The Argentine Foreign Ministry, through the Directorate for Promotion of Exports of Knowledge-Based Services, Creative Industries, Tourism and Sports —which reports to the Undersecretariat for Promotion of Exports, Investments, Education, Science and Culture— organized, together with German Accelerator, a Luncheon for Innovation and Sustainability at Palacio San Martín. The main objective was to explore the different innovation ecosystems in both Argentina and Germany, as well as to identify opportunities for technological synergy and complementation to boost regional economies.
The opening session was attended by Foreign Minister Mondino and the German Ambassador in Argentina, Dieter Lamlé, and they highlighted the importance of German Accelerator’s landing in Argentina, as well as our country’s strategic role as a HUB for the knowledge-based economy sector.
During the meeting, a round table discussion was held with the participation of various authorities and experts; representatives from the German Embassy in Argentina, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, and the Argentine Secretariat for Knowledge-Based Economy; provincial authorities; technological innovation, growth pole and cluster leaders in the sector; and the main actors in the Argentine startup and innovation ecosystem.
The participants made presentations on the main local industries, agendas and programmes for technological SMEs and startups, with a view to building a collaborative agenda with German Accelerator. The Accelerator initiative, renowned for boosting startups in Germany, set up a South America office in Buenos Aires to strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem and promote cooperation between Argentina and the European market. Its goals in Argentina include scaling startups, exchanging ideas and experiences, and strengthening the local innovation ecosystem, which positions Argentina as a key regional hub for German Accelerator.
German Accelerator’s presence in Argentina aims at enhancing the local innovation system, as well as opening up new growth and internationalization opportunities for the Argentine sector, which is home to over 15 technological unicorns and over 30 growth poles and clusters and has thus become a relevant player at the global level. In this respect, the company’s landing in Argentina marks a milestone in bilateral cooperation and represents a fundamental boost to strengthen the Argentine startup and innovation ecosystem, while providing a unique opportunity for technological positioning at the global level.
The knowledge-based economy accounts for over 7% of total employment and, in the past year, the sector’s exports exceeded USD 8.5 billion, which amounts to over 8% of Argentina’s total exports. Despite these achievements, there is still great potential for growth.
In a context where the knowledge-based economy plays a crucial role in Argentina’s employment and exports, the agreement signed in January 2023 by the Argentine Ministry of Economy and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action offers new opportunities for local companies to grow and expand globally and constitutes a crucial step towards the enhancement of innovation and entrepreneurship in the region, as it makes Argentina an appealing destination for investments and collaboration in the knowledge-based economy sector.
German-Argentinian Sustainable Innovators Summit
In the afternoon, Foreign Minister Mondino participated in the opening session of the “German-Argentinian Sustainable Innovators Summit: Climate Tech Edition.” The event gathered the main actors in the Argentine and German technological and innovation ecosystems, with a focus on environmental and climate technologies, and is part of a series of activities organized by German Accelerator during the visit to Argentina of the German Parliamentary State Secretary, Franziska Brantner.
As part of the agenda, two Argentine startups were chosen from a group of six candidates previously selected by German Accelerator to participate in the Immersion Week in Germany (Bioeutectics, CarbonNeutral+, Einsted.Bio, Numatak Biotech, Plataforma PUMA, WeCircular).
These actions underscore the importance of international collaboration for the promotion of innovation and sustainable development, and mark the beginning of a new era of growth and opportunities for the Argentine startup ecosystem, within the framework of the significant cooperation agenda with Germany in this regard.
