PROA I+D moves into a new phase to drive research applied to strategic maritime challenges

The second edition of the program run by the Chilean Navy (Armada de Chile), through its Technological Innovation Center (CiTA), together with Know Hub Chile, has completed its third stage, giving way to joint work with the selected teams to support their funding applications.

Santiago, January xx, 2025.- PROA I+D has begun a new stage of work aimed at supporting the participating research teams as they apply for funding that, if awarded, will allow them to carry out their scientific and technological solutions.

The program is run by the Navy’s Technological Innovation Center (CiTA), in coordination with Know Hub Chile, with the goal of driving scientific and technological research and development aligned with the interests and challenges of the Chilean Navy.

PROA I+D is a program supporting scientific and technological research and development that seeks to connect R&D ideas and projects with the interests and challenges of the Chilean Navy.

Through a beneficiary discovery process, the program identifies the potential support the Institution can provide to research teams interested in applying for competitive funds, facilitating the connection between the scientific and technological community and institutional needs.

Scientific capabilities

Since its first implementation in 2023, PROA I+D has established itself as a key space for developing applied solutions in the maritime domain, bringing together scientific capabilities and supporting research teams in preparing funding applications.

This second edition built on the lessons learned from the first, which validated a collaborative working model between researchers, technology centers and naval personnel and revealed a growing demand to drive R&D projects with a direct impact on the Chilean Navy’s operational, technological and logistical capabilities.

In addition, methodological improvements were introduced, along with more standardized processes for identifying and addressing challenges and early engagement with the institution’s specialists, which enabled a deeper and more focused exploration of innovation opportunities.

“The heart of Proa I+D lies in connecting the Chilean Navy’s scientific and technological challenges with the capabilities and solutions proposed by the researchers taking part in the program,” said CiTA’s head of Operations, Lieutenant Commander Cristian Faúndez. “Our experience in identifying opportunities for cooperation between research teams and the Navy is key to ensuring that the work carried out throughout the program can translate into high-impact research results,” he added.

For Jovanka Trebotich, Innovation coordinator at Know Hub Chile, the start of this fourth stage reflects the standing the initiative has achieved within the ecosystem: “The second edition of PROA I+D confirms that this program has become a space recognized by universities and research centers. There is sustained interest in collaborating with the Chilean Navy on real challenges, through applied research and high-impact technologies.”

Strategic collaboration

Throughout the program, the Chilean Navy, through CiTA, worked with its various institutional units to advance applied research in strategic areas such as maritime sensors, new energy sources, validation technologies, ocean engineering and systems for operating in extreme environments.

In this regard, initiatives such as PROA I+D make it possible to identify emerging knowledge and developments from universities, researchers and technology centers at an early stage, fostering lines of research aligned with the real needs of the maritime domain.

Outlook

With the close of this stage of PROA I+D 2, the Navy’s Technological Innovation Center and Know Hub Chile plan to keep strengthening this collaboration model, expanding its reach to new challenge areas and exploring its link with different public funding instruments.

This second edition reaffirms that systematic collaboration with the science, technology, knowledge and innovation (CTCI) ecosystem is a key tool for driving technological solutions that contribute to national development and the country’s technological independence.