariat of Economic Development, the Urban Development Company and Inexmoda.

“We have permanently supported the installation of Decathlon. This allowed them to actively explore the local market and access strategic information about the capabilities of the city. We are very happy to achieve the installation of this company which, in addition to generating employment, will promote healthy lifestyles,” said Catalina Restrepo Carvajal, Executive Director of the ACI Medellín.

After participating in the Global Climate Action Summit – C40 in San Francisco, mayor Federico Gutiérrez spoke in the event Why Medellín? and in a meeting of the Sos Paisa Network to strengthen relations of investment and cooperation.

More than 30 representatives of companies in San Francisco attended the event Why Medellín? last September 12, 2018 held at the Chamber of Commerce of the city and organized in partnership with Latin San Francisco and Procolombia’s office on the West Coast of the United States. Important companies such as Accel-KKR, Admios, Consejo Balero, Dissigno, Electronic Arts, Fist Republic Bank, Maker City Project, Tech Bay Area Advocates, Terra Incognita Capital and TIBCO Loyalty Lab, among others, listened to the reasons why in our city “we make good things happen” in terms of investment.

ACI Medellín organized both meetings with institutions in the territory, achieving a satisfactory participation of potential investors and people from Antioquia living in this city.

Presentation by the mayor of Medellín, Federico Gutiérrez Zuluaga, to representatives of companies interested in knowing the attributes of Medellín in terms of investment.

Likewise, the entrepreneur and founding CEO of Kiwi Campus , Felipe Chávez, exposed his experience settling his company in Ruta N’s innovation district: “Medellín is an incredible city, we are very happy to be in the innovation district and having the human talent suitable for the development of our activities.”

Also, during the Mayor’s stay in San Francisco, a meeting of the Network of Paisas living abroad Sos Paisa was held at the Consulate of Colombia, and about 60 Paisas and Colombians attended the meeting. They learned first-hand about the progress made by Medellín, the work of the Network and how they can participate in the development of the city.

Attendees at the Sos Paisa meeting in San Francisco with Mayor Federico Gutiérrez.

“The Mayor’s Office and ACI Medellín consider these spaces a powerful scenario for the relationship and promotion of the city in terms of cooperation and investment. We look forward to working hard in consolidating development opportunities for Medellín. I am sure our work will bear fruit and will help our city to continue to be an attractive destination for cooperation and foreign investment,” said Catalina Restrepo Carvajal, ACI Medellín Executive Director.

Medellín will host the South American Hotel & Tourism Investment Conference -SAHIC, the most important investment promotion event for the tourism and hotel industry. As a result of the arrival of new hotel chains in Medellín, investment in hotel infrastructure in the last two years exceeds 100 million dollars.

Juliana Villegas Restrepo, ProColombia’s Vice President of Exports; Alba Cristina Suárez, Director of Tourism of the Government of Antioquia; María Fernanda Galeano, Secretary of Economic Development of the Medellín Mayor’s Office and the President and founder of SAHIC, Arturo García Rosa, officially announced Medellín as the host of the Conference which brings together the most important exponents of the hotel, tourism and real estate industries in the region.

“We are very grateful and satisfied with this edition of SAHIC in Medellín. The effort of all the entities which have actively participated during this process shows us that we made the best decision,” said Arturo García Rosa, president of SAHIC.

More than 400 participants, among investors, funds, financial institutions, hoteliers and public officials are expected to attend this new edition of SAHIC South America. The meeting will be held at the Intercontinental Hotel between September 24 and 25 and will feature more than 60 lecturers, 6 thematic tables, 1 express networking session and 4 main speakers.

This event is expected to generate an economic income of more than US $300,000 for Medellín

“This type of events are strategic in the city. We want you to see a destination full of opportunities, with the capacity to grow and a great potential for business and investments. In the last year, Medellín received more than 100 million dollars in new hotel openings. The Mayor’s Office is committed to investing and developing this sector,” said María Fernanda Galeano Rojo, Secretary of Economic Development.

In the last two years, the investment in the hotel industry in Medellín has shown a significant growth which reflects in the arrival of international companies such as Marriott, City Express, Oxo Hotel, Hilton, Viaggio and Atton. New openings are also highlighted, as it is the case of two new suite hotels of the Estelar chain, which already has five hotels in the city and the three new hotel projects of the Accor group.

Medellín continues to consolidate itself as a benchmark for business and recreational tourism at a national and international level. Its social and urban transformation, the originality and versatility of its tourism experiences, the infrastructure of services and the warmth and hospitality of its people, are some characteristics that mark Medellín as an international benchmark in this sector.

