Colombia is not just watching the artificial intelligence boom from the sidelines. Through the ColombIA Inteligente 2025 call, the country invites local researchers, businesses and organizations to integrate AI and quantum science directly into regional challenges.
MinCiencias presented this call as a key element of the government of change, a way to connect cutting-edge technologies to the environmental, social and economic needs of different territories.
What is Colombia Inteligente 2025 and why it matters
The ColombIA Inteligente call belongs to the National Program on Artificial Intelligence and Quantum Sciences and Technologies. This is the first initiative of its kind in Colombia, entirely focused on these areas.
Officials called the launch a historic milestone, putting Colombia on the regional map for AI and quantum innovation. The idea is to transform science and technology into practical tools for local development, and not just academic exercises.
The program seeks to democratize access to advanced technologies, especially for regions that generally consider these topics as something distant or reserved for the large centers of Bogota or Medellín.
How the call works, funding, themes and participants
Colombia Inteligente will finance high-impact projects up to US$401,000 each, for a maximum duration of 18 months. Proposals should focus on solving concrete territorial problems, and not just testing the technology in isolation.
The call has two thematic axes, artificial intelligence and quantum sciences and technologies. In the quantum axis, lines include information processing and secure communications, quantum sensing and metrology, and sustainable energy and strategic minerals.
To participate, groups must create strategic alliances. Each alliance must include a higher education institution, a national company and three local organizations, for example community groups, NGOs or regional entities.
Applications are received online through the MinCiencias portal and the deadline is May 26, 2026. By this date, interested teams can refine their ideas and complete the required documentation.
AI and Quantum Science in Simple Terms in Colombia
Artificial intelligence refers to systems that can learn from data and perform tasks that typically require human judgment, such as recognizing images, translating text, or recommending decisions.
Concretely, AI can help Colombian regions predict floods, optimize harvests, detect health risks earlier or improve public transport routes, always depending on the quality of the data available.
Quantum science and technology uses the properties of very small particles to do things that normal electronics cannot do. This includes more powerful computers, extremely secure communications and highly sensitive sensors.
For example, quantum communication can help design channels that are much harder to spy on, and quantum sensors can detect tiny changes in magnetic fields or gravity, which is useful in mining, energy or environmental monitoring.
How this call fits into Colombia’s broader scientific missions
Colombia Inteligente’s appeal is not an isolated effort. It is part of Colombia’s science policy, focusing on areas such as health, peace, bioeconomy, energy transition and the right to food.
MinCiencias has already invested USD 17,180,000 in AI capacity building and funded 164 research and innovation projects, as well as USD 117,600,000 in high-level training and postdoctoral stays through alliances with Colfuturo, Fulbright, Icetex and universities.
The ministry also supported STEAM education through Colombia Robotica, with 29 laboratories in 13 departments and more than US$2,280,000 invested to bring technology closer to children and adolescents.
In this context, ColombIA Inteligente appears as the logical next step, moving from training and pilot projects to larger, mission-driven projects that connect AI and quantum technologies to real regional needs.
Transforming advanced technologies into territorial solutions
The ColombIA Inteligente 2025 call shows that advanced topics like artificial intelligence and quantum science should not remain locked away in laboratories or big tech companies. With clear rules and funding, they can become tools for local change. For universities, businesses and community organizations, it is an opportunity to build alliances and design projects that speak both the language of science and that of their territories. The deadline is set, now the ideas must follow.
