Nicaragua launches Innova 2026 rally to boost youth innovation

The National Commission of Creative Economy officially opened the IV National Innovation Rally, "Nicaragua Innova 2026", on 29 July at the Fernando Gordillo Auditorium of UNAN‑Managua. The rally brings together universities, technology centers, government agencies and other ecosystem actors to strengthen the creative, entrepreneurial and technological capacities of students and teachers nationwide.

In the coming weeks, registration, site organization, training and mentorship will prepare multidisciplinary teams for the competition scheduled for 28‑29 August, which will run concurrently at universities and tech centres across the country. Over a continuous 24‑hour period, teams will develop innovative solutions to challenges set by national institutions in three categories: technological, social and process/organisational innovation. The 2025 edition involved more than 3,600 participants at 91 sites, with women accounting for 49% of entrants. Officials Bismarck Santana Tijerino, Technical Secretary for University Affairs, and Loyda Barreda, Director General of the National Technological Institute, highlighted the rally as a country‑wide strategy to identify, strengthen and project Nicaraguan talent.