As part of SF Tech Week, the LATAM Tech Networking event brought together over 150 entrepreneurs, founders, technology leaders, and professionals from the Latin American community based in the Bay Area.
An unprecedented regional alliance
The event was organized by:
Chile Conecta (Chile California Council)
Chile’s Industry and Technology Office in San Francisco (AIyT), led by Bernardita Muñoz
Consulate General of Chile in San Francisco
Chilean Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Consulates of Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, and Uruguay
Reciprocal Venture Studios
Special guests included:
Juan Gabriel Valdés — Chilean Ambassador to the United States
Patricio Cabezas — Consul General of Chile in San Francisco
CCC Directors: Eduardo Bendek, Tu Jarvis, Ignacio Fernández
Strengthening community and Chilean talent
Event objectives:
Activate the Chilean innovation and entrepreneurship network
Connect startups with VCs and accelerators
Boost Chile’s presence in Silicon Valley
Strengthen the LATAM block as a relevant actor in global innovation
Chile Conecta will continue building bridges between Chilean talent and opportunities in California.
Written by Admin_Forma, diciembre 10th, 2025 | Comentarios desactivados en Chile Conecta — LATAM Tech Networking in San Francisco
The University of Chile hosted the 2nd Chile–California Conference on Wildfire Prevention, Management, and Emerging Technologies, with participation from CAL FIRE, CONAF, SENAPRED, government authorities, academia, the private sector, and technology organizations from both Chile and California.
A gathering of authorities and specialists
Participants included:
Víctor Ramos — Chilean Undersecretary of the Interior
Alan Espinoza — Undersecretary of Agriculture
Gloria de la Fuente — Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs
Rodrigo Illesca — Executive Director of CONAF
Tatiana Molina — Co-President, Chile California Council
CAL FIRE delegation
U.S. Embassy
Chilean Firefighters
The conference was part of the 2nd Chile–California Mission, focused on strengthening technical cooperation, developing capacities, and advancing the new CAL FIRE–CONAF Memorandum of Understanding.
Innovation, prevention, and community resilience
The two main blocks of the event covered:
Community prevention and communication strategies: Including insights from the 2025 Los Angeles wildfire, shared by Daniel Berlant, alongside speakers from CONAF, SENAPRED, and the Red de Prevención Comunitaria.
Technology applied to wildfire response: Christopher Anthony and Nathan Barclay presented early detection tools, drones, AI, and remote sensing technologies, in dialogue with representatives from Google, Earth Fire Alliance, Seneca, Itrend, and CONAF.
A long-term collaboration
“Chile and California share a Mediterranean climate and similar challenges. This collaboration helps us prepare for the summer,” stated Undersecretary Víctor Ramos.
The recent Chile–California Mission on Wildfire Prevention, Management, and Emerging Technologies reaffirmed a core belief: the climate crisis demands international collaboration.
Organized by the Chile California Council and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the mission convened experts from both regions to share lessons and cutting-edge technology.
Learning together for a global challenge
Three international leaders emphasized the importance of collaborative work:
Daniel Berlant — CAL FIRE “Our climate is very similar to Chile’s. This isn’t a local problem; it’s global. Only by learning together and leveraging new technologies can we better prepare for the future.”
Brian Collins — Earth Fire Alliance “The key is combining satellite observation with the power of artificial intelligence to understand fire behavior and get ahead of it.”
Christopher Anthony — FireWERX / Earth Fire Alliance “FireWERX is building a bridge between innovation and the fireline. We are honored to collaborate with Chile to advance resilient landscapes and communities.”
An expanding strategic alliance
The mission strengthened binational work across CCC’s strategic areas:
Wildfires and emergency management
Innovation and emerging technologies
Climate change and land conservation
Written by Admin_Forma, diciembre 10th, 2025 | Comentarios desactivados en Voices from the mission: Innovation and cooperation without borders
The Chile California Council (CCC) was featured prominently in national media over the last week—appearing in DF.cl, Radio T13, Las Últimas Noticias, and Pauta.cl—highlighting progress in innovation, AI, and international cooperation for wildfire response.
California wildfires and the delegation’s arrival
In early 2025, California experienced one of its most severe wildfire seasons in years, with around 30 deaths and thousands of hectares burned near Los Angeles. CAL FIRE played a crucial role in statewide response coordination, reinforcing the need to share lessons with other Mediterranean-climate regions such as Chile.
DF.cl highlighted the arrival of the high-level delegation: Daniel Berlant, Nathan Barclay, Helen López, Christopher Anthony, Brian Collins, and Andrew Karn.
