ITL Opens applications for the 17 Challengers of its first open innovation call

News

November 19, 2025

Following the official launch in Antofagasta, the Institute of Clean Technologies (ITL) opened applications for its First Open Innovation Call, this initiative aims to accelerate the development of technological solutions applied to the mining and energy sectors, driving innovation for the country and the world, while simultaneously developing technological capabilities.

In total, there are 17 technological challenges designed based on industry needs and opportunities identified by the ITL, this effort aligns with the institute's main objective: to promote sustainable solutions for industry, especially in mining, energy, and lithium.

Patricio Aguilera, Executive Director of the Clean Technologies Institute, stated: "This is a relevant milestone for us because, after 5 months of signing the agreement with Corfo, it allows us to say that we are moving forward in developing concrete actions that facilitate the development of technologies and capabilities focused on clean solutions. We invite everyone – startups, technology companies, research centers, universities, and hopefully in a collaborative manner – to present initiatives for these 17 challenges; we have 30 million dollars to develop solutions with clean technologies in mining and energy, and in turn, strengthen the technological capabilities of the region and the ITL.".

Minister Álvaro García stated that “this effort will help tackle the challenges of the energy transition and position Chile as a global benchmark in clean technologies. As a government, we reaffirm our commitment to a safer, more efficient, and environmentally responsible industry, and I invite you to take an active role in this collaborative process, which will be key to the country’s sustainable development."

Meanwhile, the Executive Vice President of Corfo, José Miguel Benavente, expressed that "this call is truly important, first, because it is a mechanism that addresses challenges and problems coming from the productive sector, particularly in mining and energy. And secondly, it positions the ITL as a space for the development of these solutions, together with proponents of ideas and solutions that are relevant to the productive sector."

From a regional impact perspective, the Regional Governor of Antofagasta, Ricardo Díaz Cortés, assured that "in this way we can incentivize the development of knowledge, especially applied knowledge, which allows us to improve our practices and strengthen ourselves as an energy region, but also an innovative one. We want to thank this call from the Institute of Clean Technologies to empower our entrepreneurs, empower our academics, empower all those who are seeking to create a new future."

Applications are open until January 9, 2026, and the official information for each challenge is available at https://itlchile.com/desafios, where interested parties can download the technical datasheets and access the application platform directly.

The call is open to teams and organizations from both Chile and abroadwith the goal of attracting cutting-edge innovation, scalable solutions, and proposals with sustainable impact on the national industry.

ACTIVITIES

As part of the support and dissemination process, ITL has scheduled two activities to resolve doubts, present the technical guidelines, and strengthen participation in its First Open Innovation Call.

An informative Webinar for interested parties will be held, an open virtual session where the requirements, process stages, evaluation criteria, and frequently asked questions will be reviewed in more detail, and a step-by-step demonstration of the application platform will be provided.

On December 2, the Open ITL will take place, an in-person event where interested teams can learn more about the challenges, the Institute's technological platforms, and the collaboration opportunities linked to this call.

All information about these activities will be published on the official social media channels of the Clean Technologies Institute.

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