UTEC Ventures has set itself apart as the top startup accelerator in Peru. The program is on par with peers across Latin America and continues to attract promising startup founders from Peru and abroad. UTEC Ventures recently opened applications for its latest cohort which is aimed to support fintech and post-covid solutions.
A long, consistent, approach is paying off and the results speak for themselves.
Continue reading “Separation”In another clear example of tech entrepreneurs in Peru coming together in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic, a large group of startup founders launched ASEDI, Asociación de Emprendores Digitales.
Last year, I wrote about some of the best newsletters and websites that share information on the Peru and Latin America startup communities.
This year, more people are sharing. The new content goes beyond news. Fresh voices are both providing deeper insights into how to launch startups and building broad platforms for startups founders to share their stories.
Positive actions have been taken by traditional actors to mitigate the effects of Covid-19 in Peru. The government has taken strong steps to enforce a quarantine and implement fiscal stimulus. Many corporations are working overtime provide basic needs, including food, health and financial services.
However, opening up effectively poses an entirely different set of challenges. This is where startup founders come in. Peru’s startup founders have been thought leaders in analyzing the effects of the crisis and offering solutions.
Peru enters its 75th day of government mandated quarantine today. Unfortunately, despite the quick, strong action to enforce physical distancing, Peru continues to be deeply affected by the coronavirus.
I was recently reminded of the Stockdale Paradox, which highlights the benefits of balancing optimism with reality when faced with extreme challenges. James Stockdale was a Prisoner of War in Vietnam. He said the following:
Continue reading “The long haul”Few local Peruvian investors backed Diego Olcese when he launched Edtech startup Crehana out of college. Now he is one of the most sought after founders in Latin America.
Continue reading “Crehana adds a key Peruvian investor”The members of PECAP have chosen new leaders to set the course for the coming year and continue to build the venture capital asset class in Peru.
Maria Pia Morante, of Acumen LatAm Capital Partners, and Meghan Stevenson-Krausz of INCA Ventures became new members of the PECAP Board and continuity was achieved as Alain Elias, of PAD – Red de Inversionistas Ángeles , Martin Aspillaga, of Salkantay, and Jose Deutsua of UTEC Ventures will continue another year. Jose Deustua takes the helm as President, after the very successful leadership of Alain Elias that culminated in the recent publication of the 2019 Report.
Continue reading “PECAP’s new leadership team”Each startup in Latin America is affected by the repercussions of Covid-19 in a unique way. The impact often depends on how the startup entered the crisis and the sector in which they operate.
At the onsite of the crisis, forward-looking startup investors were quick to present action plans and decision matrices that stressed cost-cutting, hiring freezes and doing everything possible to extend runway. The Sequoia Matrix and the Kaszek Survival Guide have been great resources founders in Latin America.
The precise measures to be taken are a bit more nuanced and there is no one-size fits all aproach.
Continue reading “Startup strategy framework for Covid-19”Crises can divide or unite. In the case of the fintech community in Peru, the Covid-19 pandemic and fallout has helped to bring together entrepreneurs in the local fintech community.
Continue reading “Fintechs unite”Startup founders are used to thinking big and building projections of exponential growth based on highly scalable business models. Weekly, monthly, and annual projections are the typical guideposts for determining whether execution is on plan. Unfortunately, the Covid-19 pandemic has caused projections to go out the window.
Today, some much remains uncertain that it is impossible to accurately project what will happen. Startups need a new set of guideposts to determine what is happening and make crucial decisions on what need to be done.
Continue reading “Scenario planning”
Ruta Startup 