Medellín will host @SAHIC , the most important hotel industry meeting in the continent. What does this mean? The president and founder of this event talks about it. https://t.co/lcXWjeAc9r | @AlcaldiadeMed pic.twitter.com/WeNh484C1x

— ACI Medellín (@acimedellin) August 23, 2018

The Medellín Mayor’s Office supported UPB’s Summer School and Sophia’s visit since the event shows an element of development on a world scale. The presence of Sophia in Medellín and Colombia, creates a sense of certainty and curiosity at the same time because it motivates young people to open their minds and encourages companies in the sector and universities to learn, work together in proposing projects which solve human needs through artificial intelligence.

The event organizers chose Medellín for its commitment to innovation, science and technology. In 2014, the city signed the pact for innovation and by 2017 has invested $ 1.2 trillion – about 2.14% of GDP – in activities related to the city, technology and innovation.

Sophia is the first human-like robot with a high-level A.I. brain. She was created in 2016 by David Hanson founder of Hanson Robotics. She can process unstructured language, in other words, instead of programmed answers, Sophia has the ability to learn new answers and increase her knowledge base every time she interacts with humans, which is a basic example of Artificial Intelligence and autonomous learning.

Sophia’s appearance was developed in the image of Audrey Hepburn, Hollywood actress and model. She is humanoid, meaning, she has a face, arms, hands and can gesture, which add a different element when interacting with her.

Sophia, talked to the mayor of Medellín,  @FicoGutierrez. The robot can have a conversation and show 62 human facial expressions. @AlcaldiadeMed pic.twitter.com/J9sbjTbBCe

— ACI Medellín (@acimedellin) July 30, 2018

Why did Sophia visit Medellín?

Medellín is Colombia’s leader in technology and innovation issues. Also, the first Center of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence was recently opened thanks to the agreement signed between Ruta N and the Institute for Automation of Processes and Artificial Intelligence (IRPA AI). In the upcoming years, the center will train local talent with new capacities to achieve global quality standards and generate innovative and advanced services of automation, artificial intelligence, Machine Learning, RPA, cognitive technologies and deep learning.

Between September 24 and 25, Medellín will host SAHIC South America , the most important investment promotion event for the tourism and hotel industry. Entrepreneurs, executives and investors from more than 20 countries will meet at the InterContinental Hotel to explore new business opportunities and generate links which contribute to the development and growth of the sector.

The event has a high-quality content agenda for the attendees which is focused on specializing and deepening in trend issues for the tourism industry. Discussions, talks, round tables, conferences and work sessions on topics such as sustainability, renewable energy and innovation, are some activities that will be carried out.

Precisely, one of the panels that will take place at SAHIC South America 2018, will feature the participation of renowned hotel industry leaders such as Laurent de Housemaker, executive vice president of development at Marriott International for Latin America and the Caribbean; Patrick Mendes, CEO of Accor hotels South America and Ted Middleton, senior vice president of development for Latin America at Hilton Worldwide. The activity will be moderated by Peter Greenberg, travel editor for CBS News.

Laurent de Kousemaeker

He is executive vice president of development for Marriott International Inc. for Latin America and the Caribbean region. He has 20 years of experience in the hotel industry in the areas such as marketing, finance, valuation, transactions and development. Kousemaeker is responsible for leading the company’s growth in the region, encompassing 12 hotel brands: Bulgari Hotels & Resorts, The Ritz-Carlton, JW Marriott, Edition, Autograph Collection Hotels, Renaissance Hotels, AC Hotels, Marriot Hotels & Resorts, Courtyard, Fairfield Inn, Residence Inn and Marriott Executive Apartments.

In the past Kousemaeker, has been senior vice president of Marriott International for the same region, with offices in Bethesda, Maryland and vice president of development for Spain and Portugal, based in Madrid. Also, he was general manager of HVS International in Madrid and director of the HVS International office in London.

Patrick Mendes

Mendes has an extensive experience in tourism and hotel business. He began in Bordeaux, at the Ecole Hotelier de Bordeaux-Talence. He holds an MBA in Management and Marketing from IAE Aix-en-Provence

He worked as a consultant for the development of tourism in France and southern Europe and in 1994 he began to provide services at Edenred based in Paris. There, Mendes used managed the sales and marketing team worked on the development of new products. In the same company, he spent two years in charge of operations for the Caribbean and the Indian Ocean.

In 2000, Mendes moved to Lisbon to collaborate with the management of Edenred and in 2004 he joined the Global Accor hotels organization as senior vice president of global sales and distribution. In addition, he has led an international team in charge of global accounts, the definition of marketing strategy, sales and distribution.

Mendes has overseen Global Accor hotels operations in several countries of Europe, North America, Nordic markets and the development of Asia, the Middle East and South America.

