SANTIAGO, July 28 (Xinhua) -- Sebastian Acevedo, head of a startup in Central Chile's upscale Providencia District, has developed an application called Approp, which will help people to find their "dream home."
Young people are increasingly learning via technological tools and using technology to help with chores such as apartment hunting, he said.
The upcoming app has been helped along by the district authorities, who have created a new hub for innovators, providing them free public space, and promoting innovation, startups, and the creative industry.
The hub also boasts an innovation team set up by the local government, a cultural center, and a library available 24/7.
The concept of innovation is very familiar to young Chileans, many of whom compete for scholarships, funding or to take part in idea incubators, Nicole Castro Balladares, Providencia's head of innovation, told Xinhua.
"Universities offer specialized courses and many schools are also starting to introduce children to innovation and the need to discover new things, to identify ways to improve the future," she said.
The local authorities are seeking to promote collaboration between the public and private sectors, educational institutions and among residents, promoting initiatives "with a social focus" through "experience-sharing."
Providencia has all the space and raw materials needed. It just needs to begin developing them, Castro said.
The district, home to older, wealthy residents, has become the most affluent district with well-equipped infrastructure and is now increasingly attracting young professionals and entrepreneurs.
Prior to the hub, it had another innovative venue, the Fabrica de Ideas, or Idea Factory. A textile plant was converted to showcase creativity. Its four floors housed a wide range of initiatives, from urban gardens to furniture made of recycled materials, sustainable garment making, and even up-and-coming bands.
The World Intellectual Property Organization's Global Innovation Index recently ranked Chile as topping Latin America in innovation and no. 47 worldwide.