Innovation applied to fire management
Following her role moderating the Chile–California Conference on Wildfires, CCC board member and technology/AI expert Victoria Hurtado discussed early detection, intelligent monitoring, and decision-making technologies in an interview with T13 Radio.
She emphasized that collaboration with California accelerates the adoption of AI-based tools, remote sensing, and satellite technologies adapted to highly vulnerable Mediterranean climates.
Voices from California: tech breakthroughs transforming wildfire response
In Las Últimas Noticias, CAL FIRE’s Daniel Berlant and Earth Fire Alliance advisor Christopher Anthony highlighted technologies now transforming wildfire management:
AI-powered real-time detection cameras
Advanced predictive fire-behavior modeling
Tactical and suppression drones
Satellite systems for large-scale fire assessment
A shared commitment
Media coverage reinforces the importance of technical collaboration between Chile and California, led by the CCC across its work in innovation, environment, wildfire management, and artificial intelligence.
Written by Admin_Forma, diciembre 10th, 2025 | Comentarios desactivados en Innovation and binational collaboration to confront wildfires
Between October 27 and 30, 2025, the 2nd Chile–California Mission on Wildfire Prevention, Management, and Emerging Technologies took place in Santiago and Concepción. The mission was organized by the Chile California Council together with the Chilean Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The initiative aimed to deepen collaboration between Chile and California in wildfire prevention and management, promoting knowledge exchange—this year with special focus on new technologies that can support climate and territorial resilience in both regions.
Lessons from the historic Los Angeles wildfire of January 2025, along with California’s ongoing prevention and community-based efforts, guided the meetings and conferences throughout the mission.
A week of joint work across public, private, academic, and community sectors
The mission brought to Chile a delegation of Californian representatives from both government and industry, including officials from CAL FIRE, led by:
Daniel Berlant — State Fire Marshal of California
Nathan Barclay — Deputy Director of Fire Protection
Helen López — Deputy Director of Tribal Affairs
Christopher Anthony — Former CAL FIRE Director, now Executive Director of Fire WERX and technology advisor at Earth Fire Alliance, a global nonprofit coalition developing technologies for near-real-time wildfire data accessibility
Brian Collins — Executive Director of Earth Fire Alliance
Seneca was represented by Andrew Karn, Head of Public Safety Partnerships, showcasing emerging wildfire defense technologies used in California, combining autonomous drones, advanced sensors, and AI to detect and suppress fires before they spread.
Participants from Chile included teams from CONAF and SENAPRED, along with electrical and forestry companies (CORMA), CMPC, Arauco, universities, community networks such as the Red de Prevención Comunitaria, and various technology actors.
Over four days in Santiago and Concepción, the delegation took part in a high-level agenda that included:
Strategic meetings with CONAF and SENAPRED to strengthen technical cooperation and joint planning for the CAL FIRE–CONAF Memorandum of Understanding.
A session with electrical companies to address innovations in detection, monitoring, and risk mitigation.
The 2nd Chile–California Conference at the University of Chile, where experts and authorities discussed public policy, technology, and community-level prevention.
An academic roundtable at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile exploring new opportunities for scientific collaboration and training in fire management.
Technical field visits in the Biobío Region with CMPC and Arauco, focused on technology, field operations, and preventive management in forest landscapes.
A community-oriented activity with the Red de Prevención Comunitaria.
The Southern Macrozone Conference at the University of Concepción, with CORMA, SENAPRED, and CONAF analyzing regional challenges and the importance of coordinated work across sectors.
Building a long-term climate resilience agenda
The 2025 Mission continued the strengthened Disaster Risk Management collaboration established since 2024, enabling renewed cooperation through CAL FIRE visits, international seminars, and institutional dialogue.
The Chile California Council reaffirms its commitment to bilateral collaboration and capacity-building to confront climate change, land management challenges, and wildfire prevention.
Collaborators:
MINREL · CONAF · SENAPRED · CORMA · UC Davis · Universidad de Chile · Pontificia Universidad Católica · University of Concepción · CMPC · Arauco · Itrend · Empresas Eléctricas · U.S. Embassy · Red de Prevención Comunitaria
Written by Admin_Forma, diciembre 10th, 2025 | Comentarios desactivados en 2nd Chile–California Mission: Strengthening binational cooperation in wildfire Prevention and management
On October 8–9, 2025, Valparaíso became the epicenter of a binational dialogue on climate resilience. The International Symposium on Coastal Adaptation to Climate Change, held at the Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María, brought together experts from Chile and California to address a challenge that deeply affects both territories: the vulnerability of their extensive coastal zones.