In 2011 he assumed the management of the more than 80 four and five-star hotels of the organization in Latin America. In 2013, Medes was appointed director of operations for all luxury, exclusive and standard brands in South America, based in Sao Paulo. In July 2015, he assumed the position of CEO of Accor hotels South America, leading 327 hotels in operation and 200 in project; totaling the management of 15,000 employees.

Ted Middleton

He was appointed senior vice president of Hilton Worldwide in 1996. He oversees overseeing the development of Hilton’s group of managed and franchised brands in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Before joining Hilton, he served as senior vice president of acquisitions and finance for Host Marriott Corporation, where he successfully conducted numerous hotel financing, acquisitions and sales operations. He also leaded the construction and completion of three hotels.

Middleton began working for Marriott Corporation in 1986 as director of feasibility studies and market planning. Then, he served as regional vice president of development for Residence Inns, where he oversaw regional offices in charge of the development of Residence Inn in the western United States.

Middleton holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from LeMoyne College and a master’s degree in hotel management from Cornell University.

Peter Greenberg

On multiple occasions, he has been an Emmy Award winner for his work as a producer and investigative reporter. Greenberg is one of the most prominent and respected journalists in the travel and tourism sector. He is known in the industry as   “The travel detective.”  He is a travel editor for CBS News and participates in programs such as CBS This Morning, CBS Evening News with Scott Pelley and Sunday Morning. He has been a presenter on several T.V. shows, including the acclaimed series of travel specials   Royal Tour. He has extensive experience as a journalist in the travel and tourism industry.

Check here the speakers list for SAHIC South America 2018 agenda and their biographies.

In Medellín’s City-Region strategy, avocado has become a key element for productive development and increased competitiveness of the agricultural sector. Likewise, it has been established as an opportunity to get closer to the quality standards demanded by international markets.

Consistent with this, the Agency for Cooperation and Investment of Medellin and the Metropolitan Area, ACI Medellín, has continuously worked in the attraction of foreign investors, articulating them with local and regional partners to benefit from the immense potential the City- Region has. It is about 210,000 hectares suitable for growing and harvesting this fruit.

While other countries have zero-year production periods, Colombia and particularly Antioquia offer fertile soils which allow all year-round avocado production.

To benefit from this opportunity and as part of the growth strategy, ACI Medellín has invited, received and accompanied exploratory agendas from Peru, Mexico and Chile. They visited the city looking to expanding their operations and keeping the cultivation, harvest and export process active, thus satisfying avocado’s current demand.

ACI Medellín’s Executive Director, Catalina Restrepo Carvajal, talked about this topic in the current edition of the Corpohass AvoNoticias Colombia magazine of the Colombian Corporation of Producers and Exporters of Hass Avocado. To read the full article in Spanish, click here.

We are excited to announce that Sana Commerce’s global expansion steadfastly continues. Just two months ago, we shared that Sana would be operating locally in the Australia/New Zealand region, out of our brand-new office in Perth. Today, we officially opened the doors of our first Latin American office in the presence of the Dutch Ambassador, his excellency Sr. J.J. Roodenburg. The new office is located in the Ruta-N building in Medellín, Colombia.
Our Medellín office joins the ranks of our other branches in the Netherlands, the U.S., the U.K., Sri Lanka, Ukraine, Germany, Austria and Australia. For ten years, Sana has been committed to providing high-quality support for our clients’ ERP-driven e-commerce strategies. To do so even more successfully, Sana has begun establishing a local presence in major markets worldwide. The Medellín office represents another leap toward that goal, and an opportunity to impact the Latin American market in a substantial way.
A Strategic Decision

Earlier this year, Sana had the honor of welcoming Juan José Quintana, the Ambassador of Colombia to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, to our Rotterdam headquarters to celebrate the soft launch of the Medellín office. “Colombia is a fast-growing market… [and] a great place to do business right now,” said Mr. Quintana of Sana’s decision to start its Latin American expansion in Colombia.

“The city of Medellín was chosen as the location for our newest office for its emphasis on IT and engineering education, startup environments and entrepreneurship, as well as for its supportive government and favorable business environment,” says Cas Nieskens (Manager). On a practical level, the location and time-zone allows Sana Commerce to efficiently deliver technical solutions to a rapidly growing number of customers across the Americas. We intend to thrive on the enthusiasm and passion of the Colombian people that will join the team as employees, partners and customers.

“We would like to extend our gratitude to the Colombian government, and in particular to the ACI, Pro Colombia, Dutch Embassy and the Holland House for their support in our research and start-up phase,” says Tim Beyer (COO) on behalf of all of us at Sana.

Looking Ahead

As Sana Commerce grows and develops on an international level, our dedication to our customers will remain at the forefront of our business. We will continue to expand in order to reach, support and maximize the business potential of our customers everywhere — and the launch of our office in Colombia is no exception. We look forward to a bright future in Colombia, and are setting our sights on the next step in our growth. .

