AGP Executive Report

Mining & Critical Minerals: Collective Mining says it found tungsten (scheelite) in Caldas after six years of drilling for gold, with tungsten valued at about US$5.43B in 2025 and dominated by China—raising Colombia’s strategic minerals profile. Public Safety & Disaster Response: A 7.4 quake hit western Colombia, killing at least 111 and damaging thousands of buildings, while Puracé remains on orange alert after ongoing seismic unrest and ash emissions. Security Tech & Cross-Border Policing: An Garda Síochána and Colombia’s National Police signed a cooperation pact to share intelligence and train jointly to disrupt international cocaine trafficking networks. Earthquake Recovery Mobilization: Colombia’s top business groups are traveling to Chocó with President De la Espriella to help map a reconstruction roadmap after the Aug. 10 disaster. Energy/Geoscience Hardware: Vector Geophysical bought 30,000 STRYDE Halo-Connect nodes to boost high-density seismic surveys in Colombia, including work for Parex Resources. Digital Risk & Child Protection: UNICEF reports 20M children (12–17) faced tech-facilitated sexual exploitation or abuse in a year across 21 countries, with social media driving most cases. Tech Payments: SQRIL says it’s expanding scan-to-pay QR payments for banks and neobanks across Asia, Africa and Latin America, aiming to cut cross-border card and ATM costs.

Colombia Tech & Society: Bogotá’s Colegio Las Margaritas cut serious school coexistence incidents by 85%, bullying to zero, and dropout to under 1% by shifting to emotional well-being, peer-led conflict resolution, and dialogue. Biodiversity Tech: Colombia is consolidating a national camera-trap monitoring effort via the OTUS Network, coordinated by Humboldt Institute, Conservation International Colombia, regional environmental authorities, Wildlife Insights, and Google, to generate decision-ready wildlife data. AI & Governance: Colombia’s Technology Ministry created a weekly working group to manage social media responses aimed at stopping criminal recruitment of minors. Digital Safety: UNICEF reports 20 million children face online sexual abuse each year, with a new multi-country study including Colombia. Climate & Risk: El Niño is expected to intensify into a very strong event through at least February, with impacts already reaching Colombia and the region. Startup Ecosystem: Tech Sphere returned to Medellín, highlighting how BI companies are racing to keep up with AI as Medellín’s tech base grows.

Biodiversity Monitoring: Colombia is consolidating a national camera-trap network (OTUS) to generate reliable wildlife data for conservation decisions, linking Humboldt Institute, Conservation International Colombia, regional environmental authorities, Wildlife Insights, and Google. Public Health & Safety Tech: UNICEF reports about 20 million children (12–17) across 21 countries have faced technology-facilitated sexual exploitation and abuse, with Colombia included in the newer 2024–2025 survey wave. AI in Mobility Safety: Yango Ride says privacy-protecting call tech and anti-fraud systems helped cut grave traffic violations 31% globally, with post-trip contact drops reported in Peru and Colombia. Education & Well-being: A Bogotá public school (Colegio Las Margaritas IED) cut serious coexistence incidents 85%, bullying to zero, and dropout below 1% by shifting toward emotional well-being and peer-led conflict resolution. Climate Context: El Niño is expected to intensify into a very strong event through at least February, reshaping rainfall and temperatures across Latin America including Colombia. Construction Innovation: A Colombian startup built modular homes and classrooms using coffee husk plus recycled plastic, reaching 3,700 houses and 1,000 classrooms.

