Startup Chile Application: Resources for Applying to Start-Up Chile

I found out about Startup Chile in September 2010 when a local Meetup held a Chat with Vivek Wadhwa.  Vivek is an advisor to the program and mentioned it as a model to be emulated.   The basic concept is that Chile wants to be a globally recognized hub of entrepreneurial activity.  They realized the quickest way to jumpstart this goal is to pay entrepreneurs $40,000 to come live there for 6 months to work on their startup business.

Over the next couple years they plan to fund over a thousand businesses.  They are taking applications in stages, accepting about 100 new businesses each time.  The last round acceptance rate was 33%.  This round I’m guessing it will be 15% or less due to the ever-increasing popularity and national press they’ve been getting.  The program is still relatively new, but here’s some resources I’ve found that should help you prepare for the Startup Chile application.

Primary Startup Chile Resources:

• Main Site (check out their blog, faq’s, and generally everything on this site)
• Twitter Account
• YouTube Channel
• Facebook Fan Page (check out the photos)

Good Posts from Participants:

• http://wtnnews.com/articles/8043/
• http://www.nathanlustig.com/2010/12/20/start-up-chile-faq/
• http://www.nathanlustig.com/2011/02/02/chile-at-ten-weeks/
• http://www.shaharnechmad.com/2011/02/19/building-your-dreams-in-chile/
• http://www.nathanlustig.com/2011/05/02/advice-to-new-startup-chile-teams/
• http://www.andrewcross.ca/2011/05/31/start-up-chile-deal-or-no-deal/
• http://hervalicio.us/so-how-about-chile
• http://blog.homeviva.com/2011/07/about-startup-chile-admission-process.html
• http://www.shaharnechmad.com/2011/02/19/building-your-dreams-in-chile/

Other:

• Brenna Loury’s Quora Profile (she’s the Communications Coordinator for Startup Chile)
• Forbes Article
• Some Sample Video Pitches Here, Here
• YouNoodle List of All Current Participants & Applicants.  (627 companies as of 7/31/11, 300 submissions in the last round, so that means they currently have 300+ for this round.)

I plan to share further information about the Startup Chile Application process through an email list.  Sign up below if you’re interested.