SAHIC South America 2018 will take place from September 24 to 25 at the Intercontinental Hotel. This internationally renowned meeting seeks to promote the most important hotel, tourism and real estate business in the region. This will be the perfect stage for executives and investors from more than 20 countries to explore new businesses, build relationships and increase the development of the sector.

“A paradise found” is the motto of the leading event in hotel and tourism infrastructure which will be hosted by Medellín.

“Latin America is in a very good moment and while it consolidates as a tourist destination, it becomes a site of interest for international investors. For those who want to do business here, it is important to understand with whom and how, to approach to the existing opportunities in this growing market,” says Arturo García Rosa, president and founder of SAHIC.

More than 400 executives and presidents of the most renowned hotel chains of the world are expected to attend SAAHIC 2018.

“Tourism is an engine that favors Medellín and Antioquia’s economic growth. It is directly related to the cluster strategy of the city which seeks to make Medellín a successful destination focused on business tourism, meetings, conventions and events, complemented by the beauty of nature and the towns of Antioquia” said Catalina Restrepo, Executive Director of ACI Medellín.

In the last decade, the hotel infrastructure in Medellín has an increased 76% by the hand of local and foreign investment. Also, Antioquia has achieved a 500% growth in corporate events and a 63% in average annual hotel occupancy, seven points above the national average. Likewise, in 2017 the department received more than 700 thousand travelers, including foreigners and Colombians.

Business opportunities, direct contact with investors, funding sources, first-hand information and access to unique and differentiated projects will be the scenarios that will boost this Latin American tourism event.

On Tuesday, May 22, the first Centre for Excellence in Artificial Intelligence of Colombia will be officially opened thanks to the agreement signed between Ruta N and the Institute for Automation of Processes and Artificial Intelligence (IRPA AI), of the United States.

It seeks to involve Medellín into a new global knowledge economy and to promote the development of new human talent capabilities.

In the upcoming years, the centre will develop new skills in local talent to achieve global quality standards and generate innovative and advanced services of process automation, artificial intelligence, Machine Learning, RPA, cognitive technologies and deep learning.

“This initiative will positively impact the future of the city since, the experience and the network of associated companies of IRPA AI and the Institute of Outsourcing will allow Medellín to position itself as an artificial intelligence hub,” said Alejandro Franco, Executive Director of Ruta N.

The Centre for Excellence will be the anchor for the creation of a new Business Development Center (CDN), which seeks to promote artificial intelligence startups, integrate specialized communities of young people and R & D groups that have been carrying out important work in the universities.

“This is great news for Medellín and the country. This Center will bring important advantages in the development of research, technology and job creation; and it will allow us to boost the attraction of foreign investment in the city, ” said Catalina Restrepo Carvajal, Executive Director of ACI Medellín..

The Agency for Cooperation and Investment of Medellín and the Metropolitan Area – ACI Medellín, supported this agreement by providing industrial context legal and operational advice, and facilitating the local relationship of the North American companies in Medellín.

Monterrey, Mexico City and Puebla are the three cities Colombia’s main Investment Promotion Agencies will visit to promote the country as investment destination. ACI Medellín, Invest Pacific, Invest in Bogota, ProBarranquilla, Invest in Armenia and Invest in Cartagena participated in this tour coordinated by Procolombia.

During the meetings with businessmen and potential investors in Mexico City and Monterrey, a seminar will be held in each city. The business opportunities and the fastest growing sectors of Bogota, Medellín, Cali, Barranquilla, Armenia and Cartagena will be shown on these seminars.

The seminars will be held in Monterrey, on May 8, in the Live Aqua Urban Resort from 8:30 am to 11:00 am; and in Mexico City, on May 9 in the Hyatt Regency Hotel, from 8:30 am to 11:00 a.m. Additionally, a business conference will be held in Mexico City until 2:00 p.m. after the seminar.

On the other hand, the commission will visit Puebla to hold one-on-one meetings with businessmen interested in exploring investment opportunities in Colombia.

“This visit is a valuable opportunity for Medellín to promote sectors in which it has a vast experience, such as IT services, software development, advanced manufacturing, agribusiness, infrastructure, real estate and tourism,” says Catalina Restrepo, executive director of the Agency for Cooperation and Investment of Medellín and the Metropolitan Area, ACI Medellín.

Medellín is globally renowned for its vocation and its innovative initiatives with high social impact. For its part, Antioquia is considered one of the departments with greater diversity and agro-industrial growth of the country. Also, in terms of infrastructure, the region has a high hotel, tourism, air and land connectivity development which directly benefits business development.

“As an agency which promotes investment and international cooperation, and is responsible for the internationalization of Medellín, this tour allows us to approach to the needs of Mexican investors and to think of a way our city can become the best option for their business,” said Restrepo.