'Colombia is an innovation hub for the world': Martin Mazza, regional manager of Tools for Humanity

During the inauguration of the new World Space in Bogotá, the largest in the world, EL TIEMPO spoke with Martin Mazza, regional manager of Tools for Humanity.

The executive highlighted the importance of Colombia in the growth of the World Network and the role this space will play as a center for technological innovation in the region.

Mazza explained that the Bogotá flagship is the third largest in Latin America —after Buenos Aires and Mexico City—and the largest in the world.

"It's a space designed not only for digital identity verification, but also for community development : entrepreneurs, startups, and the public and private sectors will be able to come together, learn about blockchain, artificial intelligence, and new technologies, and use them for the benefit of all," he noted.

This hub will also coordinate projects in Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, and Peru, with partnerships with accelerators and investment funds that support the next generation of entrepreneurs in the region.

According to the executive, Colombia already has more than three million World ID users, of whom 1.8 million have verified their identity through World ID.

"Bogotá is the hub of much of this activity and has established itself as an epicenter of innovation. That's why it was only natural to open the largest flagship store here, as part of Colombia's Tech Week," he explained.

This space also aims to host monthly hackathons and workshops, where developers can experiment with the World Chain network—which already has more than 30 million users globally—and create applications ranging from voting and survey systems to solutions for preventing digital fraud.

When asked about concerns about the use of biometric data, Mazza emphasized that the project is based on preserving privacy. “World doesn't store user identities or generate traceability between apps. We use zero-knowledge proofs so each mini-app works independently. Privacy and anonymity are the foundation of the system,” he stated.

The regional manager also highlighted the partnerships already underway. World is working with KRÜ, the eSports team founded by Sergio "Kun" Agüero, to ensure the integrity of competitions; with Conmebol, to integrate World ID into experiences linked to soccer tournaments; and with dating and digital ticketing platforms, where human verification prevents bots from acting.

For Mazza, World's commitment has a much broader purpose: combating digital exclusion.

“More than 3 billion people around the world don't have a secure way to verify themselves online. With the advent of artificial intelligence, this problem becomes even more evident. We want to build an 'internet of humans' that provides trust and access to the digital economy for everyone,” he concluded.