Gender & Innovation in Chile
Key Facts
—The Award. InspiraTEC 2026 is a national prize recognising girls, adolescents and women leading STEM projects or ventures.
—The Call. Regional science and economy authorities specifically visited Biobío to invite local women to apply.
—Categories. Three tracks exist: Joven Inspiradora (school students), Emprendedora STEM (early-stage) and Empresaria STEM (consolidated).
—Deadline. Applications close on Sunday 2 August 2026 at 11:59 pm via the official website.
—Backing. The jury unites four government subsecretariats, linking science, economy, international relations and gender equity.
Chilean science and economy authorities are urging women and girls in the Biobío region to apply for the 2026 InspiraTEC Award, a national push to close the persistent gender gap in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
A Direct Invitation to Biobío’s Talent
The Seremi de Ciencia de Biobío y Ñuble, Pedro Ramírez Glade, and the Seremi de Economía del Biobío, Christian Cifuentes, made a deliberate visit to the uMov offices to extend the invitation personally. Their message was clear: the region possesses strong capacities in science, technology and innovation, and women must be at the centre of that growth.
The call is not merely ceremonial. It targets a measurable deficit in female participation across STEM fields, a gap that limits both individual opportunity and Chile’s broader productive development goals.
What the InspiraTEC Award Actually Rewards
The InspiraTEC Award is organised by the Subsecretaría de Economía y Empresas de Menor Tamaño, housed within the Ministry of Economy, Fomento y Turismo. Its core mission is to recognise female leadership in STEM and to make that leadership visible enough to inspire the next cohort.
The prize operates as a signal to the market. By surfacing women-led ventures and projects, it helps connect founders with networks, capital and institutional backing that often remain harder to access for female entrepreneurs in Latin America.
Three Categories, One Clear Pathway
The award structures its reach across three distinct life stages. The Joven Inspiradora category is for school students from 7th grade through to the final year of secondary education, recognising girls and young women who demonstrate leadership in STEM-based initiatives, projects or early ventures.
The Emprendedora STEM track targets women who own or hold at least a 25 percent stake in an early-stage STEM venture, or who lead a STEM cooperative in its initial phase. These businesses may have up to five years of activity, with or without sales.
The Empresaria STEM category is reserved for consolidated companies: women with at least 25 percent ownership of a STEM firm or cooperative that has been active for a minimum of five years and is registered under Chile’s first tax category.
How to Apply for the InspiraTEC Award
Applications are open to all women who are Chilean nationals or foreign residents in the country. The process is entirely digital, submitted through the official form at premioinspiratec.cl.
The deadline is firm: Sunday 2 August 2026 at 11:59 pm. If a required document is missing, the Division de Empresas de Menor Tamaño may notify the applicant so she can complete the submission via email before the closing time.
However, already submitted documents and text fields cannot be altered, so applicants should review everything carefully before sending.
The Institutional Weight Behind the Prize
The 2026 jury brings together four subsecretariats: Economía y Empresas de Menor Tamaño, Relaciones Económicas Internacionales, Ciencia, Tecnología, Conocimiento e Innovación, and Mujer y Equidad de Género. That inter-ministerial composition is deliberate.
It signals that the government views female STEM participation not as a niche social programme but as a thread running through economic development, international competitiveness, scientific capacity and gender policy. For investors watching Chile, awards like this offer a map of emerging talent and early-stage innovation outside the Santiago bubble.
Why Biobío Matters in the STEM Landscape
Biobío has long been one of Chile’s industrial and logistics hubs, anchored by the port of Talcahuano and a strong forestry and manufacturing base. The region is now working to diversify into knowledge-intensive sectors, and the availability of STEM-trained talent is central to that transition.
For expats and international businesses with operations in southern Chile, the InspiraTEC Award provides a window into the local innovation pipeline. The women who apply and win are precisely the kind of founders and technical leaders who will shape the region’s next economic chapter.
More: Chile news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is eligible to apply for the InspiraTEC Award?
Any girl, adolescent or woman who is Chilean or a foreign resident in Chile and leads or participates in a STEM divulgation initiative, project or venture can apply. The three categories cover school students from 7th grade upward, early-stage entrepreneurs and owners of consolidated STEM companies with at least five years of activity.
What is the application deadline for the 2026 InspiraTEC Award?
Applications must be submitted electronically by Sunday 2 August 2026 at 11:59 pm. The only official channel is the online form at premioinspiratec.cl.
If a document is missing, organisers may allow the applicant to complete the submission via email before the deadline, but no changes to already submitted materials are permitted.
Which government bodies back the InspiraTEC Award?
The award is organised by the Subsecretaría de Economía y Empresas de Menor Tamaño. The 2026 jury includes representatives from four subsecretariats: Economy and Smaller Enterprises, International Economic Relations, Science and Technology, and Women and Gender Equity, reflecting a cross-cutting institutional commitment.
Connected Coverage
Sources: Seremi de Ciencia de Biobío y Ñuble, Pedro Ramírez Glade; Seremi de Economía del Biobío, Christian Cifuentes.
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