From November 29-December 1, Heroes Fest 2017 will bring together thousands of entrepreneurs, investors, researchers and executives in the Colombian capital.
Most of Heroes Fest 2017 will focus on Colombia’s relationship with Sweden, but will dedicate its last day to the South Summit Pacific Alliance: the first regional edition of the massive Spanish event.
Several speakers from Sweden, including Ambassador Tommy Strömberg, EF Vicepresident Carl-Johan Westring, and KTH Royal Institute of Technology’s Donnie Lygonis, will hold conferences on startups, entrepreneurship, and opportunities between Colombia and the Nordic nation.
The gathering will bring together over 5000 entrepreneurship fans to share experiences in a series of activities, aiming to promote entrepreneurial spirit and networking. Conferences from key speakers in the region, mentoring sessions, and a F**k-Up Night—where entrepreneurs share lessons from past failures—are all part of the broad agenda.
Other regional keynote speakers include Kathleen Kennedy, Special Projects Director at MIT; Santiago Gutiérrez, PR Manager at H&M Colombia; as well as local entrepreneurs like Biogar’s María del Pilar Pizarro and Blush Bar’s Claudia Lloreda.
Networking is a big part of these events, and there will be no lack of social opportunities at Heroes Fest. Speed networking, lunches, meet-ups and private cocktails parties will create spaces for brainstorming and collaboration.
On December 1, the Heroes Fest will also host the South Summit Pacific Alliance: the first Latin American edition of the largest entrepreneurial event in Southern Europe. Attendees will have the opportunity to see motivational conferences speakers from Spain, Israel and other countries. At the heart of the summit, a pitching session with 40 selected startups from the four countries in the Pacific Alliance will compete for funding.
Alongside South Summit Pacific Alliance, there will be a parallel schedule for Heroes Fest to host panels, bootcamps, an ‘investors den’, and startup competitions that cater to a broad spectrum of entrepreneurs.
Official Colombian institutions are behind the event, including the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism and INNpulsa, an organization that brings together diverse government agencies to work towards innovation and entrepreneurship in Colombia.
Co-organized by SENA, the national vocational training service, and hosted by the Pontifical Xavierian University at its campus in Bogotá, the event aims to boost the country’s efforts to foster entrepreneurship as a means of social mobility and economic growth.
Heating up engines with Heroes Talks, a series of regional presentations across the country, and the Regional Heroes Fest—held for around 1000 people in Tunja, Boyacá this year— the initiative has gone out of its way to make entrepreneurship an inclusive alternative for Colombians.
Participation is free; and attendees may submit their applications to attend before November 25th on the event’s website.