Medellín Tech Scene: Tech Sphere returned to Medellín, spotlighting how business intelligence roles are shifting fast as AI adoption accelerates, with the city’s startup momentum cited via recent ecosystem rankings. Biodiversity Monitoring: Colombia is consolidating a national camera-trap network (OTUS) to generate better wildlife data for conservation decisions, backed by Humboldt Institute, Conservation International Colombia, regional authorities, and Google. AI & Work: A Colombian labor early-warning report says 48.1% of jobs in major cities have high exposure to AI, with 3.27 million workers flagged for adaptation and possible conversion programs. Digital Safety for Minors: MinTIC will set up a weekly working group to push social platforms to remove content used to recruit minors, following Human Rights Watch findings. Energy & Investment: Erco Energía closed a $129M Series C co-led by Ventures EPM, signaling continued growth in Colombia’s solar pipeline. Public Health Tech: Colombia’s fixed internet access hit 10.49M as 5G users reached 10M, underscoring connectivity gains. Drug Tech & Security: UN reporting alleges transnational networks, including Colombian-linked contractors, helped fuel Sudan’s war with drones and advanced weapons.

Biodiversity Tech in Colombia: The OTUS Network is being consolidated to strengthen national biodiversity monitoring using camera traps, with Humboldt Institute, Conservation International Colombia, regional environmental authorities, Wildlife Insights, and Google coordinating to process hundreds of thousands of images and turn them into decision-ready conservation data. AI & Work in Colombia: A new Asocapitales early-warning report says 48.1% of jobs in Colombia’s main cities are highly exposed to AI, with 22% in roles that could be upgraded and 26.1% in occupations needing conversion support. MinTIC vs. Criminal Recruitment: Colombia’s tech ministry will set up a weekly working group to push social platforms to remove content used to recruit minors, following Human Rights Watch findings of at least 1,500 child recruits since 2021. Energy & Investment: Erco Energía closed a $129M Series C co-led by Next Utility Ventures (EPM) to scale solar development. Housing Materials Innovation: A Colombian startup built thousands of homes and classrooms using panels made from coffee husk and recycled plastic. Security Tech Meets the Court: A Bogotá judge ordered Colombia to suspend airstrikes when reliable info suggests minors may be present, forcing more caution in drone/air operations. Drone Warfare in the News: Suspected ELN drone attacks in Norte de Santander killed at least three soldiers. Public Health & Online Safety: UNICEF reports 1 in 5 children across 21 countries face tech-facilitated online sexual abuse, with Latin America and the Caribbean at 18%.

UN Probe on Sudan: A UN fact-finding mission says Ethiopia has not answered requests about alleged illicit military support tied to Sudan’s war, while also pointing to transnational networks supplying the RSF with weapons, logistics, training and foreign personnel, including Ethiopian and South Sudanese fighters. Education & Testing: UNESCO is preparing to publish ERCE 2025 results, a major Latin America and Caribbean student learning assessment, with first findings due in December 2026. AI & Jobs in Colombia: A new report estimates 48.1% of Colombia’s urban workers are in roles with high exposure to AI, with 3.27 million in occupations needing adaptation and possible labor conversion. MinTIC vs. Child Recruitment Online: Colombia’s tech ministry will set up a weekly working group to monitor social platforms’ efforts to remove criminal recruitment content targeting minors. Energy Investment: Solar developer Erco Energía raises $129M in a Series C co-led by Next Utility Ventures (EPM) to scale projects. Security & Courts: A Bogotá judge orders Colombia to suspend airstrikes when minors may be present, after reports of child deaths in recent bombings. Border Enforcement: U.S. CBP seized $2.9M in cocaine in two inspections at Laredo, including one involving a trailer concealed inside legitimate cargo. Tech Infrastructure: Telconet opens Telconet Cloud Center III in Guayaquil as it expands Ecuador’s data-center and cloud capacity.

