During LAB4+ it became clear that these are societies with young, qualified human capital that have transformed into knowledge economies, sell primary matter with added value, have proper infrastructure and have developed a favourable business environment.

Pacific Alliance countries (Colombia, Mexico, Chile and Peru) are in a favourable position to take a qualitative step towards development, said Adrián Magendzo, senior consultant of the Innovation and Competitive Division of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), during the Innovation panel of LAB4+, the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Summit of the Pacific Alliance, developed in Lima, Peru, on June 1^st and 2^nd.

“We are living in a fascinating time. As members of this Alliance, we are interested in reducing the gaps, reaching every corner of our countries so that, by using technology and innovation, and the creative capacity of entrepreneurs and businessmen, we may deliver education, health and basic services to those populations that are in need”, pointed out the Peruvian Minister of Foreign Trade and Tourism, Magali Silva Velarde-Álvarez.

At LAB4+, representatives of government agencies responsible for promoting innovation shared their experiences in initiatives aimed to promote innovation.

Etienne Choupay, coordinator of Projects and Technological Transference in the Innovation Division of the Chilean Ministry of Economy, highlighted Chile’s positive experience with the Avonni award, created 10 years ago. Innovation, said Choupay, is linked to society, to the population, the people, the culture, the human capital; and that is closely connected to attitude and will. “It is not a matter of money, but of attitude”, he said.

 Andrés Mauricio León, representative of the Colombian Department of Planning, stated that mobility among entrepreneurs from the four nations is vital. The reason is that thinking locally is extremely different to thinking globally.

Liliana Reyes, Director of Entrepreneurial Capital of the Mexican National Institute of Entrepreneurs (INADEM), said investors are very interested in the region. The challenge is to make the Pacific Alliance visible. Reyes stated that the four countries can work together to promote entrepreneurship; and the State’s support is vital in this challenge.

Mario Ocharán, deputy director of Intelligence and Commercial Planning in PROMPERÚ, talked about two major projects of the Pacific Alliance. One of these projects in the Investors Network, focused on working in the standardization of the investment policies of the four countries in order to attract funds from other countries and financial institutions. The other project is the Accelerators Network, entities that seek to enable and promote innovative initiatives.

The Pacific Alliance has established as central policy of its consolidation the promotion of entrepreneurship in its countries. It does look like a correct policy.