The event—driven by the Chile California Conservation Exchange (a key initiative of the Chile California Council to promote environmental conservation collaboration between Chile and California), the Municipality of Viña del Mar, CIGIDEN, and the University of Valparaíso—focused on the urgency of building adaptation capacities in response to the impacts of the climate crisis.
The urgent need to act in coastal areas
Chile and California, with their long and densely populated coasts, face similar threats: sea-level rise, intensified swells, and rapid habitat and beach erosion. These phenomena directly impact territorial planning, critical infrastructure, and especially the most vulnerable coastal communities.
The symposium highlighted the need to shift planning paradigms toward solutions that integrate both biodiversity protection and the safety of people and assets.
A high-level exchange for resilience
The event became a fundamental platform for technical knowledge sharing between the “Trans-hemispheric Twins.” Through presentations and panel discussions, participants explored:
Local and global impacts: Effects of climate change on coastal ecosystems and infrastructure.
Adaptation strategies: Public policy design and engineering solutions for coastal resilience and risk prevention.
Best practices: Comparative insights from Chilean and Californian leaders on disaster management and marine spatial planning.
These efforts are vital for strengthening bilateral cooperation not only in disaster management but also in environmental conservation and sustainability—essential pillars for climate resilience across the Pacific.
Written by Admin_Forma, diciembre 09th, 2025 | Comentarios desactivados en Chile and California exchange key Strategies for coastal adaptation
The Biobío Region was the setting for a key milestone of the 2nd Chile–California Mission: the first-ever edition of the Chile–California Conference on Wildfire Prevention, Response, and New Technologies held in the Macrozona Sur. The event, organized in collaboration with CORMA and hosted at the Auditorium of the Faculty of Humanities and Arts at the University of Concepción, brought together regional authorities, experts from Chile and California, academics, firefighters, and representatives from the forestry sector. The hall was completely full, reflecting the strong public interest in strengthening local wildfire preparedness and resilience.
The conference featured the high-level delegation from CAL FIRE, led by Daniel Berlant, State Fire Marshal; Nathan Barclay, Deputy Director for Fire Protection; and Helen Lopez, Deputy Director of Tribal Affairs, along with Brian Collins of AirFire Alliance, Christopher Anthony of FireWerx, and Andrew Karn of Seneca.
From Chile, the speakers included Andrea Rodríguez, Vice President for Research and Development at UdeC; Rolando Pardo of CONAF; Alejandro Sandoval, Regional Director of SENAPRED Biobío; and Ramón Figueroa Lizana, Wildfire Manager at CORMA.
The event concluded with a joint discussion among the speakers, delving into key priorities for strengthening regional resilience: territorial planning, community education, the integration of new technologies, international cooperation, and deeper institutional coordination.
The conference was part of a broader program that included technical field visits with Arauco and CMPC, where the delegation from Chile and California was able to directly observe technologies, operations, and wildfire management models applied in Biobío’s forest landscapes. This coordinated work allowed both territories to advance in shared diagnostics and future areas of collaboration.
Hosting this conference in Biobío marks an important step toward decentralizing Chile–California cooperation and strengthening regional wildfire management capacities—one of the most pressing climate challenges shared by both regions.
Written by Admin_Forma, diciembre 09th, 2025 | Comentarios desactivados en 2nd Chile–California Wildfire Conference arrives in Biobío
La Región del Biobío fue escenario de un hito central de la 2ª Misión Chile–California: la realización, por primera vez en la Macrozona Sur, de la Conferencia Chile–California sobre Prevención, Respuesta y Nuevas Tecnologías ante Incendios Forestales. El encuentro, organizado en colaboración con CORMA y realizado en el Auditorio de la Facultad de Humanidades y Arte de la Universidad de Concepción, reunió a autoridades regionales, expertos de Chile y California, académicos, bomberos y representantes del sector forestal. El salón estuvo completamente lleno, reflejando el alto interés del público por fortalecer las capacidades del territorio.
La conferencia contó con la destacada participación de la delegación de alto nivel de CAL FIRE, encabezada por Daniel Berlant, director de Prevención y Seguridad ante incendios; Nathan Barclay, subdirector de Protección contra incendios; y Helen López, Subdirectora de Asuntos Tribales, junto a Brian Collins de AirFire Alliance, Christopher Anthony de FireWerx y Andrew Karn de Senaca.
