Status
Active
Start
2019


Prospecta Americas is a regional technology foresight platform and network on top transformative technologies developed under the OAS-COMCYT (Inter-American Committee on Science and Technology). Launched in October 2019 in Lima, Peru, Prosspecta Americas seeks to enable research communities of the Americas to connect and support better informed decision-making in the region.

The initiative brings together existing capabilities from OAS Member States to facilitate collaboration, shared expertise, multidisciplinary resources from governments, the private sector, and academia, to advance and expand the benefits of research and innovation on 10 transformative technologies identified as promising for the region, namely: Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Big Data, Blockchain, Quantum Computing, Internet of things (5G), Virtual and Augmented Reality, 3D and 4D printing, Biomedical Engineering, and New Nanostructured Materials.

On December 2021, Ministers of Science and Technology of the Americas also agreed to support the development of a Network of Centers of Excellence of Prospecta Americas. These Centers aim to identify and map future trends and technological developments in areas that directly impact the development and livelihoods of communities in the Americas. Two Centers of Excellence are already operational, and focus on:

- Blockchain, in the State of Hidalgo, Mexico

- Robotics and Artificial Intelligence in Barranquilla, Colombia

Countries interested in hosting a Center of Excellence on Transformative Technologies are welcome to inform the COMCYT Technical Secretariat.

Objectives
  • Lead research and foresight studies on transformative technologies, and evaluate their possible economic, social and environmental impacts in the Americas;
  • Map and identify current and future trends and technological developments to address challenges in OAS Member States;
  • Provide technical assistance, support capacity building, advanced training and exchange of experts among some of the most advanced labs and research centers in the Americas.

Activities
  • Prospecta Americas Seminar – Regional event (online and in-person) on technology foresight for the Americas to present latest studies and advances in transformative technologies in the Americas.
    • First Edition in Lima, Peru in October 2019
    • Second Edition in Hidalgo, Mexico in May 2022
  • Specialized workshops for experts and academics to share knowledge on transformative technologies at the research/technical level.
  • Prospecta Americas in Action – Strategic sessions on Blockchain and A.I. held in September 2021
  • Network of Centers of Excellence of Prospecta Americas on transformative technologies. First two (2) Centers launched in December 2021.

More Results
Results
Prospecta Americas launched in Lima, Peru in October 2019 with over 25,000 experts from all over the region participating on site and online.
Online event Technology Foresight in the Americas: Challenges of a New Reality, held in Nov. 2020 under the leadership of Hidalgo, Mexico.
Online event Prospecta Americas In Action: Strategic Sessions on Blockchain and AI held in Oct. 2021 under the leadership of Hidalgo, Mexico.
Launch of the First 2 Centers of Excellence of Prospecta Americas.
Inauguration of the Center of Excellence on Blockchain in the State of Hidalgo, Mexico.
Inauguration of the Center of Excellence on Robotics and A.I. at Universidad Simon Bolivar in Barranquilla, Colombia.
Prospecta Americas hybrid seminar – online and in-person in Pachuca, Mexico held in May 2022.
12 specialized workshops on foresight and transformative technologies.
Beneficiary Countries
Antigua and Barbuda
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Argentina
Barbados
Barbados
Belize
Belize
Bolivia
Bolivia
Brazil
Brazil
Canada
Canada
Chile
Chile
Colombia
Colombia
Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Dominica
Dominica
Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Ecuador
El Salvador
El Salvador
Grenada
Grenada
Guatemala
Guatemala
Guyana
Guyana
Haiti
Haiti
Honduras
Honduras
Jamaica
Jamaica
Mexico
Mexico
Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Panama
Panama
Paraguay
Paraguay
Peru
Peru
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Suriname
Suriname
The Bahamas
The Bahamas
Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago
United States of America
United States of America
Uruguay
Uruguay
Venezuela
Venezuela
Team
César Parga
Section Chief, Competitiveness, Innovation and Technology, Department of Economic Development, SEDI [email protected]
Aryanne Quintal
Specialist, Competitiveness, Innovation and Technology Section, Department of Economic Development, SEDI [email protected]
Strategic Partners