Shared with permission from AGEXPORT’s Youtube channel. Learn more about AGEXPORT here.
Two representatives from companies in the Aquaculture and Fisheries sector of the Guatemalan Exporters Association (AGEXPORT) recently visited the Innovation and Technology Center (CIT) at Universidad del Valle de Guatemala (UVG). This strategic visit aimed to explore UVG’s state-of-the-art laboratories and research capabilities while gaining deeper insights into the Chitosan research project, a key initiative developed in partnership with the ASPIRE Project.
Organized under the ASPIRE Project, this collaboration is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), UVG, and AGEXPORT. The project focuses on fostering innovative solutions for Guatemalan companies. In this case, the spotlight is on transferring research findings on the use of shrimp shells—a by-product of the aquaculture industry—for producing Chitosan, a high-value material with diverse applications.
The Achieving Sustainable Partnerships for Innovation, Research and Entrepreneurship (ASPIRE) Project is a five-year, $15 million project funded by USAID and implemented by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Universidad del Valle de Guatemala (UVG), and the Guatemalan Exporters Association (AGEXPORT), with the goal of creating a world-class replicable model for how universities, in collaboration with the private sector, government, and local communities, can respond to local and regional development needs. The project implements a collaborative approach, based on MIT’s experience in the innovation ecosystem.