Maritime Safety Milestone: The MV Freewinds logged 500,000 safe sea miles on a Caribbean voyage to Cartagena, highlighting long-running safety and maintenance standards. Aerial Warfare & Child Protection: A Bogotá judge temporarily ordered Colombia to suspend airstrikes when reliable information suggests minors may be present, forcing stricter precaution in counter-armed-group operations. Agri-Tech Exchange: Colombia and Indonesia explored cassava value-chain upgrades with researchers and rural producers, aiming to strengthen processing and traditional products. Data Infrastructure: Telconet opened Telconet Cloud Center III in Guayaquil, expanding Ecuador’s data-center and connectivity capacity for enterprise digitization and AI workloads. AI Governance in Practice: SAS and IDC argue AI governance is becoming a business enabler, not just compliance, as only a minority of firms invest in making AI systems trustworthy. Mobility Electrification: LatAm’s electric last-mile shift is accelerating, with Colombia among the faster-growing markets as battery costs fall and van regulations tighten. Cyber-Enabled Harm: UNICEF estimates 20M children (12–17) faced tech-facilitated sexual exploitation and abuse across 21 countries, underscoring the need for stronger protections. Cross-Border Security Tech: U.S. CBP seized $2.96M in cocaine in two big-rig inspections at Laredo, using canine and nonintrusive screening tech. E-Commerce Trade Tensions: China’s ambassador defended Shein and Temu in Colombia amid calls for tighter oversight over cross-border competition. Sudan Conflict Tech Links: UN investigators say foreign networks, including Colombian contractors, helped supply drones, weapons, and training that expand strike capabilities and harm civilians. Health Device Recall Clarification: Boston Scientific pulled unused spinal cord stimulator leads tied to fractures, stressing implanted devices aren’t affected.

El Niño Watch: The UN warns the climate pattern is “surging” and already disrupting droughts, floods, and heatwaves, with the World Meteorological Organization saying there’s nearly a 100% chance it persists through February. Public Health: Colombia faces a dengue risk boost as El Niño’s heat accelerates Aedes aegypti and worsens conditions for outbreaks. AI Reliability: Gemini and Grok are back after a global outage hit multiple chatbots, while ChatGPT and Claude still report issues. Child Safety Online: UNICEF estimates 20 million children (ages 12–17) across 21 countries experienced tech-facilitated sexual exploitation and abuse in a year. Justice & Rights: A Colombian judge ordered a temporary suspension of guerrilla bombings when minors may be present, after strikes killed teenagers. Security Tech & Policy: Colombia’s passport-production agreements were provisionally suspended, but services and deliveries must continue. Space Cooperation: A Space Doctrine Conference in Tucson advanced partner-led space centers of excellence across the Western Hemisphere, including Colombia.

Sudan War Tech & Arms: A UN-backed fact-finding mission says foreign recruitment networks and state-linked support are sustaining Sudan’s civil war, including drone transfers and foreign personnel—allegedly involving Colombian contractors—raising the risk of war crimes. Colombia Connectivity: MinTIC reports Colombia’s fixed internet access hit 10.49 million in Q1 2026, with 5G accesses reaching 10 million and fiber driving growth. Cybersecurity Threats: Researchers detail BraZetsu, a Python-based Windows malware toolkit that turns compromised machines into a criminal marketplace, with heavy targeting of Latin America. Public Health Monitoring: Hawaiʻi’s DOH detected dengue virus in Hilo wastewater (no active cases reported), underscoring how wastewater surveillance can flag outbreaks early. Digital Child Safety: UNICEF estimates 20 million children (ages 12–17) face online sexual exploitation or abuse each year across 21 countries, with social media driving most cases. Energy & Industry in Colombia: Dewhurst Group received Colombia’s geothermal exploration permit for the Cóndor Paipa project in Boyacá, advancing clean-energy development. Biodiversity Milestone: Colombia’s blue-billed curassow “Miracle” chick hatches at Barranquilla Zoo, a rare captive-breeding win for a critically endangered species.

