Author: Greg Mitchell

One of the most common questions I get asked about the Peru startup ecosystem is, “What is missing?,” It’s a fair, well-intended question, but it’s challenging for me to respond adequately. The conversation typically devolves into a circular argument around which inputs to the startup ecosystem – capital, talent, knowledge or business ideas – are missing. 

Fortunately, the necessary inputs of capital, talent and business ideas do exist in Peru. The challenge is that significant amounts of patient capital are directed to other asset classes, talented professionals work in corporate roles or find work abroad, and good business ideas rarely get off the ground. 

So, if the inputs exist, what’s to be done? I find it more productive, and accurate, to ask a different question. Rather than trying to find what is missing, we can ask: What needs to happen to make the startup ecosystem more vibrant? What are the activities and intangibles that can get us to the next stage?

Continue reading “What Peru’s startup ecosystems needs now”

One of the most innovative and groundbreaking companies operating in Peru relies on centuries-old agricultural practices of the Andean highlands.

What Sarela Herrada and Matthew Cohen are building with SIMPLi is a lesson for all entrepreneurs in Latin America – create products and solutions based on the inherent strengths of the region, and match them with the needs of the global marketplace.

Stories like the one below show that they are accomplishing this one person and one community at a time.

Congratulations to SIMPLi and its team. What it are doing is real in every way (optimal land use, local communities, healthy food products, global sales). SIMPLi is already a success story, even as you continue to learn and grow!

Read more about SIMPLi’s sourcing, regenerative agricultural process, and impact here:

https://lnkd.in/egDk47We

Yesterday, I visited Bianca Vigil of FORESLAB in Cusco, Peru. 🇵🇪

Bianca and her co-founder Katya Silva use biotechnology to produce native tree species, including Quina (also called Chichona), Peru’s national tree. 🌳

Along with Quina, FORESLAB works with the Shihuahuaco and Chachacomo species, all critical to the Peruvian Amazon’s biodiversity.

FORESLAB uses vitro technology to accelerate plant propagation and preserves genetic material in a germplasm bank. The Company aims to achieve this process at scale using bioreactors, to adequately meet the urgent need for these trees and other native plants in Peru.

I enjoyed learning from Bianca and seeing her laboratory. Certainly, our world’s future is in the hands of entrepreneurs like her. 🌱 🌎

¿Has sentido inspiración 💡 este mes al escuchar las historias de mujeres emprendedoras 🦸🏻‍♀️ 👩🏻‍💻 en Perú 🇵🇪 ?

¿Te estás preguntando cómo puedes hacer más para respaldarlas en su camino emprendedor?

¡Conviértete en un 🌟 cliente 🌟 de sus empresas!

Esto creará un impacto positivo, real e inmediato 🎯 en sus empresas y te permitirá ver de primera mano las soluciones que estas increíbles founders están desarrollando 🚀.

Abajo les comparto algunas para empezar :

Cuentología (plan mensual desde $3.99)
LIMALINEN (productos desde S/ 29.00)
Sin Envolturas (crea tu lista de regalos)
Manzana verde (desde S/ 15.50)
Rextie (tasas competitivas de tipo de cambio)
Cirkula (productos desde S/ 9.00)

Puedes ser parte de las historias de Fiorella De La Sotta Rubio, Ursula De la Sotta, Lucia Farfan, Claudia Dawson, Larissa Arias, Claudia Quintanilla, Michelle Gomberoff, y muchas otras emprendedoras que te inspiran.

Peru has a history of innovation in education led by change-makers who have taken concrete steps to improve students’ learning experience. These initiatives include: Laboratoria, founded by Mariana Costa, Enseña Perú, part of Teach of All, Innova Schools, a chain of private K-12 schools, and UTEC, a private engineering university in Lima.

With these positive private sector and not-for-profit initiatives, it is only natural that Peru’s startups are following the same path and delivering technological solutions to further address the need for better education in the country. And it’s no wonder Peru stands out as a leader in Latin America for innovation in education.

When Crehana, Peru’s preeminent startup, came onto the scene in 2014, it validated Peruvians’ thirst for learning and willingness to pay for quality education. ALIVE Ventures, one of Crehana’s investors, published an impact report showing that 77% of Crehana’s users improved the quality of their life and 73% used the skills they learned in their jobs. Creahana raised the first Series A of a Peru startup in 219 and then added a key family office as an investor. 

Motivated by the success of Crehana, startup EdTech founders and investors in Peru launched an array of solutions and the results are showing, not only in startup success but also in fund formation. By 2019, the country was poised to become an Edtech hub in the region.

Continue reading “Peru is the epicenter of EdTech in Latin America”

It’s very exciting that UTEC Ventures is launching another acceleration program in Peru! 🇵🇪

This one is new and improved:

For 👀”(very) early stage” 👀 startups in Peru and Latin America

25 startups will be selected for a 4-week program and $5,000 equity free

10 will go on to the intensive 3-month acceleration program and $55,000

5 will receive an additional $15,000 equity free.

UTEC Ventures, led by Jose Deustua, Evelyn Gomez, and Kevin Granda, has made more investments than anyone else in Peru. It has consistently been the epicenter of the startup world in Peru.

UTEC has again raised the bar with an excellent founders-first initiative. See below for more details.

Program Description: https://lnkd.in/esTC8jj6

Terms: https://lnkd.in/eRQd9cVU

Application : https://lnkd.in/e-77NsWR

Apply by February 26th 🚀