Public-private partnership joins forces to develop supercomputing project in Valparaíso

Following the announcement by the Ministry of Science and CORFO regarding significant state investment in supercomputing for artificial intelligence, the public and private sectors are joining forces to promote a project in Valparaíso, with the goal of transforming the region into a hub for technological innovation and AI leadership at the national level.

In an increasingly digitalized global context, technological infrastructure has become one of the main pillars of economic and social development. For this reason, Chile is positioning itself as a leader in advanced technologies, taking firm steps toward digital transformation with projects such as the National Data Center Plan and the recent CORFO call for proposals to develop a national supercomputing infrastructure specialized in artificial intelligence (AI). These initiatives not only promise to modernize the country but also strengthen the Valparaíso Region as a key player in the digital economy.

The Valparaíso Region is emerging as a key hub in this technological transformation, thanks to CORFO's recent call to develop a national supercomputing infrastructure. With co-financing of up to 80% of each project, up to a maximum of USD 7 million, this initiative seeks to provide Chile with advanced technological capabilities, with a particular focus on optimizing energy consumption and developing specialized AI equipment.

In this context, the Regional Ministry of Science, Technology, Knowledge, and Innovation (CTCI) of the Central Macrozone is leading key initiatives to foster effective collaboration between the public and private sectors. The goal is to define a regional strategy that will boost the participation of the Valparaíso Region in this growing technological infrastructure, positioning it as a benchmark in the development of artificial intelligence, data centers, and supercomputing in Chile.

“For the Valparaíso region, it is essential to coordinate and understand that the challenges of the future are primarily related to digital economies and digital infrastructure. That is why we have formed a united front with the CRUV universities, the productive sector, the Regional Chamber of Commerce, ASIVA, and the Regional Government, which will allow us to make a solid application for this Corfo call, which seeks to distribute more than $7 million to establish a supercomputing center specializing in artificial intelligence,” emphasized Rodrigo González, Regional Secretary of the Ministry of Science for the Central Macrozone.

Joining forces to boost regional innovation

The active participation of the public and private sectors, academia, science-technology-based companies, and startups will be essential to bring these projects to life in the region. Through this public-private collaboration, the region's resources, infrastructure, and talent will be leveraged, boosting technological development and existing capabilities so that Valparaíso can become a technological hub that attracts national and international investment and significantly contributes to the creation of a robust and sustainable digital economy.

"What good will this do for the region? This will generate installed capacity and solve regional and national problems with these new digital tools. For example, they can be used to predict and manage natural disasters. The supercomputer would use meteorological, seismic, and geographic data to identify areas at risk of forest fires and recommend preventive measures," said the Regional Secretary of Science, Rodrigo González.

The project is currently being drafted for submission and aims to establish the Valparaíso region as a key player in Chile's digital economy.