Geothermal Push: Dewhurst Group secured Colombia’s geothermal exploration permit for the Cóndor Paipa project, a step toward commercial-scale geothermal energy in Boyacá. Volcano Watch: Purace in Cauca stays on orange alert after a month of intense activity, with the Geological Service pointing to its hazard map and dense monitoring network. Urban Mobility & Safety: Yango Ride’s 2024–2025 Safety Report says serious traffic violations fell 31% globally, with privacy and GPS-based driving analysis helping reduce disputes and fraud. Water & Public Health: A report found traces of cocaine and illicit-production chemicals in drinking-water systems serving 11.8M people across five Colombian cities, raising concerns about contamination pathways. Digital Child Safety: UNICEF estimates 20M children (12–17) faced online sexual exploitation or abuse in a year across 21 countries, highlighting low reporting and major undercounting. Regulation & Tech in Schools: Bogota proposed restricting cellphone use during the school day, aiming to balance learning tech with attention and face-to-face interaction. Healthcare Manufacturing: Caplin One Labs received INVIMA GMP compliance confirmation for oncology drug manufacturing, supporting Colombia’s access to cancer treatments.

Bogotá’s School Tech Rules: The city is consulting on a draft regulation that would sharply restrict cellphone use during the school day, aiming to separate learning tech from distractions for kids across early childhood, primary, and secondary grades. Public Health & Aging: Bogotá is also using video games as part of its Wellness Week push to reduce stress and tackle elderly loneliness, after survey results showed over half of residents above 60 reporting moderate to high loneliness. Healthcare Innovation: Knight Therapeutics won Colombian regulatory approval for TAVALISSE (fostamatinib) to treat adult chronic immune thrombocytopenia patients who didn’t respond to or can’t tolerate prior therapies. Ag Tech Push: Bayer says it has launched 2 of 10 planned Crop Science blockbusters, including Plenexos in Colombia and Preceon Smart Corn in multiple countries, and mapped further launches. Fintech Expansion: Félix Pago raised $200M to expand beyond remittances into lending, savings, and AI guidance, positioning itself for a tax shift that favors digital transfers. Logistics Deal: DHL Global Forwarding acquired Aero Cargas in Uruguay, moving from a partner model to direct operations in the country. Space Connectivity Tech: Amazon’s FCC approval for direct-to-device satellite plans highlights growing competition in phone-to-satellite connectivity.

Nearshore Tech & Jobs: MicroSourcing inaugurated its Bogotá delivery center, expanding its Latin America footprint and adding a nearshore hub for clients across the Americas and Europe. Sustainable Cities: Cartagena de Indias landed among the most sustainable heritage cities in Europe and Latin America, using a model that links heritage preservation with culture, economic activity, social well-being, and environmental sustainability. Health Tech & Pharma: Knight Therapeutics received INVIMA approval in Colombia for TAVALISSE® (fostamatinib) to treat adult chronic immune thrombocytopenia after inadequate response to prior therapies. Fintech & Payments: Félix Pago raised $200M (Series C) and plans to move beyond remittances into lending, savings, and AI-driven financial guidance, benefiting from a new tax rule that exempts digital transfers. Energy & Water: Global Water Challenge and Cargill expanded the Cargill Currents partnership into Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, and Türkiye to improve safe water access, sanitation, and watershed restoration. Aviation AI: Dominican AI aviation assistant SARA won a Women in Tech LATAM award and is set to represent Latin America at global awards. Cybersecurity: Kaspersky warned that small businesses are facing the same kinds of attacks as large firms, urging stronger defenses.

Biodiversity & Taxonomy: Ecuadorian researchers formally describe Pristimantis milpe as a distinct frog species after revisiting 19th-century specimens—an abundant, widespread animal long misnamed, spanning western Ecuador and southern Colombia. Health Policy & Genetics: A new critique spotlights how insurers may penalize people for results from life-saving genetic tests, raising concerns about access and affordability in Colombia and Costa Rica. Colombia Tech & Society: Medellín’s Youth Well-Being Measurement flags rising loneliness and weaker off-screen social ties among ages 14–28, aiming to feed updates to youth public policy. Disaster Response Tech: Indra is deploying 70+ satellite connectivity points and drone imaging with AI analysis to restore communications and assess damage after Colombia’s earthquake. Digital Finance: Mercado Bitcoin and Bitso plan to join forces in Brazil to compete on spreads ahead of tighter Central Bank rules. Climate & Oceans: Panama reports ship noise can cut whale-song detection by up to 45%, with regional efforts pushing for a quieter ocean. Energy Media: UHN Plus Media Network launches The Energy Post to connect energy markets, policy, and investment across the Americas.

