Colombian businessmen call for more flexible regulation for innovation

The president of the National Association of Businessmen of Colombia (ANDI), Bruce Mac Master, today called on the institutions a more "fast and flexible" regulation to promote innovation business in Colombia.

Medellín, Nov 16 (EFE) .- The president of the National Association of Businessmen of Colombia (ANDI), Bruce Mac Master, today called on the institutions a more "fast and flexible" regulation for promote business innovation in Colombia.

Mac Master, who participated today in Medellin in the Innovation Land 2017 forum, said in an interview with Efe that the flexibility of the Regulation and "tax incentives" are concrete measures that the Government should take to encourage innovation.

"Bringing new technologies or developing them should be absolutely free of taxes ", said the businessman, adding that these are changes that" have to happen and have to happen soon ".

However, the president of ANDI assured that" the work to generate an enabling ecosystem "for innovation also depends on" universities and companies "working in that direction.

Mac Master took the opportunity to assess the perspective of the growth of the Colombian economy of 1.8% announced yesterday by the Minister of Economy and Finance as a "mediocre" data that constitutes a "wake-up call to those who make public policies. "

Innovation Land 2017, which started yesterday and continued during today, was a meeting point for nearly 500 Colombian entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs, many of whom which have developed their professional life in other countries.

"We are interested in young people coming out, know what is happening outside, but come back," said Mac Master.

The president of the ANDI opened today the event with a conference on the general economic situation of Colombia and the initiatives in innovation of the country.

"We have had a environment of uncertainty (...) and in recent years the business climate has deteriorated, "lamented the businessman.

For that reason he encouraged his colleagues to make" an Conscious exercise of isolating the things that concern us about the things that affect our business. "

Mac Master also made an" important call to the Government "in questions of investment in research and development, and affirmed that "the State has to make this effort".

On innovation initiatives in the country, the president of ANDI He warned that Colombia has "mediocre" and "worrying" results.

"It imposes a lot of challenges on us, none of the efforts we have made have changed the situation. It speaks of the importance that exists that innovation exercises can be produced in our country, "he said.

Mac Master also defined as a" pending debt "of Colombia" to arrive at least the Latin American average "in innovation.