ZASCA — Zones to Accelerate Sophistication, Capabilities and Utilization (Zonas para Acelerar la Sofisticación, Capacidades y el Aprovechamiento)
Supports Colombian small and medium enterprises through cohort-based technical assistance in manufacturing, agro-industry, and technology development.
ZASCA (Zonas para Acelerar la Sofisticación, Capacidades y el Aprovechamiento) is a cohort-based technical assistance programme operated by iNNpulsa Colombia, the national entrepreneurship and innovation agency operating under the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism. The programme targets MiPymes (micro, small, and medium enterprises) and productive units across Colombia's regions through structured cohorts that combine diagnostic assessment, specialized technical assistance, and productive capacity strengthening. Rather than cash awards, ZASCA delivers in-kind expertise covering production, commercial, administrative, and organizational dimensions — with each cohort defined by a specific sector and geographic scope.
As of late May 2026, approximately 16 ZASCA cohorts were simultaneously open, with beneficiary quotas ranging from 15 units (ZASCA Metalmecánico Dosquebradas, Cohorte 4) to 300 units (ZASCA Tecnologías Norte de Santander, Cohorte 2). Sector specializations active in 2026 included garment manufacturing (confección) in the Eje Cafetero and Pereira metro areas, agro-industry cohorts focused on coffee, panela, and cacao in Caldas, Quindío, Cauca, and Meta departments, metal-mechanics in Manizales and Dosquebradas, and technology-enablement cohorts open to any sector in Casanare, Caquetá, Putumayo, Norte de Santander, and southern Bogotá. Applications are typically submitted in person at designated ZASCA centres or via the convocatorias.innpulsacolombia.com portal, with cohort windows running from a few days to several months depending on the call.
Organisations considering ZASCA should evaluate individual cohort calls rather than the umbrella programme, as each cohort restricts both geography (specific municipalities) and sector. The programme sits within iNNpulsa's Subgerencia de Reindustrialización y Encadenamientos Productivos and is aligned with Colombia's national re-industrialisation policy under the 2022–2026 National Development Plan. Because ZASCA is a technical-assistance instrument with no published cash award amounts, it is best suited to established MiPymes seeking structured operational improvement rather than early-stage ventures requiring capital.
Regional sector-specific cohorts targeting manufacturing (confección), agro-industry (coffee, panela, cacao), and technology enablement for MiPymes and productive units.
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