Disaster Tech in Colombia: Indra is rolling out emergency connectivity for earthquake-hit areas, installing 70+ satellite internet points in Valle del Cauca, Caldas and Chocó (with Risaralda under review) to restore communications via Hispasat, plus drones with high-resolution cameras and AI-assisted satellite image analysis to map damage and guide response priorities. Biodiversity Finance Gap: Colombia-linked U.N. “Cali Fund” for sharing benefits from digital genetic data has collected only about $6,000 since launch, far below the $1B/year goal, with experts citing low awareness and weak recognition of compliance certificates. New Species in Colombia: SINCHI-led research in the Caquetá–Putumayo river basins documented major aquatic biodiversity, including new animal records and species of conservation interest. Cocaine Economy Data: An EAFIT University report says illicit cocaine exports hit $16.5B in 2024, surpassing crude oil and making cocaine Colombia’s top export, with the trade now ~4.4% of GDP. Cybersecurity for SMBs: Kaspersky warns attackers are increasingly targeting smaller firms; its survey finds most SMBs faced incidents in the past year, with phishing and remote access among the most common. AI in Education (Colombia): Asteromorph’s AI model won gold-level results at Colombia’s IPhO, scoring 28.6/30 on the theoretical exam.

AI in Business (Colombia): Endeavor Data Unit’s “Colombia AI Pulse” finds 61% of firms call AI a strategic priority, but only 37.7% have integrated it into day-to-day operations, with an average AI sophistication score of 45.6/100—adoption is happening, scaling is the gap. Cybersecurity (SMBs): Kaspersky warns attackers are targeting smaller businesses too; its survey says only 14% of SMBs (100–499 employees) avoided a cyber incident in the past year, with phishing, software flaws, and remote access leading common breaches. Regenerative Medicine (Colombia): PlacidWay partners with Stem Cells Kyron Colombia in Cali to route international patients toward INVIMA-regulated GMP mesenchymal stem cell therapies. Health Research (Prostate Cancer): A study on prostate cancer care found routine cardiology/internist referrals improved cholesterol and statin use, but didn’t reduce major heart outcomes. Trade Policy: Colombia’s president says free-trade talks with Japan will resume after 15 years, aiming to unlock investment in manufacturing, electric mobility, energy, and tech. Security & Justice (Colombia): Colombia confirmed three children killed in a Guaviare airstrike tied to an armed dissident camp, with forensic identification underway. Earthquake Tech & Response: Coverage highlights local relief coordination for Colombia and Venezuela after recent quakes, alongside broader public preparedness themes.

Cybersecurity in Colombia: A new investigation says a Blind Eagle-linked campaign used phishing emails impersonating Colombian judicial and traffic bodies, then delivered password-protected archives to slow detection and connect victims to remote-access malware and file-hosting tools. Public finance pressure: Colombia’s 2026–2027 budget is projected to run a deeper deficit than expected, with analysts warning the government may need multilateral support, potentially including the IMF. National parks & conservation: Colombia is ranked top 10 globally for national natural parks (61 protected areas) and leads Latin America on the IUCN Green List. Education access: SENA Sofia Plus expands free, online technical training and certification access across Colombia. Disaster response tech: After a 7.4 earthquake, Colombia’s aid and search efforts highlighted drones and specialized teams in the response. Health research: A study on prostate cancer care found that adding internist/cardiologist referrals improved cholesterol and medication use, though it didn’t reduce major cardiovascular events. Security & justice cooperation: Colombia and the Dominican Republic move to strengthen judicial cooperation via a joint investigation team.