The third edition of the Santa Fe Business Forum ended with more than 7,000 business matchmaking sessions between companies from the region, investment funds and international buyers. The initiative by the Government of Santa Fe, coordinated by the Ministry of Productive Development, consolidated the province’s position as a platform for foreign trade and investment in the country’s interior, by connecting local producers with more than 250 operators and delegations from 50 nations.
The programme featured more than 5,200 bilateral business meetings during the business rounds and over 1,800 contacts at the Investment Forum. As a result, the event achieved a record number of connections between Santa Fe-based firms, international buyers and investors.
Governor Maximiliano Pullaro presided over the formal closing ceremony and noted that, according to surveys carried out among 35 per cent of participating companies, exports were already projected to reach around 15 million dollars, “so we estimate we will reach 40 million dollars”, he stated. Furthermore, he estimated that the volume of trade could exceed 40 million dollars during this trading cycle. “Companies from Santa Fe can consolidate the markets they already have, but also gain new markets and, from there, generate economic growth and jobs,” he said.
The B2B sessions held in Rosario included scheduled meetings in sectors such as agricultural and industrial machinery, agri-food, dairy, animal nutrition and genetics, biotechnology, medical equipment, automotive parts, technology, construction, timber and furniture, textiles, biofuels, bio-inputs and the creative industries.
Based on a preliminary survey of 40 per cent of the participating firms, immediate direct sales totalling US$3.5 million were recorded in the food, dairy, agri-food, agricultural machinery, equipment, fencing, biotechnology, healthcare, technology, services and industrial manufacturing sectors. Within this same group, formal quotations were issued for a provisional total of US$10.5 million.
At the same time, 55 production tours were organised across 15 departments. The foreign delegations visited more than 160 industrial plants in 60 towns across Santa Fe, where they learnt about processes, certifications and installed capacity in beef, dairy, food, machinery, biotechnology, medical technology, energy and port logistics.
A focus on foreign trade
The delegation brought together buyers from traditional markets such as Brazil, the United States, Spain, Mexico, Chile and Uruguay, alongside representatives from Vietnam, Singapore, the Philippines, Ethiopia, Kenya, the Congo, Australia and Canada.
The Investment Forum brought together more than 40 venture capital funds, corporate funds, growth funds and angel investor networks with over 220 start-ups and deep-tech firms with a scientific and technological basis. It generated more than 1,800 meetings, over 70 project presentations to potential investors and added more than 350 users to its platform. In addition, ten venture capital funds visited the Rosario Technology Park.
The event featured more than 45 panels and technical conferences at La Fluvial, as well as activities at the Santa Fe Stock Exchange. Ambassadors from Morocco, Indonesia, Thailand, Ecuador, Panama, Guatemala, Belarus, Italy and Peru took part, alongside specialists from the OECD, Ciara-CEC, CERA, the Rosario Stock Exchange, Conicet and various universities.
The programme covered topics such as artificial intelligence, biodiesel, financing for SMEs – using tools such as FogaFe and the capital market – tariff regulations, halal and kosher certifications, animal genetics, and waterway and port logistics.
The Minister for Productive Development, Gustavo Puccini, emphasised that “when the State plans and works alongside producers, the results exceed all expectations”. He added: “What has happened at La Fluvial, in the city of Santa Fe and in every factory in the interior confirms that Santa Fe has the scale, technology and boldness to lead Argentina’s productive internationalisation”.
For her part, the Secretary for Foreign Trade, Georgina Losada, remarked: “The value of the Forum lies in cutting out the middleman and bringing our SMEs face-to-face with those who make global purchasing decisions. The production tours demonstrated first-hand the technical rigour and innovation behind each product. Operational monitoring now begins to translate every contact into containers and registered employment".
