Disaster Preparedness
Focused, but not limited to, natural disaster recovery solutions that can help community leaders prepare for and recover from climate-related and other natural disasters.
ADAPT: Social Innovation for a More Resilient Future, LatAm 2024
An initiative to support impact-creating and underrepresented founders around economic resilience in Latin America
About the Program
Approximately 192 million Latin Americans do not have access to healthcare services due to financial limitations. In addition to the region’s latent lack of access to financial and health services, it has been historically affected by climate change, natural disasters, health inequity, and food, energy, and economic insecurity. These factors contribute to a workforce lacking access to education and sufficient income, perpetuating the poverty cycle.
The second iteration of ADAPT: Social Innovation for a More Resilient Future in Latin America will support impact-driven startups developing bold solutions that enable equity, democratize access, and strengthen communities and individuals in the face of climate change, inequality, and other challenges to individual and community wellbeing.
This year’s initiative will focus on supporting 8 to 10 initiatives that are working towards social resilience, prioritizing startups led by or serving women, as well as any founder who has lacked the opportunity to pursue higher education in the past. Village Capital and MetLife Foundation’s goal is to support those who have been marginalized or have had less access to resources to scale.
Meet the Cohort
Over 100 startups from 11 Latin American countries applied to participate in the accelerator. The final cohort is composed of ten startups from four countries (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Mexico) 56% of the cohort is headquartered outside of Latin America’s tech hubs and 78% is led by a female founder or C-suite member. Use the arrows below to view and learn about each cohort company.
Calificadas
Calificadas (Corrientes, Argentina) reduces the gender gap in the professional setting with its app for virtual communication and public speaking coaches for companies that employ women.
Eligibility
Eligible startups must:
Have legal incorporation and operations as a for-profit entity in at least one Latin American country, with a particular focus on recruiting on countries identified as priorities for MetLife (Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico).
Have a market-based solution that tackles the challenges for financial resilience, disaster preparedness, and health and wellness in Latin America.
Have one full-time founder and an executive team based in Latin America.
Be in compliance with local fiscal and business law.
Have a minimum viable product (MVP) and raised less than $1M in equity.
Have meaningful customer or business validation (not limited to revenue; it can also be successful pilot studies, number of users, and/or strategic partnerships).
Types of startups we are recruiting:
Health and Wellness
We’re interested in startups that offer new and innovative ways to deliver services equitably, democratize access and reduce biases in health services, and build a more efficient and affordable healthcare system
Access to Education
We are interested in startups working on increasing access to educational services, offering resources to upskill the working population, or working on solutions to digitize resources.
Financial Resilience
We look for solutions that seize opportunities for improved financial security by equipping communities with the right tools to have a savings plan and to access financing when needed.
Benefits
Mentorship
Opportunities to network and receive mentorship from potential investors, strategic partners, founders, and business leaders.
Connections
Build deep connections with other founders in their cohort and the larger Village Capital investor and alumni network. Participate in mock board meetings with representatives from relevant institutions, corporations, and investors.
Training
Join interactive sessions tailored to help their startup identify early milestones and prepare for their next round of capital (if relevant).
Advice
One-on-one coaching with an investment analyst focused on building a financial model, identifying unit economics, and using financial metrics to drive both their business and investor diligence.
Exposure
Exposure on Village Capital’s program website and other communications collateral.
Peer-Selection Grant
The top two (2) startups selected by peers will receive grant capital of USD $10,000 to support their operations.
Advisory Board
Nalleli García
Sustainability and CSR Director, MetLife México
Carlos Domínguez
CEO & Co-Founder, Carbono3
Eddie Ajalcriña
CEO & Founder, Redesign Lab
Konrad Fernández
Head of Scouting, Chile Ventures
María Inés Miranda
Co-Founder, WISE
Sébastien Masson
General Manager, Schwabe Pharma
Varinka Farren
Executive Director. Hub APTA
Agostina Martino
Project Scouting, Antom.la
Program Timeline
Applications Open
January, 2023
Applications Close
February 9, 2024
Cohort Selection
February - March, 2024
Virtual Workshops & In-Person Program Summit
March - May, 2024
Virtual Workshop Week 1: April
Virtual Workshop Week 2: April
Virtual Workshop Week 3: May
In-Person Venture Forum (two days): June in Mexico City
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the main goal of the program?
2. Do you take equity for participating in the program?
3. How many companies will be accepted to the program?
The Latest
Nine Startups Selected for Accelerator ADAPT: Social Innovation for a More Resilient Future in Latin America
Mexico City (April 16, 2024) – Village Capital, with the support of MetLife Foundation, announced that nine startups have been selected to participate in ADAPT: Social Innovation for a More Resilient Future in Latin America. ADAPT is an accelerator program for impact-creating startups developing solutions that enable equity, democratize access to basic services, and strengthen communities and individuals in the face of climate change, economic inequality, and other challenges to their wellbeing.
Nueve startups son seleccionadas por la aceleradora ADAPT: Innovación Social para un Futuro más Resiliente
Ciudad de México, 16 de abril de 2024; Village Capital, con el apoyo de MetLife Foundation, anunció que nueve startups han sido seleccionadas para participar en ADAPT: Innovación Social para un Futuro más Resiliente en Latinoamérica. ADAPT es un programa de aceleración para startups con impacto social que desarrollan soluciones que promueven la equidad, democratizan el acceso a servicios básicos y fortalecen comunidades e individuos frente al cambio climático, la desigualdad económica y otros desafíos para su bienestar.
Nove Startups Selecionadas para Aceleradora ADAPT: Inovação Social para um Futuro Mais Resiliente na América Latina
São Paulo, 16 de abril de 2024 – Village Capital, com o apoio da MetLife Foundation, anunciou que nove startups foram selecionadas para participar do ADAPT: Inovação Social para um Futuro Mais Resiliente na América Latina. ADAPT é um programa acelerador para startups orientadas a impacto e desenvolver soluções que permitam a equidade, democratizam o acesso aos serviços básicos e fortaleçam as comunidades e os indivíduos face às alterações climáticas, à desigualdade económica e a outros desafios ao seu bem-estar.