On Thursday, June 6, at Corfo’s offices in Santiago, the book “Innovación Dual en Chile: Un primer modelo para contribuir al desarrollo nacional” (Dual Innovation in Chile: A first model to contribute to national development) was launched. The document presents a conceptual framework for dual innovation by compiling and analyzing the experience between the two institutions, from both the civilian and the defense sectors.
On Thursday, June 6, the Corporación de Fomento de la Producción (CORFO) hosted the launch of the book “Innovación Dual en Chile: un primer modelo para contribuir al desarrollo nacional”, co-written by Know Hub Chile and the Chilean Navy’s Technological Innovation Center (CiTA).
The event was attended by CORFO Executive Vice President José Miguel Benavente; the acting director of the National Research and Development Agency (ANID), Fabiola Cid; Senator Kenneth Pugh; Javier Ramírez, executive director of Know Hub Chile; the Director of CiTA, Captain Francisco MacKay; the Space Director of the Chilean Air Force (Fuerza Aérea de Chile), Brigadier General (A) Luis Sáez, accompanied by the Chilean Navy’s Director of Programs, Research and Development, Rear Admiral Rodrigo Peñaranda; the Navy’s Director of Health, Rear Admiral Alejandro Espinoza; and the Secretary General of the Navy, Commodore Raúl Silva.
At the start of the launch, CORFO Executive Vice President José Miguel Benavente highlighted that the book provides “a common language regarding this dynamic, so that we better understand what it is about, how the civilian world connects with the military world, and the different mechanisms for doing so.”
The presentation of the new book included a panel discussion between Know Hub Chile’s innovation coordinator, Jovanka Trebotich, and CiTA’s head of Plans, Lieutenant Francisca Lema, moderated by journalist Davor Gjuranovic, which addressed the main concepts of civil-military cooperation proposed in the document.
“Collaboration is crucial, because defense has technological needs that can benefit from the knowledge and innovations developed in the civilian sector. This also strengthens the country’s strategic independence and the sophistication of its productive matrix,” said Jovanka Trebotich. Lieutenant Lema added that “it is important to understand the different pathways through which technological developments can move from the civilian to the military sphere, or vice versa.”
Contributing to national development
The information in “Innovación Dual en Chile: un primer modelo para contribuir al desarrollo nacional” aims to enable all players in the national R&D, innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem to contribute to and/or discuss this topic, using this initial model as a foundation. It is also an invitation to the entire national science, technology, knowledge and innovation (CTCI) ecosystem to join in driving dual innovation, which holds enormous potential and represents a significant contribution to national development.
Javier Ramírez, executive director of Know Hub Chile, notes that this publication is a milestone in Know Hub Chile’s work and a proposal for the future of collaboration: “We are fully aware that systematic collaboration between defense and the ecosystem, and the promotion of dual innovation, will have an impact that goes beyond the ‘mere’ promotion of technological innovation; it will contribute to the sophistication of the productive matrix and our strategic independence, while also serving as a meeting place that supports the social and political cohesion of our country.”
The Director of CiTA, Captain Francisco MacKay, highlighted that the Chilean Navy (Armada de Chile), through CiTA, and Know Hub Chile have a well-established track record of collaboration in strengthening dual innovation in Chile, carried out through various joint programs. “We hope that the concepts and lessons shared here will serve as input for a better collective understanding of the phenomenon of dual innovation, and for actions that make the most of the opportunity to systematically and collaboratively develop solutions for defense and society,” he emphasized.
To learn more about the book “Innovación Dual en Chile: un primer modelo para contribuir al desarrollo nacional”, visit: www.innovaciondual.cl
