Chile: Innovation for Competitiveness Project

WASHINGTON, July 15, 2008- The following project was  approved today by the World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors:

IBRD Loan: US$30 million

TERMS: Maturity= 5.5 years; Grace= 3.5 years

Project Description: This project aims to enhance Chile’s policy and institutional innovation framework for competitiveness and improve the impact of priority innovation programs. More specifically, the project’s objective is: (i) to strengthen the Ministry of Economy’s capacity on innovation and ensure its coherence with other policies for competitiveness; (ii) strengthen  the  National Commission For Scientific And Technological Research (CONICYT) and improve the coherence, quality and relevance of research funding policy in Chile; and (iii)stimulate technology transfer and the creation of new technology based enterprises through  the Chilean Development Agency (Corporation for the Promotion of Production).

For more information, please call Gabriela Aguilar at (202) 473-6768 or e-mail here at gaguilar2@worldbank.org