The initiative kicks off on Thursday, July 22, at 10 a.m. The call, organized together with AthenaLab, will be open until September 7 and will preselect 10 teams to take part in the Dual Tech program, which seeks to bring technologies to both the defense sector and the civilian market. The two winning teams will receive a total of USD 120,000.
On Thursday, July 22, Avante will once again begin its challenge of calling for the best technology solutions to solve problems identified by the Chilean Navy (Armada de Chile) within the institution that can also reach the civilian market. Together with Know Hub Chile and AthenaLab, this year’s call focuses on the availability of naval assets.
One of Avante’s purposes is to strengthen the connection between research, development and innovation (R&D&I) and the defense sector. For this reason, the launch event will feature Andrés Couve, Minister of Science, Technology, Knowledge and Innovation, and Cristián de la Maza, Undersecretary of Defense.
The event will also include the panel discussion “Llegando a puerto: la experiencia del Desafío Avante y de la Armada en innovación” (Reaching port: the experience of Desafío Avante and the Navy in innovation). The two winners of Avante 2020 will share what they learned from taking part in this program, which provides both resources and support to those selected. Joining Marcela Ruiz, leader of the “Acústica Marina” team, and Juan Pablo Heusser, of the “Inner Core” team, will be Javier Ramírez, Executive Director of Know Hub Chile, and Captain Jorge Maldonado, both members of Avante’s governance and with extensive experience in innovation.
To register for the event, click here.
About Desafío Avante
The Avante 2021 call will be open until September 7. It is an open invitation for entrepreneurs, researchers, undergraduate and graduate students and postdocs to present innovative technology solutions to problems related to the availability of naval assets, through science- and technology-based ventures that can become sophisticated suppliers to the defense sector and the civilian market.
First, 10 teams will be preselected and will receive training in the Dual Tech methodology. After a selection pitch before a panel of experts (in late October), five teams will be selected, each of which will receive USD 6,000 to develop its Minimum Viable Product (MVP) and will continue Dual Tech training for seven more weeks.
In mid-December, the five teams will once again present to a panel of experts, who will choose the first-place winner, which will receive USD 65,000, and the second-place winner, USD 55,000. These funds are intended to implement a six-month work plan to scale the MVP and bring the technology closer to its dual market.
For more information about Avante 2021, visit www.innovapolinav.cl/avante or knowhub.cl/dual-tech/
