Dominican institutions promote student innovation and entrepreneurship

Educational and corporate institutions in the Dominican Republic are launching initiatives to foster student entrepreneurship and technological innovation.

Banco Popular Dominicano celebrated the tenth anniversary of ‘Challenge Popular,’ a co-creation marathon for university students. Over its decade-long history, the program has engaged 4,399 students from more than 20 universities across various provinces, including Santo Domingo, Santiago, and La Romana. The tenth edition focused on the potential of artificial intelligence to develop practical applications. Throughout the program, 142 participants have been awarded for their innovative proposals, some of which have been adopted by the financial institution.

Separately, Universidad Dominicana O&M held the inaugural ‘Feria O&M INNOVA 2026.’ The event showcased student projects involving artificial intelligence, deep learning, Internet of Things (IoT), and urban mobility. The fair included representatives from the National Office of Industrial Property (Onapi), Proindustria, and the National Academy of Intellectual Property to support the integration of academic training with industrial and technological solutions.