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Colombian Ecosystem Builders

Supporting accelerators, incubators, funds, universities, and service providers in Colombia

About the Program

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This program, supported by Argidius Foundation, will identify, train, and help a cohort of ten Entrepreneur Support Organizations (ESOs), such as accelerators, incubators, funds, universities, and service providers. They will work closely with industry experts, investors, and ecosystem partners to develop the networks and tools they need to scale and better support entrepreneurs in Colombia through a hybrid program.  

About Entrepreneur Support Organizations (ESOs) in Colombia

The importance of the agriculture and food sectors in Colombia relies on the impact that both of them have on rural areas and low-income segments. The price increase on basic goods and services, specifically in food, is the main cause of accessibility challenges in the region. This situation affects all the population, but the low-income segments and rural areas are affected the most. 

A large number of initiatives have emerged in recent years in Colombia to promote entrepreneurship. However, even though the number of Entrepreneur Support Organizations (ESOs) operating in the country has more than doubled over the past two years, the overall ecosystem could grow stronger.

Through this partnership, Argidius Foundation and Village Capital, will contribute to building the infrastructure needed to ensure that Colombia can benefit from a thriving startup community.

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Meet the Cohort

Advisory Board

Mariella Belli
Mariella Belli
Investment Officer for Latin America, World Impact Foundation
Andrés Bello
Andrés Bello
Director de Emprendimiento, Fundación Bolívar Davivienda
Iván Castaño
Iván Castaño
Director Ejecutivo, Ruta N Medellin
Lina Cuervo
Lina Cuervo
Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Cube Ventures
Manolo Fernandez
Manolo Fernandez
LatAm Seed Investor, Amplifica Capital
Santiago Gil
Santiago Gil
Venture Capital Associate, IGNIA Partners
Ernesto Morales
Ernesto Morales
Presidente y Director General, Centro Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo de Empresas
Rodrigo Sanchez Lerma
Rodrigo Sanchez Lerma
VC Investment Manager, Fondo de Fondos

Eligibility

We’re looking for Entrepreneur Support Organizations (ESOs), such as accelerators, incubators, funds, universities, and service providers that support entrepreneurs working in the following areas, depending on where they are based:

  • Entrepreneur Support Organizations (ESOs) supporting the Caribbean Coastal Area: We will support ESOs with presence in the cities of Barranquilla, Cartagena, Montería, Riohacha, Santa Marta, and Sincelejo, as well as Bucaramanga and Valledupar. ESOs can support entrepreneurs that create impact in any sector and are not required to have offices or established operations in these cities, as long as they have programs, services, or initiatives focused on them.

  • Entrepreneur Support Organizations (ESOs) focusing on Agriculture and Food: We will support ESOs with proven track record and existing support for entrepreneurs working on the Agriculture and Food sectors across Colombia.

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Benefits

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Mentorship and connections

Ability to meet with and receive mentorship from potential strategic partners, funders, potential customers, and other founders. Access to a diverse and inclusive network of prominent Latin American and US stakeholders within their focus sector.

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Advice

Access to a financial analyst who will coach them 1:1 on building and/or improving a financial model, identifying unit economics, and using financial metrics to drive both the business and fundraising plans.

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Continued Learning

Access to live and asynchronous sessions tailored to a virtual learning environment to help their companies identify early milestones and prepare for their fundraising plans. 

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Exposure

Exposure on Village Capital’s program website and other communications collateral.

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Funding

Milestone-based funding (USD $2K for the 10 participants and USD $25K for the top three peer-selected ESOs).

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Access to Abaca

The opportunity to scale your business faster by identifying the right capital for you and planning your next milestones for growth.

Timeline

March 27, 2023

Applications open

April 28, 2023

Applications close

June 2023

Cohort announced

July - November 2023

Program workshops

January - June 2024

Technical Assistance and Milestone Based Funding

Learn more about mentoring with Village Capital.