On October 5, 2023, the 100,000 Strong in the Americas Innovation Fund team, along with the U.S. Embassy in Colombia hosted a  virtual event for the official announcement of the new 100K CLIMA Grant Competition to Build Inclusive, Climate-Action, Student Exchange Programs between the United States and Colombia. The event began with live remarks by , Diana Patiño, Senior Cultural Affairs Specialist and Maggie Hug, Director of Regional Education Initiatives – Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs at the U.S. Department of State. Special remarks were made by Francisco Palmieri, Chargé d’Affaires – U.S. Embassy, Bogotá, John McPhail, President & CEO – Partners of the Americas, Juan Ricardo Ortega, President – Grupo Energía Bogotá, and Camilo Fernández de Soto, Program Director – Fundación Santo Domingo, as well as Brother Niky Alexander Murcia, Rector of Universidad de la Salle.

This 100K CLIMA Innovation Fund competition was generously supported by Grupo Energía Bogotá, Fundación Santo Domingo, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, along with the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs at the U.S. Department of State and will provide funding to 16 new partnerships between colleges and universities in the U.S. and Colombia.