The programme
Three components,
one programme
GovTech Connect is a regional programme run by the Local Innovation Network (RIL) and co-financed by IDB Lab.
Component 01 of 03 · Escala GovTech
Escala GovTech: strengthening supply
A programme that aims to boost the B2G (Business-to-Government) commercial strategy of technology startups and scaleups and connect them with the public sector. It is run in each of the 4 participating countries by a local entrepreneur support organisation, following Gobe Ventures' methodology. The programme combines specialised training, exposure to the GovTech ecosystem and access to funding for pilots with public partners.
There are 5 cycles of 4 months. Each cycle includes 8 companies per country. The target is at least 120 accelerated startups in total.
Who can apply?
Digital startups and scaleups that:
- Have an innovative technology solution already developed with application in the public sector
- Want to strengthen their B2G commercial strategy
What are the benefits?
- Specialised training and mentoring in B2G strategies
- Possible access to funding for pilots with the public sector
- Demo Day to present your solution to GovTech ecosystem stakeholders
Implementing organisations
Who are the implementing organisations in each country?
Argentina
Universidad Austral
An alliance between the interdisciplinary centre CESIS (Centre for Studies in Sustainability and Social Innovation) and EmprendeIAE, the Entrepreneurship Centre of IAE Business School, a benchmark in entrepreneurship training and support.
Together they combine applied knowledge, entrepreneurial experience and the ability to connect innovative solutions with public, private, academic and social actors.
Brazil
Impact Hub Brasil
An innovation and entrepreneurship network with national and international presence, connecting startups, governments, companies and civil society to develop sustainable, scalable solutions.
With 16 units in Brazil and a presence in 60% of the states, it combines territorial reach with experience in open government innovation.
Chile
Start-Up Chile
A public startup accelerator, part of Corfo (Production Development Corporation), that supports technology and science-based ventures that are innovative, scalable and high-impact.
With more than 15 years of experience, it has accelerated more than 3,000 startups from more than 98 countries and has a community of more than 6,000 entrepreneurs, making it one of the best-known acceleration platforms in Latin America.
Uruguay
ANII
ANII (National Agency for Research and Innovation) is a leading state agency in Uruguay, with more than 18 years of experience designing and running programmes that support research, training, innovation, entrepreneurship and public institutions.
For more than five years it has led the Public Innovation programme, based on open innovation methods, fostering cross-sector collaboration and strengthening the R&D&I ecosystem.
Structure of each cycle
Escala GovTech cycle (4 months)
Applications
Each country publishes a call to identify companies with innovative technology solutions for the public sector that want to improve their B2G strategy.
Matchmaking event
After applications are assessed, up to 25 companies take part in an exchange event with the ecosystem.
Training and mentoring
8 selected companies join a practical and theoretical training programme on B2G sales, along with expert mentoring.
Pilot proposals
Of the 8 companies, those interested propose pilots with a specific public partner; 1 to 3 are selected per cycle.
Demo Day
Presentation of the solutions and a sector meeting with public sector representatives.
Participation
How to take part?
The 4 organisations that run Escala GovTech in the programme countries will publish 5 calls between August 2026 and December 2028 to select 8 companies per cycle. These calls will also be published in the 'Open calls' section of this site.
Coming soon
The open calls section is not published yet.
Component 02 of 03 · CIIAR
City Coalition for Artificial Intelligence
Background
CIIAR was born from a network of local governments committed to promoting and applying artificial intelligence (AI) in public management. It is a pioneering initiative in Latin America, coordinated by the Local Innovation Network (RIL), with the aim of making cities smarter, more inclusive and more sustainable.
FOUNDING CITIES · CIIAR ARGENTINA
Methodology
CIIAR (City Coalition for Artificial Intelligence) is the strategic core of the programme, designed to strengthen public capabilities, experiment with GovTech solutions and scale the responsible use of artificial intelligence in municipalities. It is organised in 6 stages.
“Local governments better able to adopt artificial intelligence with impact, evidence, governance, sustainability and responsibility”
The 6 stages
Forming coalitions
Public, open calls are held for cities in the 4 countries to apply. Priority goes to those with technological, organisational and digital infrastructure capabilities, commitment to and leadership in the programme, while also seeking geographic representation.
Identifying opportunities for improvement
Each selected city begins its path in the programme by applying the IPPL. This index is a self-assessment that gives a clearer picture of the municipality's level of development and produces an improvement roadmap.
Experimentation
Based on the IPPL findings, the challenges submitted in the programme application are worked on. These challenges are prioritised and form the basis of the startup call. An open, public call then invites startups to take part in the demo days to present their solutions and, if chosen by the municipalities, to develop a pilot. The startups chosen by the cities run a pilot for 3–4 months.
Collective learning
The whole process allows municipalities and startups to share experiences and good practices, generating shared knowledge that can be transferred between cities.
Governance and regulation
To ensure technology is implemented properly, regulatory frameworks and criteria for the responsible use of AI are also developed with the cities, through a regulation committee made up of specialist representatives from all cities. This also addresses the institutional conditions for scaling AI responsibly.
Training
Throughout the process, training sessions on the responsible use of AI are held for the cities, so they can receive training beyond the project team.
Benefits
What benefits can selected cities expect?
Peer cooperation and learning network
Membership of a national and international community of governments leading in innovation, digital transformation and artificial intelligence, with ongoing opportunities to share experiences, case studies and good practices.
Spaces for experimentation and visibility
The opportunity to present ideas, share results and give visibility to initiatives in national and international forums, reinforcing the role of member cities in the debate on public innovation and artificial intelligence.
Collaborative projects, technical support and training
The possibility of developing innovative solutions together with different types of organisations.
Commitments
What commitments must selected cities make?
- Apply the IPPL before and after the pilot.
- Take an active part in technical team meetings and gatherings.
- Share context information, results and case studies.
- Take part in at least one govtech project per year.
- Keep information on digital initiatives and impact indicators up to date.
- Ensure that AI adoption follows principles of ethics, transparency, inclusion and responsibility.
Component 03 of 03 · Open source and DPI
Open-source digital solutions
The component works with existing open-source software (OSS) and digital public goods instead of building solutions from scratch. It identifies proven solutions in the Code for Development (IDB) catalogue and the DPGA Registry, curates them for the programme's challenges and territories, and takes them to real pilots with municipalities and startups, generating evidence on their sustainability.
The component runs as a continuous cycle throughout the programme (2026 to 2028) and across the four CIIAR coalitions. Each cycle curates open-source solutions, presents them in webinars for each coalition and opens calls to take them to real pilots with municipalities and startups.
The 4 stages
Identify solutions
Find relevant OSS solutions in the Code for Development (IDB) catalogue and the DPGA Registry.
Curation
Map each solution by challenge and territory, and produce strategic briefs linking it to specific stakeholders.
Pilot
Launch real OSS pilots —municipality + startup + curated solution— and generate evidence on their sustainability.
Build capabilities
Workshops for local governments and startups on OSS + research to learn about sustainable models for open-source digital solutions.
Current call
Open Source Pilot in CIIAR Uruguay cities 2026
New calls will soon open in other coalitions and on other challenge areas.