A little over a year ago, a unique alliance was established in which academia and the private sector joined forces with an ambitious but necessary objective for innovative development cooperation in Guatemala: to generate a replicable model for how Latin American universities and their collaborators can address local development priorities through collaborative research, teaching, innovation, and entrepreneurial activities, resulting in lasting benefits for the region. Since then, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Universidad del Valle de Guatemala (UVG), and the Guatemalan Association of Exporters (AGEXPORT) designed and received funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development USAID), to implement the ASPIRE project, Achieving Sustainable Partnerships for Innovation, Research, and Entrepreneurship.

After conducting a series of intensive diagnostics to assess strengths and needs in the local innovation ecosystem in Guatemala and within UVG and AGEXPORT, the project has advanced a variety of activities in the areas of research, entrepreneurship, curriculum, and capacity strengthening, among others. During the period of January 23-27, 2023, the ASPIRE MIT staff conducted its annual collaboration, planning, and learning visit to Guatemala to strengthen partnerships, assess progress, and plan for the future.

One of the cornerstone events of the visit took place on January 24, 2023. AGEXPORT organized and hosted an important partners forum “Co-Creating Impact in Guatemala: A Collaborative Approach.” The event brought together UVG students, teachers, and researchers, ASPIRE staff, AGEXPORT collaborators and members who represent the value chains involved in the project, and entrepreneurs and allies, such as Link4 and DIVERSA, in AGEXPORT’s Fanny D. Estrada Auditorium. ASPIRE’s Advisory Board members also attended, as did representatives of USAID Guatemala, Jerry Marcus, Director of Economic Growth and Whitney Dubinsky, Economic Growth Officer.

The forum started with presentations from MIT and UVG, followed by a presentation and group discussion with a panel of experts in the areas of collaboration, innovation, and co-creation. Dr. Daniel Frey, Professor of Mechanical Engineering at MIT and Principal Investigator of ASPIRE, opened the event by sharing his reflections on the role of universities as hubs for generating innovation and economic impact, and the relevance of knowledge sharing and deep interpersonal connections in the economy and education. Víctor Hugo Ayerdi, ASPIRE Project Director from UVG, followed Prof. Frey with a review of the project’s objectives, activities to date, and suggestions for how to get involved.
The panel presentation and group discussion were led by Juan Mini, founder of Campus Tec, an innovative technology park in Guatemala City. Panel members included Monica Stein, Vice Chancellor for Research and Outreach at UVG, Elizabeth Hoffecker, Co-Principal Investigator for ASPIRE from MIT, and Gabriel Biguria, Vice President of AGEXPORT and co-founder of INPROTIN, a company that develops sustainable, insect-based products for animal, plant, and human nutrition. Each panelist shared their extensive experience and perspectives on the importance of participatory design and inclusive innovation to address priority poverty and development challenges. They explored the role of science and education in the creation of economic value, and the significance that partnerships have in the transfer, adoption, and scaling of innovation and entrepreneurship within value chains. A robust group discussion followed the presentations.

This type of event serves as a platform to strengthen academic-private sector partnerships, as well as the innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem in Guatemala, vital relationships and ecosystems upon which ASPIRE is built.
About the ASPIRE Project

ASPIRE is a five-year project sponsored by USAID and implemented by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Universidad del Valle de Guatemala (UVG), and the Guatemalan Association of Exporters (AGEXPORT), with the goal of creating a world-class, replicable model of how Latin American universities can respond to local and regional development challenges. The project implements a collaborative approach to research, teaching, innovation, entrepreneurship, and transfer, based on MIT’s innovation ecosystem.