an IWRC event

26 September 2025  |  Bogotá, Colombia

26 September 2025  |  Bogotá, Colombia

IEEE LACSS

Hosted By

IEEE Colombia Section

IEEE Latin America & the Caribbean Semiconductor Summit (LACSS)

Where: Bogotá, Colombia
When: 26 September 2025

On 26 September, IEEE Region 9, IEEE Future Directions, and IEEE-USA hosted the IWRC Semiconductor Summit in Bogotá, Colombia — the first IWRC held outside the U.S. This event focused on semiconductors as a catalyst for economic growth and innovation across Latin America and the Caribbean.

Bringing together academia, government, and industry in a neutral space, the summit fosters collaboration, giving the opportunity to the different parties to not only share knowledge, but also develop strategic partnerships that will lead to build a more connected, resilient, and competitive innovation ecosystem across Latin America and the Caribbean.

Venue & Agenda

Conference Venue

NH Collection Bogotá WTC Royal

NH Collection Bogotá WTC Royal

  Carrera 8A N 99-55, World Trade Center, Bogotá, Colombia

Friday, 26 September

Time (CT)
8:00 AM - Registration
8:30 AM - Welcome & Kickoff
8:45 AM - The Semiconductor Global Value Chain: Trends and Future
9:15 AM - Semiconductor Business in Latin America
9:45 AM - Fireside Chat: Perspectives from Semiconductor Leaders in Latin America
Moderator: Víctor Grimblatt, Synopsys, Chile
10:30 AM - Networking Break
11:00 AM - Breakout Sessions
Breakout 1) How to Innovate in Hardware Solutions in Latin America
Moderator: Kathy Grise, Senior Program Director, IEEE
Breakout 2) Opportunities and Challenges in Workforce Development
Moderator: Ricardo Reis, UFRGS, Brazil
12:00 PM - Networking Lunch
1:15 PM - Government Perspectives
  • Juan Luis Díaz de León Santiago, Subsecretario de Desarrollo Tecnológico, Vinculación e Innovación. Secretaría de Ciencia, Humanidades, Tecnología e Innovación, México
  • Alessandro Campos, Coordenador-Geral de Tecnologias em Semicondutores. Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovações, Brasil
  • Johannes Kelner, Viceministro de Industria y Comercio y MiPymes, República Dominicana
  • Evelyn Córdova, asesora para la Atracción de Inversión Extranjera Directa en ProGuatemala, Agencia Nacional de Atracción de Inversión del Ministerio de Economía, Guatemala
  • Carlos Maynor Salinas Santano, asesor del secretario de CyT de Panamá (SENACYT), Panamá
  • Hugo Cañarte, Director de proyectos y promoción de inversiones. Ministerio de Producción, Comercio Exterior, Inversiones y Pesca. Ecuador
Moderator: Lorena García, Red Colombiana de Electrónica y Semiconductores, Colombia
2:30 PM - Funding Opportunities for Basic Research Through SOARD
  • Teresa de la Puente, International Program Officer, SOARD
2:45 PM - Panel: The Americas' Semiconductor Partnership: Investment, Innovation, and Collaboration
Moderator: Erik Heilman, Director of Government Relations, IEEE-USA
3:30 PM - Networking Session
4:00 PM - Latin America’s Role in De-Risking Semiconductor Supply Chains
  • Rubi Bledsoe, Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), USA
4:45 PM - Wrap-Up and What's Next
5-6 PM - Post-Social Event with Light Refreshments