Renowned Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) carried out its first workshop in Peru to boost and strengthen local innovation through the MIT Regional Entrepreneurship Acceleration Program (REAP).
The activity convened representatives of State bodies, academia, private sector, as well as businesspersons and entrepreneurs to work on joint initiatives to develop the innovation ecosystem.
Organized by a Peruvian team, the event featured MIT REAP Executive Director Sara Jane Maxted.
Representing the Peruvian Government were Gonzalo Villaran, Director-General of Innovation at the Production Ministry, and Luis Terrones, Entrepreneurship Manager at Corporacion Financiera de Desarrollo (COFIDE).
Private sector participants included Universidad de Ingenieria y Tecnologia (UTEC) Ventures Managing Director Carlos Lau, Universidad del Pacifico Professor and Researcher Karen Weinberger, Isend CEO Giancarlo Secco, Intercorp Innovation Lab Director Alessandra Corrochano, Grupo Breca Advanced Analytics Director Miguel Paredes, as well as angel investor Gonzalo Begazo.
MIT REAP also presented a calendar of activities —spanning from the second half of the year to early 2018— to follow on the workshop.
These will be geared towards organizing specialized events in order to face innovation and entrepreneurship challenges in Peru, Production Ministry's representative Gonzalo Villaran pointed out.
In this sense, the Peruvian team and MIT will articulate efforts to develop and implement a strategy to speed up innovation-driven entrepreneurship.
MIT REAP
MIT REAP is a capstone global initiative, which helps regions accelerate economic growth and promote social progress through innovation-driven entrepreneurship.
The initiative admits up to 8 regionals annually to participate in the two-year learning engagement with MIT.
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