NEWS

Within the framework of the GovTech Connect program, implemented by the Red de Innovación Local (RIL) with the support of BID Lab, the regional call for startups, scaleups, and tech SMEs concluded successfully, receiving 306 applications from across Latin America.

The initiative, aimed at identifying mature, AI-based technological solutions applicable to local public management, is part of the work of the Coalición de Ciudades por la Inteligencia Artificial (CIIAR), which currently brings together 58 local governments from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Uruguay committed to the strategic adoption of technology to improve their services.

A concrete public demand driving the ecosystem

The high level of participation reflects a structural trend: the growing alignment between local governments’ demand for innovation and the technological supply of the regional entrepreneurial ecosystem.

The solutions submitted address critical challenges prioritized by governments, including:

• Citizen services and complaint management
• Smart urban mobility
• Waste management and sustainability
• Urban safety and emergency management
• Infrastructure and urban maintenance
• Health and social services
• Government efficiency and process automation
• Digital government and data analytics

This approach confirms the consolidation of an expanding GovTech market, where artificial intelligence is positioned as a key tool to improve the quality, efficiency, and impact of public policies.

Focus on mature, ready-to-implement solutions

Unlike other calls focused on early-stage innovation, GovTech Connect stands out for its results-oriented approach: the call specifically targeted validated technological solutions, with products already in operation, proven commercial track records, and scalability potential.

This criterion ensured a pipeline of proposals with high feasibility for implementation in local governments, reducing risks and accelerating technology adoption timelines.

Next stage: Demo Days and engagement with governments

Following the close of the call, the technical evaluation process of applications now begins, considering variables such as:

• Potential impact on public services
• Product maturity
• Team track record
• Scalability
• Level of innovation
• Feasibility of implementation

Selected companies will participate in GovTech Connect Demo Days, where they will present their solutions directly to decision-makers from the local governments that are part of CIIAR.

These spaces are designed to:

• Facilitate public-private collaboration
• Generate concrete implementation opportunities
• Accelerate technology adoption processes
• Promote pilots and regional scaling

A model that accelerates public innovation

GovTech Connect is based on a results-oriented open innovation model, designed to bridge the gap between technological supply and public sector demand.

Through this approach:

• Startups present fully developed solutions
• Governments identify those with the greatest potential impact
• Collaboration is enabled to move toward implementation

This process not only improves the efficiency of public management, but also generates concrete evidence of the value of technology in real-world contexts, strengthening governments’ capacity to innovate sustainably.

Latin America strengthens its GovTech ecosystem

The scale and quality of applications received position this call as one of the most relevant in the region in the GovTech space.

Beyond immediate results, the process reinforces a clear trend:
Latin America has a technological ecosystem increasingly prepared to respond to public sector challenges, along with local governments willing to adopt innovation strategically.

In this context, GovTech Connect continues to consolidate itself as a key platform to connect stakeholders, generate opportunities, and accelerate the digital transformation of local governments across the region.