General News

Ministry of Environment: Medellin Environmental Quality Best in Colombia

Medellin Herald November 2, 2015

The Ministry of Environment on October 29 unveiled a study showing that Medellin ranks best among all Colombian cities in environmental quality – but with only a “moderate” ranking. On a scale of zero (horrible) to 80-and-above (excellent), Medellin took first place with a 55 rating, followed

General News

Merco Ranking: Medellin-Based Corporations Best in Colombia

Medellin Herald November 2, 2015

Spain-based corporate-reputation analyst Merco found in a new survey and study that Medellin-based Grupo Bancolombia is now the highest-ranked company in Colombia — and led by Colombia’s best corporate leader: Carlos Raúl Yepes (see photo, above). In the latest study, banking giant Bancolombia leaped over Colombian national oil company Ecopetrol to take first place

Health & Insurance.

‘Medical Tourism’ Growing, but More Efforts Needed: Medesalud 2015

Medellin Herald October 29, 2015

While the number of foreigners coming to metro Medellin for relatively low-cost, high-quality medical and dental procedures continues to grow, windows of opportunity have only just started to open. Current status: Some 5,600 foreign patients traveled to Medellin last year, spending a total of US$12 million at the 24 affiliates of Medellin’s medical-dental “cluster,”

Expat Businesses

Medellin Developing IT Start-ups, but Sharper Focus Needed: Expert Advice

Medellin Herald October 27, 2015

Following an 18-months-long overland odyssey from Mexico to Argentina, British expat Nick Aldridge came to Medellin four years ago to launch a start-up information technology (IT) company called Kogi Mobile – and found success. Having started with just three people in 2011, Kogi  now has more than 30 techies working in its offices near Parque […]

Colombian economy

Antioquia, Colombia Taking New Steps toward ‘Responsible’ Gold Mining

Medellin Herald October 26, 2015

The just-issued annual report by the metro-Medellin-based Alliance for Responsible Mining (ARM) finds that Antioquia and other parts of Latin America are starting to make progress in their quest to overcome enormous problems confronting the gold-mining industry. ARM, which created the “Fairmined” certification standard, reports that during 2014, “certified miners sold 500%

General News

‘Pacifico 1, 2’ Prosperity Highway Financing Complete: Antioquia Boosts Pacific Link

Medellin Herald October 22, 2015

Colombia’s national infrastructure agency (ANI) announced October 21 that financial close has now been achieved on the “Pacifico 1” (Medellin to Bolombolo) highway project and the related “Pacifico 2” (Bolombolo to La Pintada) projects. Both projects will speed freight traffic links between Antioquia and the key Pacific port of Buenaventura, as well as links between […]

Colombian economy

1,000 Biggest Antioquia Companies Account for 80% of Exports

Medellin Herald October 21, 2015

A new study by the Chamber of Commerce of Medellin for Antioquia (CCMA) shows that the biggest 1,030 companies in Antioquia account for 80% of the department’s exports, worth more than US$4 billion annually. These enterprises also represent 52% of Antioquia’s net annual investment in companies, 92% of the business asset base and 53% of […]

General News

Antioquia’s ‘Prosperity Highways’ Will Boost Economy, Jobs, Transport: Study

Medellin Herald October 21, 2015

A new study by the University of Antioquia and University Pontificia Bolivariana (UPB) finds that Antioquia’s COP$12 trillion (US$4 billion) “Prosperity Highways” to be built over the next five years will have a huge impact on economic growth, jobs and freight transport logistics. Antioquia’s gross domestic product (“PIB” in Spanish initials) will double within 14 […]

General News

Medellin’s ‘French Connection’ Key to New Electric Tram Systems

Medellin Herald October 21, 2015

Medellin’s investment promotion agency ACI (Agencia de Cooperacion e Inversion de Medellin y el Area Metropolitana) on October 20 touted the city’s French connection for a just-launched, road-based tram system as well as two new, related aerial trams. The roadway and aerial tramway systems – financed via a US$250 million credit from Agence Française de […]

Real Estate

Safest Real-Estate Investments in Metro Medellin: Part One

Medellin Herald October 20, 2015

Foreigners exploring metro Medellin to buy a residence, a commercial property or a rental will find that the safest, lowest-risk approach is to acquire an existing apartment, an existing house, an existing building or a well-defined lot inside a fully permitted “parcelacion.” Another option is to invest in new-build projects that are fully permitted, adequately […]