The meeting, organized by SEGIB, CEIB, the Spanish Ministry of Industry and Tourism, the Tenerife Cabildo, the Government of the Canary Islands and CEOE Tenerife, will bring together around 100 representatives from the public and private sectors from 22 Ibero-American countries, consolidating a unique platform for dialogue, cooperation and action in favor of micro, small and medium-sized companies.
Visa's support not only reinforces its commitment to business development in the region, but also positions the company as a reliable partner to drive the growth of the more than 93 million MSEs in Latin America and the Caribbean, responsible for 60% of formal employment.
“Our commitment is to work hand in hand with governments, business chambers and the financial sector to accelerate the adoption of digital tools that allow MSEs to grow and compete as the true economic and employment engine of the region,” said Ana María Rojas, senior vice president of Commercial Solutions and Money Movement at Visa Latin America and the Caribbean. She added: “We want to go beyond payment methods: boost digital capabilities, access to data and services, and contribute in a tangible way to regional development with more transparency, traceability and formalization, aligned with public priorities.”
Visa will have an intense participation in this edition, which takes place under the motto “Small companies for big countries” and is structured around four thematic axes: Territory, Talent, Transformation and Traction. From its Commercial Solutions team, the company will promote tools that facilitate access to financing, optimize working capital management and connect SMEs to national and international value chains, enabling them to operate in a more efficient, secure and scalable way.
“Visa’s comprehensive portfolio for MSEs includes unique, modular and flexible commercial solutions, adapted to the growth stage and needs of each entrepreneur,” highlighted Rojas.
According to the vice president, the company recently established a new partnership with Uplinq, "the first global credit assessment and rating platform for institutions offering loans to small businesses. This collaboration will allow issuers in Latin America and the Caribbean to enhance the credit analysis of MSEs, leveraging advanced AI models and evaluation systems based on Uplinq data. Together, Visa and Uplinq will open new paths for growth for these companies, expanding access to credit and ensuring that these businesses have easy access to affordable capital they need,” he said.
With more than 50 confirmed speakers, including 15 government representatives, 30 business leaders, 13 presidents of organizations and 20 high-level institutional managers, the Forum will also feature delegates from more than 50 regional institutions and multilateral organizations, such as OIE, OECD, CENPROMYPE, CELIEM, IDB, BCIE, Fundação Carolina, AMPYME, UNE and COPANT. With more than 500 confirmed in-person participants and wide virtual participation, the event is consolidated as one of the most relevant spaces for strengthening the MPE ecosystem, making this edition one of the most ambitious and representative to date.
In addition to the thematic panels and major conferences, the program includes a closed-door meeting between the public and private sector, three technological routes open to the public and the “Employability Objective” journey, organized by CEIB in partnership with FIJE and Conecta Iberoamérica, focusing on the role of MSEs in formalizing work and territorial development. Thus, Visa joins an essential meeting to move towards a more connected, competitive and sustainable Ibero-America.
An evolution with purpose: from commitment to action
Since its first edition in Panama (2013), the Forum has established itself as a unique space for dialogue for Ibero-American MSEs. In its seventh edition, participants will discuss the sector's current challenges in a context of digital transformation, green transition and global economic tensions, promoting practical and concrete decisions.
The meeting is structured around the 4T, a strategy that seeks to strengthen the Ibero-American business fabric based on four axes:
•Talent – training, employability and inclusion to unleash human potential.
•Territory – public policies, financing and local competitive ecosystems.
•Transformation – innovation, digitalization and sustainability as drivers of change.
•Traction – trade, internationalization and value chains that drive growth.
The Forum combines spaces for strategic dialogue and active participation over two days, with agile debate tables, inspiring talks and thematic panels focused on talent, territory, transformation and traction, bringing together experts from across the region.
Registration open at mipyme.espacioempresarialiberoamericano.org
