International Partnerships for Developing University Entrepreneurial Ecosystems: A Note on the Case of South Korea and the University of Costa Rica

At EmpreSomos Central America, we are pleased to participate in and promote initiatives that drive entrepreneurial development in our region. Recently, we invited Professor Ricardo Carvajal Alpírez , Executive Director of AUGE, a key pillar of DIPROVID at the University of Costa Rica (UCR), to share with other academic professionals from Central America about the collaborative relationships between UCR, the University of Korea, and the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs in strengthening and expanding DIPROVID’s incubation activities.

Rene Salgado , President of EmpreSomos, coordinated this dialogue, which included participation from Professor Plubio Monterroso from Rafael Landívar University in Guatemala, Professor Armando J. Garcia Campos from Thomas More University in Nicaragua, Paul Fervoy , Founder and CEO of SIFTIA and Adjunct Professor at Leads University of Costa Rica, and Engineer Pedro Villarreal, Vice President of Thomas More University in Nicaragua.

The University of Costa Rica, in collaboration with Korean partners, is organizing an event in Costa Rica in September to discuss the outcomes of their joint initiatives. The event aims to engage other Central American institutions. Details regarding the point of contact for this event are provided at the end of this article.

The link to the EmpreSomos YouTube video with the presentation of Ricardo Carvajal Alpírez and subsequent discussion may be found also at the end.

Korea-Costa Rica Cooperation

The collaboration with South Korea, supported by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and Korean University, is a beacon for UCR’s strategy to enhance support for entrepreneurship and innovation in Costa Rica. This partnership focuses on creating a robust link between UCR’s research capabilities and the productive sectors through initiatives like Proinova and AUGE, which facilitate translating academic research into market-ready innovations.

Key components of the Korea-Costa Rica Program:

1. Innovation Hub Development: An upcoming hub to centralize resources and expertise, fostering a more cohesive innovation ecosystem.
2. Spin-off Incubation: With 18 spin-offs already nurtured, UCR is creating a dynamic platform for new enterprises to flourish under expert guidance.
3. Collaborative Development Projects: Linking academia and industry, these projects are tailored to solve real-world challenges, enhancing the applicability of research.
4. Capacity Building: Regular training and exchanges with Korean experts ensure that UCR staff remain at the forefront of global innovation practices.
5. Regional Transfer of Knowledge: Planned regional events and initiatives aim to share learned best practices across Central America, enhancing the broader entrepreneurial network.

Success Stories

Among the noteworthy outcomes are ventures like Vitronova, which pioneers agricultural innovations, and SunSpectra, which utilizes fruit waste to produce eco-friendly sunscreen. These examples highlight the program’s impact on local industries and demonstrate the potential for environmental sustainability in business practices.

These examples highlight how UCR-derived companies apply academic research to real-world problems, creating innovative and sustainable products. The combination of academic resources and international collaboration has been key to the success of these companies.

However, navigating the complexities of interdisciplinary collaboration and faculty participation has led UCR to implement strategic measures such as:

• Interdisciplinary Teams: Encouraging diverse team formations through competitions and targeted programs.
• Faculty Incentives: Offering financial rewards and academic recognition to motivate faculty involvement in entrepreneurial activities.

This important collaboration with South Korean institutions shows how international partnerships can significantly improve local innovation ecosystems.

By fostering these collaborations, Central America can accelerate its business and economic development, creating a more vibrant future for our industries and communities.

From September 23 to 27, DIPROVID will organize a joint event with its Korean partners, to showcase major outcomes of the Korea-UCR program, and foster new waves of Korean cooperation with other regional higher education entities.

Academics and researchers from all higher education institutions in the region are invited to participate in this important event.

Activities include:

• Regional Meeting on Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Knowledge Transfer
• XI International Congress of the University Business Network
• INNOHUB Inauguration: A new innovation building that will serve as a coworking space, wet lab, and dry prototyping lab, facilitating collaboration between researchers, entrepreneurs, and startups.

For more information about the September event at the Universidad de Costa Rica, please contact [email protected].

Watch the full recent EmpreSomos virtual event here.