Ten proposals have been selected as a result of the Call for Ideas launched last March by the SPIDER project and RedCLARA, aimed at fostering the strategic use of BELLA. This initiative seeks to promote a human-centered digital transformation through cooperation between the European Union and Latin America and the Caribbean (EU–LAC). The selected ideas, originating from various countries across both regions, stood out for their innovation, technical feasibility, and alignment with BELLA’s strategic objectives.
The call received a total of 28 expressions of interest from ten countries, and 21 concept notes were formally submitted for evaluation. Of these, 76% focused on artificial intelligence, 19% on digital resource sharing, and 5% on cybersecurity.
The selected proposals come from countries including Colombia, Brazil, Guatemala, Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Mexico, Spain, Denmark, and Jamaica—demonstrating the broad geographical scope and collaborative potential of innovation ecosystems across Europe and Latin America and the Caribbean.
The evaluation process was led by an expert committee of eleven members from both regions with expertise in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, digital infrastructure management, innovation, entrepreneurship, and scientific collaboration. This committee applied a rigorous assessment framework that considered creativity, practical applicability, alignment with BELLA infrastructure, implementation feasibility, and the technical quality of the concept notes.
The selected proposals will receive comprehensive institutional and technical support from the SPIDER program, with the goal of transforming these promising concepts into tangible solutions that strengthen the intercontinental digital ecosystem and promote entrepreneurship and innovation in the region.
The Call for Ideas was launched to answer the question: How can we strengthen the digital ecosystem and entrepreneurship using BELLA through solutions in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and digital resource sharing in Latin America, the Caribbean, and Europe? This initiative is part of SPIDER’s broader commitment to building a fair, sustainable, and human-centered digital cooperation.
At the close of the call, the results not only reflect the high technical quality of the proposals received but also the enthusiasm and collaborative spirit among academic, technical, and innovation communities in Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean. The success of this edition confirms the potential of the SPIDER program and BELLA as strategic platforms to drive joint digital development across both regions.
Since 2021, the BELLA Programme (Building the Europe Link with Latin America), implemented by RedCLARA and co-funded by the European Union, has strengthened digital connectivity between the two continents. Through the BELLA-S project, a 6,000-kilometer submarine fiber optic cable was deployed to directly connect Latin America and Europe, complemented by the expansion of terrestrial infrastructure via the BELLA-T project.
Currently, the BELLA II Project, launched in 2023, seeks to consolidate the digital ecosystem of Latin America and the Caribbean, expanding connectivity to more countries—prioritizing Peru, Costa Rica, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras. It also aims to increase the adoption and use of digital transformation technologies to develop solutions that address the region’s main challenges.
SPIDER is a project designed to maximize BELLA’s impact on the digital transformation of Latin America and the Caribbean, promoting international collaboration and the development of emerging technologies in strategic sectors. Through this call, it aims to stimulate the creation of innovative solutions that enhance connectivity and knowledge exchange throughout the region.
Learn more: https://spidernetwork.org/spider-call-for-ideas-21-digital-innovations-bridging-eu-lac-regions/
