First multilateral fund that promotes entrepreneurship and solutions around the silver economy

According to the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), 25 percent of the region's population will be over 60 years old by 2050.

Far from being a crisis, this demographic transformation is seen as an opportunity. “Aging is one of the great challenges of the 21st century, but also one of its greatest opportunities. We can turn this demographic transition into a driver of economic development, social inclusion, and regional leadership,” says María Andrea Orduz, director of the Región Planeada program.

Orduz leads the region's first multilateral fund that promotes ventures and solutions around the silver economy , which refers to the market segment focused on the needs and demands of older adults, especially those over 50.

The initiative is led by the Arturo Sesana Foundation, in partnership with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and its innovation arm, the IDB Lab, among others.

The fund recently closed its first phase with a diverse base of projects in Latin America and the Caribbean. It sought to map and promote solutions for people over 60.

“The region has the potential to build an ecosystem capable of responding to the challenges of aging. Today, we see a solid foundation of solutions underway that serve as an example and a starting point for strengthening a more robust, diverse, and prepared environment for what lies ahead. Many of these initiatives are even led by older adults themselves, with the majority of applications submitted by Generation X, and only 19 percent by Baby Boomers,” Orduz said.

The winning initiatives will be announced in August 2025 and will receive between $40,000 and $100,000 to accelerate their growth and impact.

According to the program, this investment seeks to catalyze projects with a vision of scale and sustainability in sectors such as health, technology, training, well-being, and care.

"This push comes at a key moment: according to the IDB, this market could exceed $1 trillion in the region by 2030, becoming a new economic and social engine," said Orduz.