From May 6 to 7, 2025, the University of Bío-Bío in Concepción will host the Dual Hub Summit 2025, the first dual-use innovation summit in Latin America. Organized by Know Hub Chile, the event will bring together startups, universities, defense sector companies, investors, and stakeholders in the R&D&I ecosystem, with the goal of positioning Chile as a leader in dual-use technologies in the region.
For the first time in Latin America, stakeholders from the civilian and defense sectors will come together around a common goal: to accelerate the country’s development through dual innovation. The event will take place in Concepción at the University of Bío Bío on May 6 and 7, as part of the Dual Hub Summit 2025, organized by Know Hub Chile.
As Javier Ramírez, executive director of Know Hub Chile, explained, Dual Innovation is the intersection between the civilian and defense sectors in the transformation process, with the aim of creating value in both contexts.
The event—the first of its kind in the region—will mark a turning point in how we view technological innovation: not as an isolated effort, but as a synergy between universities, research centers, companies, startups, the Armed Forces, public agencies, and investors. All of this is driven by the strategic goal of creating technological solutions that serve both civilian and military sectors, thereby boosting national growth and international visibility.
The goal is to establish a platform for collaboration among the scientific community, the defense sector, industry, and the government to foster dual-use innovation in Chile, promoting technologies that address the country’s strategic challenges and generate public value, productive development, and technological capabilities with national and international impact.
“This effort spans the entire country and requires different social actors to work in a coordinated manner,” Ramírez said regarding the decision to hold the meeting in Concepción.
Dual-use innovation is not only a response to global threats; it is also a way to revitalize the knowledge economy, generate quality jobs, and create products that have a transformative impact on everyday life. From agricultural drones to cybersecurity technologies, the line between military and civilian applications is becoming increasingly blurred, opening up a wide range of opportunities for countries that strategically commit to this synergy.
“What we want, above all, is to spark an initial conversation. Dual innovation isn’t some crazy idea we came up with; it’s a global trend, albeit a very new one,” explained the executive from Know Hub Chile.
The call for proposals aims to position Chile as a regional leader in dual-use innovation, contributing not only to economic development but also to the country’s technological autonomy and strategic security.
The first Dual Hub Summit will bring together leading representatives from the national and international space ecosystem, including Erin Flores (Arquitectura Espacial Chile and VORTIC), Guler Kocak (SPACELIS, Turkey), Loreto Moraga (ACHIDE), Elise Servajean (CATA), and Sebasthian Ogalde (Andes Aerospace).
The program and registration are available atwww.dualhub.cl