Consultancy to implement an incubation program for native artificial intelligence ventures in Santander's information technology ecosystem

Description

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) is calling on consulting firms to submit proposals to implement a hybrid incubation program aimed at native artificial intelligence (AI) ventures in the department of Santander (Colombia). The initiative seeks to raise awareness among at least 80 startups and provide personalized support to a total cohort of 40 startups (organized in two sequential cohorts of 20 participants) for the validation of their products, the design of their business models and the development of six-month scaling roadmaps.

1. Objectives and scope of incubation
Eligibility and priority focus: Accompany ventures that integrate artificial intelligence as a central and constitutive component of their value proposition, prioritizing solutions applied to strategic sectors of Santander (manufacturing, agribusiness and health), without excluding other industries with high potential.

Time structure and format: Execute two sequential cohorts of 20 companies each, offering a reference intensity of 6 hours of individual mentoring and 14 hours of group training per venture, complemented by a shared flexible pool of 60 hours of technical/strategic advice per cohort.

Legal guidance and investment networks: Provide guidelines on intellectual property associated with AI, personal data protection (according to Colombian regulations) and ethical governance, in addition to connecting participants with angel investor networks and seed or venture capital funds.

2. Methodological phases of incubation
Phase 1 — Opening and selection: Conduct awareness-raising workshops (minimum 3 group hours), apply initial self-diagnoses and select the 40 participants according to the technical feasibility of their projects and the commitment of their founding teams.

Phase 2 — Problem definition and technical immersion (9 h/company): Develop face-to-face workshops for the validation of the market problem, training in AI-assisted development tools and definition of the project brief for the MVP.

Phase 3 — Product construction (2 h/company + flexible bag): Accompany the development sprint through individual mentoring and technical support to guarantee an operational minimum viable product (MVP) at the end of the cycle.

Phase 4 — Market validation (6 h/company): Deploy the product with potential users, capture usage data, perform technical iterations, structure the business model, and conduct a face-to-face pitch workshop.

Phase 5 — Business model and closing: Consolidate unit economics, define the 6-month growth roadmap and present the solutions to investors and ecosystem players in a face-to-face Demo Day by cohort.

3. Evaluation, monitoring and impact
Measurement of post-traction: Build a baseline with metrics on revenue, active users/customers, and capital raised to enable the IDB's impact tracking at 6 and 12 months after closing.

Linkage and systematization: Formulate continuity recommendations to connect graduates with larger-scale programs in the IT ecosystem and deliver an executive report with lessons learned and testimonies of success stories.

Note: Interested companies should review the requirements on the BEO Bidder Portal.