Inria Chile
© Inria / photo F. Vilches

Centre Inria
Chile

Created in 2012, Inria Chile is the first Inria centre outside France. It is a driving force for technological innovation and knowledge transfer through effective collaboration with companies, institutions and start-ups to meet the challenges of the digital revolution. The centre aims to inspire and train future generations of scientists and engineers to play a leading role in this transformation. It also promotes the R&D activities of French companies and start-ups in Chile and Latin America.
Nayat Sanchez-Pi

Nayat Sanchez-Pi

Director of Inria Chile

Positioning & Strategic Issues

Inria Chile focuses its activities on five priority areas:

  • data, knowledge, security and confidentiality;
  • artificial intelligence and autonomous systems;
  • interaction, visualization and multimedia;
  • modelling and simulation, optimization and control;
  • systems, networks and the Internet of Things.

These axes are integrated in several application areas that are particularly related to Chile's unique characteristics such as astronomy, mining, renewable energy, logistics and retail, disaster resistance, industry 4.0, smart agriculture and security, to name a few. Inria Chile is at the forefront of technological developments in these fields, with more than 40 project teams actively collaborating between France and Chile.

Ecosystem & Partnerships

In 2009, the Chilean government and CORFO InnovaChile (Corporacion de Fomento de la Producción) launched a program to create "international centres of excellence for competitiveness" in Chile. Building on its relationships with the Chilean ecosystem, Inria proposes the creation of a research and technology transfer centre in digital science and technology, the CIRIC (Communication and Information Research and Innovation Center). Officially created in 2012 in partnership with Chile's leading universities, CIRIC aims to develop research and development activities with industry to increase Chile's competitiveness,

The centre implements a programme with eight major partner universities: Universidad de Chile, Pontifica Universidad Catolica de Chile, Universidad Tecnica Federico Santa Maria, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Valparaiso, Universidad de Valparaiso, Universidad Adolfo Ibañez, Universidad Diego Portales, Universidad de la Frontera, Universidad de Concepción.

Collaborations and linkages with the innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem are actively promoted and encouraged, as indicated in the mission. The mechanisms for achieving such relationships can be classified into three groups: collaborative association with companies, government agencies and other institutional actors, the advanced technology training centre and the technology studio dedicated to start-ups.

Collaborative partnerships can be implemented by establishing joint innovation laboratories, research and development contracts, direct advice or technology services and licenses.

Contact and more 

Astronomy, mining, energy... so many projects made possible by the richness of the South American territory