Desde Chile, expusieron Andrea Rodríguez, Vicerrectora de la UdeC; Rolando Pardo de CONAF; Alejandro Sandoval, Director Regional de SENAPRED Biobío; y Ramón Figueroa Lizana, Gerente de Incendios de CORMA.
El encuentro cerró con una conversación conjunta entre los expositores, donde se profundizó en las claves para fortalecer la resiliencia regional: planificación territorial, educación comunitaria, integración de nuevas tecnologías, cooperación internacional y mayor articulación entre instituciones.
La conferencia formó parte de una jornada más amplia que incluyó visitas técnicas en terreno junto a Arauco y CMPC, donde la delegación de Chile y California revisó directamente tecnologías, operaciones y modelos de gestión del fuego aplicados en los paisajes forestales del Biobío. Este trabajo coordinado permitió avanzar en diagnósticos comunes y en futuras líneas de colaboración.
La realización de esta conferencia en el Biobío marca un paso relevante para descentralizar la cooperación Chile–California y fortalecer las capacidades regionales frente a los incendios forestales, uno de los principales desafíos climáticos que comparten ambos territorios.
Written by Admin_Forma, diciembre 09th, 2025 | Comentarios desactivados en 2ª Conferencia Chile–California sobre incendios forestales llegó al Biobío
En el marco de la SF Tech Week, se realizó el LATAM Tech Networking, un encuentro que reunió a más de 150 emprendedores, fundadores, líderes tecnológicos y profesionales de la comunidad latinoamericana basada en el Área de la Bahía.
Una alianza regional inédita
El evento fue impulsado por:
Chile Conecta, del Consejo Chile California
Agregaduría de Industria y Tecnología (AIyT) de Chile en San Francisco, liderada por Bernardita Muñoz
Consulado General de Chile en San Francisco
Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de Chile
Consulados de Brasil, Colombia, México, Perú y Uruguay
Reciprocal Venture Studios
Invitados especiales:
Juan Gabriel Valdés, Embajador de Chile en Estados Unidos Patricio Cabezas, Cónsul General de Chile en San Francisco
Directores del CCC: Eduardo Bendek, Tu Jarvis, Ignacio Fernández
Activación de comunidad y talento chileno, con una serie de objetivos:
Activar la red chilena de emprendimiento e innovación
Conectar startups con VCs y aceleradoras
Impulsar la presencia de Chile en Silicon Valley
Fortalecer el bloque LATAM como actor relevante de la innovación global
Chile Conecta seguirá expandiendo puentes entre talento chileno y oportunidades en California.
Written by Admin_Forma, noviembre 20th, 2025 | Comentarios desactivados en Chile Conecta – LATAM Tech Networking en San Francisco
En la Universidad de Chile se desarrolló la 2ª Conferencia Chile–California sobre Prevención, Gestión y Nuevas Tecnologías ante Incendios Forestales, con la participación de expertos de CAL FIRE, CONAF, SENAPRED, autoridades de Gobierno, academia, sector privado, organizaciones tecnológicas tanto de Chile como de California.
Una jornada con autoridades y especialistas, en un evento que reunió a:
Subsecretario del Interior, Víctor Ramos
Subsecretario de Agricultura, Alan Espinoza
Ministra (s) Relaciones Exteriores, Gloria de la Fuente
Director Ejecutivo de CONAF, Rodrigo Illesca
Copresidenta del Consejo Chile California, Tatiana Molina
Delegación de CAL FIRE, Embajada de EE.UU., Bomberos de Chile
La conferencia formó parte de la 2ª Misión Chile–California, orientada a fortalecer la cooperación técnica, desarrollar capacidades y avanzar hacia un nuevo Memorando de Entendimiento (MOU) entre CONAF y CAL FIRE.
Innovación, prevención y resiliencia comunitaria
Los dos bloques del encuentro abordaron:
Estrategias de prevención y comunicación comunitaria: Incluyó la experiencia del incendio Los Ángeles 2025, compartida por Daniel Berlant, junto a voceros de CONAF, SENAPRED y la Red de Prevención Comunitaria.
Tecnología aplicada al combate de incendios: Christopher Anthony y Nathan Barcklay presentaron herramientas de detección temprana, drones, IA y sensores remotos, en diálogo con representantes de Google, Earth Fire Alliance, Seneca, Itrend y CONAF.
Una cooperación de largo plazo
“Chile y California comparten un clima mediterráneo y desafíos similares. Esta colaboración nos ayuda a prepararnos mejor para el verano”, señaló el Subsecretario Víctor Ramos.
