ProChile Holds Innovation Summit at ESO Supernova in ESO’s Headquarters, Germany

The third edition of the ProChile Innovation Summit chose Munich for its first European edition, held on 9 and 10 October. Focused on the digital economy, the event sought to materialise cooperation and business opportunities between Chile and Germany, mainly on issues related to Big Data, logistics, e-mobility, digital health, design and sustainable materials.

The event was attended by important companies, such as Microsoft, Siemens, BMW and IBM, who used the occasion to share their innovation projects in Chile.

During the first day of activities, ESO received summit guests at the ESO Supernova Planetarium & Visitor Centre, located at the Headquarters of ESO in Garching bei München. On this occasion, the ESO Director General, Xavier Barcons, addressed officials and guests, including the Chilean Ambassador to Germany, Cecilia MacKenna, and ProChile Director General, Jorge O’Ryan, mentioning Chile’s strategic role in furthering state-of-the-art astronomy.

The ProChile Director General, Jorge O’Ryan Schütz said: “Since ESO started cooperating with Chile, building its observatories in our country, a relationship lasting over 50 years has been forged, uniting us in terms of technological development and innovation. ProChile has chosen Munich for its third edition of the ProChile Innovation Summit because we see the potential for internationalisation of the enterprise in this region of Germany. We are grateful to be able to hold part of the event at ESO’s facilities and hope that this relationship will continue over time and that innovation and enterprise remain as the focus that allows us to attain an increasing commitment with you and with the region of Bavaria.”  

Finally, guests enjoyed the interactive astronomical exhibition on display at ESO Supernova, experiencing the Universe through multisensory exhibits combining music, acoustics, light, and visual impressions.

Claudio Melo, ESO Representative in Chile, stated that these initiatives “are another example of the excellent bilateral relations that our organisation holds with Chile, which highlights how both parties share strategic paths of development”. The Director General of ESO, Xavier Barcons said that “We note with great satisfaction that Chile considers ESO as a strategic partner for its international projection. In this sense, hosting this important event at ESO Supernova is a powerful symbol of our cooperation, where ESO serves as a bridge between Chile and Europe.”

More Information

The ESO Supernova Planetarium & Visitor Centre is a cutting-edge astronomy centre for the public and an educational facility, located at the site of the ESO Headquarters in Garching bei München. The centre hosts the largest tilted planetarium in Germany, Austria and Switzerland and an interactive exhibition, sharing the fascinating world of astronomy and ESO to inspire coming generations to appreciate and understand the Universe around us. All content is provided in English and German. Entrance to the exhibition is free, and requires no prior booking. For planetarium shows, guided tours and other activities, visitors need to book and pay for their tickets online. For more details visit: supernova.eso.org. 

The ESO Supernova Planetarium & Visitor Centre is a cooperation between the European Southern Observatory (ESO) and the Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies (HITS). The building is a donation from the Klaus Tschira Stiftung (KTS), a German foundation, and ESO runs the facility.

ESO Supernova is proudly supported by: LOR Foundation, Evans & Sutherland, Sky-Skan and Energie-Wende-Garching.

Courtesy of European Southern Observatory