Medellin-born multinational bottled-beverages manufacturing giant Postobon announced March 25 that it’s investing COP$9 billion (US$2.2 million) in the “#InnspiraMED” joint project developing special respirators for Coronavirus victims.

A day later (March 26), Medellin-based international table-salt ("Refisal") manufacturer/marketer Brinsa announced that it's adding COP$1 billion (US$251,000) to the project, with the result that "#InnspiraMED" starts with a COP$10 billion (US$2.5 million) funding source to push-along the project.

Later, the "#InnspiraMED" project revelead that Medellin-based banking giant Bancolombia also chipped-in another COP$321 million (US$80,000).

The #InnspiraMED project includes several leading Antioquian companies and research partners in multiple fields.

“With interdisciplinary teams, three prototypes are being developed that can be produced with materials and supplies available or easily available,” according to Medellin-based tech incubator Ruta N.

“#InnspiraMED is an initiative in which more than 50 actors from the science, technology and innovation ecosystem participate today, articulating Ruta N and [Colombia’s national industrial-commercial trade association] ANDI,” according to the organization.

“This investment is guided by one criterion: saving lives,” added Miguel Fernando Escobar, president of Postobón.

Among the Medellin-metro-based entities involved in the “#InnspiraMED" initiative: University of Antioquia-GIBIC; EIA University; Ruta N; ANDI; government of Antioquia; Hospital San Vicente Fundación; TECHFIT Digital Surgery; Sampedro Medical Industries; C2R Engineering SAS; HyS Automation and Control; Invertronic; 10X Thinking; Sofasa Renault; Auteco; Haceb; Los Pinos Metal Industries; CES University; EMCO SA; Las Americas Clinic; Santafé Foundation; Medellin Molds; Reflect; Meridiano SAS; Brinsa; and Ion Heat.