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The future PTI will contribute to the National Defense through the generation of public goods that enable systematic collaboration between the Defense sector; the Science, Technology, Knowledge, and Innovation ecosystem; and the productive sector.
When it comes to innovation development, the Defense sector is an influential and prominent actor. A sector that is always at the forefront of technological advances. Proof of this are some technological developments that have important implications for civilians, such as the Internet, space navigation systems like GPS, even the microwaves used in everyday life and the popular drones, just to name a few.
To enhance the role of the Defense sector in Chile, Corfo launched a public tender offer in 2023 to aid in the design and strategic plan of a PTI for Defense Innovation. The objective? To contribute to National Defense (understood as a public good in itself) by generating public goods that enable systematic collaboration between the Defense sector; the Science, Technology, Knowledge, and Innovation (STKI) ecosystem; and the productive sector.
The future PTI, under the auspices of the Ministry of National Defense, will focus on conducting, promoting, and coordinating research, development, and dissemination activities. In addition, it must carry out technology and innovation transfer, specialized technological and technical assistance, and technological dissemination and generation of information to assist public and private decision-making.
The results of the public tender were announced in late 2023, and the organization selected to create the PTI was Know Hub Chile.
PTIs aim to promote the generation and strengthening of scientific and technological capabilities for innovation and the provision of public goods. They act as a coordinating body between public and private non-profit institutions engaged in research, development, technology transfer, technical assistance, technology diffusion, and research generation. They also provide support for regulation and public policies, facilitating the exchange of information and best practices.
Promoting Dual Innovation
On January 16th, 2024, the National Defense Committee of the Senate invited Know Hub Chile to present in the Senate as the winner of the public tender launched by CORFO to aid in the design of the Public Technology Institute for Defense Innovation. The Defense Undersecretary, Ricardo Montero, and the Chief of the Technological Development and Industry Division of the Defense Undersecretary, Yerko Benavides, also participated in this activity.
Javier Ramirez, Executive Director of Know Hub Chile, emphasizes that the design of the Public Technology Institute for Defense Innovation project is aimed at promoting dual innovation, using Defense as an engine for scientific, technological, and industrial development in the country. “It is a project financed by CORFO and mandated by the Ministry of National Defense, with the collaboration of the three branches of the Armed Forces, the Strategic Defense Companies, and their subsidiaries, as well as numerous institutions of the national STKI ecosystem,” he stresses.
The development of this institute is of significant importance for the country. RamÃrez acknowledges that it is “the project with the greatest potential impact that I have collaborated on in my career.” Indeed, this new institute could contribute decisively to the systematic collaboration between the Defense sector and the national STKI ecosystem and, with it, “help our country to make a qualitative leap in key aspects for its development, such as significantly increasing the investment in R&D&I, sophisticating and diversifying its productive infrastructure and, of course, contributing to its strategic autonomy,” he claims.
What will the PTI for Defense Innovation do? Defining the functions and attributions of the PTI is precisely the objective of the project awarded to Know Hub Chile, in addition to identifying the way to achieve a systematic linkage and collaboration between Chile’s industrial and military capabilities and its STKI ecosystem.
Know Hub Chile Presentation at the Senate:
