Note developed for the supplement CANELONES PRODUCTIVO, Caras & Caretas, 2025

Uruguay has cemented its development in key sectors such as livestock, agribusiness, logistics and trade, where innovation has a fundamental role to play. Examples such as biotechnological developments applied in the agricultural sector, the development of renewable energies and the optimization of processes in the meat industry show how Canelones has been a protagonist in this process in the Life Sciences.

Despite the existence of various initiatives that promote innovation in the country, many have emerged as a function of interest groups, specific access to economic resources or particular leaderships. However, the lack of a strong and deep articulation among them has prevented the consolidation of a cohesive ecosystem with a common national strategy.

To achieve a real and sustained impact, it is essential that the system fosters synergy among the country's different actors. This must start from an integrated national development strategy, as without a structured and collaborative approach, progress will remain fragmented and limited in scope. Some success stories will not change Uruguay's GDP.

As the well-known phrase goes, if we want to obtain different results, we cannot keep doing the same thing. However, changing a country's innovation culture is still a challenge. In Uruguay, we continue to reflect and talk about innovation, but the real impact will come when we manage to turn those ideas into action.

Innovation cannot emerge as an individual effort, but as a collective process. It is the country as a whole that innovates or else we will continue to see isolated and exceptional cases. Innovation in Life Sciences is an interconnected ecosystem where knowledge generators, companies, incentives, intellectual property, regulatory frameworks, foreign trade, capital markets and investment policies, to mention a few, must be strategically aligned. It is a great chain, where the vectors must point in the same direction, to join forces and move forward with focus towards the objective.

In this context, the Science Park plays a key role in connecting science with the productive sector. Its work has made it possible to transform knowledge into economic and social development, promoting collaboration between academia and business.

Strategically located in the heart of Canelones, a key department in the productive development of the country, the park not only offers specialized infrastructure, but also promotes Research and Development projects with an open innovation approach for companies and projects throughout the region. Technology-based companies related to chemistry and life sciences find in the Park a strategic ally for the development of products and processes, accessing a vast network of researchers, methodological tools and support in the management and valorization of projects.

The Science Park, applying internationally recognized methodologies, promotes the connection between science and production, consolidating itself as a strategic partner for the deployment of a national innovation strategy.