Consultant, entrepreneur & author
Under the motto “Chile needs science” (hashtag #ChileNecesitaCiencia), and dressed in their labcoats, Chilean scientists have been gathering in front of the presidential palace and on social networks to oppose the government’s decision to not raise the country’s budget for research and development
an innocuous and universal cancer drug, made in Chile. This is the promise of Andes Biotechnologies, a Chilean biotech company whose invention has just been cleared by the FDA for clinical trials in the US.
This platform, founded and managed by Chilean scientists, aims to bring together students, researchers and entrepreneurs in all the areas of biotechnology
Every story the speakers told happened in Europe or the US, in the biotechnology clusters located there. China and India were mentioned for “exotic” effect; the rest of the world made no appearances.
Biotechnology is not even featured in the country’s strong research and development thematic categories for this year. Knowing this, does creating a biotechnology-based company even make sense in Chile?
Well, we entrepreneurs don’t get called crazy for nothing.
Emilia Díaz 