IDB Innovation Ecosystem Study Tour

Name: IDB Innovation Ecosystem Study Tour
Start: 2026-05-19T09:35:00.000Z
Location: Bogotá, Medellín and Cali, Colombia

The Inter-American Development Bank's Innovation Ecosystem Study Tour brought together Caribbean policymakers and ecosystem leaders for a five-day exploration of Colombia's pharmaceutical and innovation sector development. The tour took place May 19–23, 2026, across Bogotá, Medellín, and Cali, with each city highlighting a different aspect of the ecosystem: policy coordination, industry-led workforce development, and vaccine manufacturing.

What BPI Did

BPI participated in the IADB-hosted tour to study Colombia's approach to building a pharmaceutical ecosystem, including a site visit to VaxThera, a Cali-based vaccine manufacturer whose site-selection process provided a direct case study in attracting pharmaceutical investment.

Key Outcomes

The tour reinforced a key lesson for Barbados: manufacturers are attracted to robust ecosystems rather than standalone facilities. It validated several ongoing BPI initiatives and strengthened the case for positioning Barbados as a coordinated demonstration site for pharmaceutical development among small island states.

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