Would you like to co-create the future of your city?
The Local Innovators Program 2024 is here! A powerful 6-month experience in which local government leaders and social entrepreneurs work together to design innovative solutions to their cities' challenges.
If you are mobilized to look differently at the challenges of our society, plan strategies for greater impact and cultivate new skills for change, this invitation is for you! Let's unite our dreams, energies and capacities to transform our present challenges into opportunities.
Learn more about the organizations
taking part in this initiative
About NED
The National Endowment for Democracy (NED) is an independent, nonprofit foundation dedicated to the growth and strengthening of democratic institutions around the world. Each year, NED makes more than 2,000 grants to support the projects of non-governmental groups abroad who are working for democratic goals in more than 100 countries.
Since its founding in 1983, the Endowment has remained on the leading edge of democratic struggles everywhere, while evolving into a multifaceted institution that is a hub of activity, resources and intellectual exchange for activists, practitioners and scholars of democracy the world over.
NED is a unique institution. The Endowment’s nongovernmental character gives it a flexibility that makes it possible to work in some of the world’s most difficult circumstances, and to respond quickly when there is an opportunity for political change. NED is dedicated to fostering the growth of a wide range of democratic institutions abroad, including political parties, trade unions, free markets and business organizations, as well as the many elements of a vibrant civil society that ensure human rights, an independent media, and the rule of law.
About COLAB
CoLab UC: the laboratory of socioenvironmental innovation and transformation of the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile (CoLab UC) was born in the year 2011 under the wing of the School of Economics and Administration and the UC Anacleto Angelini Innovation Center.
Ever since and up until today, it seeks the generation of systemic changes, encouragin the co-construction of an innovation and socioenvionmental entrepreneurship ecosystem and catalizing innovation initiatives to regenerate Chile and Latin America.
One of its emblematic projects is Alto Impacto (High Impact), the incubator of undertakings for the regeneration of nature, which has supported more than 45 projects in their consolidation and delivers more than 420 MM amongst entrepreneurs.
During 2020, CoLab UC was part of the project founding teams which attended the urgency of COVID-19, such as “Locales Conectados” (Connected Locals) and “Comida para Todos” (Food for All). CoLab is also supporting SeniorLab UC, a laboratory which has joined nearly 300 senior entrepreneurs in 2020, in the update and implementation of new tools and methodologies. Since 2020 and up until today, the laboratory is leading “Conversaciones de futuro: ODS-COVID” (Conversations of the future: SDG-COVID) along with the PUC (Pontifical University of Chile) and the HUC (Hemispheric University Consortium), and collaborating with other 7 universities from Latin America; in its first version this initiative gathered 68 panelists and over 8,000 views across 14 countries across the world. Likewise, the laboratory is developing initiatives with different state and private entities. In terms of formation, pre-degree and post-degree courses have been shared in Chile and Guatemala, as well as integrated with courses at the Magíster de Innovación UC (Innovation Magister UC) and the MBA UC.
About VÍA EDUCACIÓN
Vía Educación A.C. is an organization based in Mexico with the mission of generating opportunities for sustainable social development through the design, implementation, evaluation and dissemination of strategies which contribute to improving the quality of education and the development of the civic competencies necessary for the 21st century, particularly, competencies for life and for living in society. Through different methodologies and education models for the democratic citizenry, Vía Educación works in scholarized and non scholarized education environments to free the potential of individuals and communities to get organized, participate and lead the changes they wish to see in their environment.
Convinced that the great transformations we need in current times will not be those imposed or undertaken by a single person, but those of the paradigm which we choose to have as a Latin American community, Vía Educación is driven by the opportunity to learn and participate, along with local innovators from all environments, in the construction of new mental models and relations which are based in dialogue, trust, and the citizenry's collective work.
About ASHOKA
Ashoka is a global organization which, for over 40 years, is part of the transition towards a new paradigm where all citizens have the power to contribute to a positive change. Through their networks across over 95 countries, Ashoka promotes social innovation and a culture of entrepreneurship so that all people can develop the necessary skills to become active Agents of Change. It has the biggest community of social entrepreneurs in the world, with over 3500 members, which has allowed to identify the most effective strategies and mechanisms to face the most pressing problems of society.
Recognizing the historical moment that we're living, in which a new way of life, work and interaction is coming to light, Ashoka seeks to build a connected ecosystem that works collaboratively to transform social and environmental problems from their roots. This systemic change requires a strong and ample civic participation; it requires everyone to assume a role in creating solutions from their trenches. Through the Systemic Innovation Communities' initiative, Ashoka brings innovating leaders to break down silos and articulate efforts between institutions, fields, sectors and frontiers to detonate lasting changes within the region.