CATIE specialists in sustainable agribusiness participate in event on financial mechanisms for agro-food bioentrepreneurship

• The event, organized by the IICA Center for Agrobio-entrepreneurship and Investments, brought together specialists, financial mechanisms, and entrepreneurs to share information on access to financing in the agrifood and bioeconomy sectors. El encuentro del Centro de Agrobioemprendimientos e Inversiones del IICA reunió a especialistas, mecanismos financieros y personas emprendedoras para dar a conocer el acceso a financiamiento en el sector agroalimentario y de bioeconomía.

On December 8, specialists in sustainable agribusiness from CATIE (Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center) participated in the event Connection with traditional and non-traditional financial mechanisms,held at the Hotel Radisson in San José, Costa Rica. The event brought together more than 25 entrepreneurs and representatives from financial institutions, public entities, and development cooperation organizations, with the aim of strengthening knowledge and fostering strategic linkages to facilitate access to various sources of financing within the entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Representing CATIE were Anthony Gamboa and Susana Acuña, sustainable agribusiness specialists from the Unit of Environmental Economics and Sustainable Agribusiness (UEAAS/EfD), who took part in technical presentations and specialized meetings with financial institutions.

During the day, specialists from IICA, the Development Banking System (SBD), DSIK–German Rural Savings Banks, Brumas Venture Capital, as well as representatives from Promerica, Banco Nacional, and Banco de Costa Rica, presented a wide range of financial instruments, including factoring, traditional banking, seed capital, and venture capital.

According to Acuña, participation in this type of space is essential to understanding first-hand the real opportunities within the ecosystem:

“Events like this allow us to identify the different financial mechanisms that exist in the business ecosystem of Costa Rica and also in other Latin American countries. For many entrepreneurs and MSMEs, accessing financing is often a challenge, whether due to lack of knowledge or the barriers they face in traditional processes. The clear and practical information shared here is extremely valuable,” Acuña noted.

Gamboa emphasized that staying up to date is essential for the work CATIE does with organizations, producers, and entrepreneurs:

“These spaces allow us to stay informed about the different financial mechanisms available for entrepreneurs, MSMEs, cooperatives, and associations. For the Sustainable Agribusiness Team at CATIE, this continuous learning is fundamental to better guide the organizations and producers we support. I thank IICA for creating these opportunities that build capacities and promote alliances for the benefit of the agricultural sector,” Gamboa commented.

The second part of the event was dedicated to one-on-one meetings between financial mechanisms and business owners, enabling the creation of direct pathways for future strengthening processes, applications to funds, and the formation of technical and commercial alliances.

This exchange also allowed CATIE to identify opportunities to strengthen its support for organizations and enterprises seeking sustainable financing alternatives.