News
LatAm Startups Wins 2019 Startup Canada Award
category: conference
Startup Canada joined forces with Startup Peel to celebrate and recognize the top entrepreneurs, businesses and support organizations in Ontario at the 2019 Startup Canada Awards – Ontario Region ceremony. The ceremony was hosted by two of Toronto’s top startup community builders – Edwin Frondozo, Host and Founder of the Award-winning The Business Leadership Podcast and Community Leader for Startup Toronto, and Theresa Laurico, Founder and Partner of SociaLIGHT Conference.
Ten winners from across the province were announced at the highly-anticipated ceremony held at The International Conference Centre. The evening’s guests included leading Canadian investors, innovators, anchor company executives, and government officials.
LatAm Startups CEO Myriam Lazarte received the Entrepreneur Promotion Award.
Scaleup Boot Camp São Paulo
category: conference
With a population of 212 million people, Brazil is the most populous country in South America, and fifth in the world. Occupying 48% of the continent, it is vast in land and resources. Brazil's history of colonialism and immigration, combined with political and social changes, has resulted in a country rich in diversity ranging from its people, culture and its economy. Despite its economic and political turbulences, Brazil is constantly reforming and its people's entrepreneurial spirit have kept the country on the journey to reaching its full potential of a leading powerhouse both regionally and globally.
In preparation for the next Scaleup Bootcamp São Paulo, we'd like to give you some details about the trends in this ecosystem.
Brazilian Health Tech Company Joins Startup Visa Program at LatAm Startups
category: conference
Athimos is a company providing solutions in the health sector. The company was a part of LatAm Startup’s Bootcamp 3rd Cohort in March 2018. Now, they are enrolled in the startup visa program, another step closer to expanding the business in Canada. The company will be officially launching their software during the LatAm Startups Conference 6.0 on May 16th 2019.
Uruguay the Technological Spearhead of Latin America
category: conference
Uruguay is a small country with a population of only 3.46 million, squeezed in between enormous countries Argentina and Brazil. The country is known for its beautiful beaches, cattle farming, and home to the famous footballer Luis Suárez. Overshadowed by its massive neighbouring countries, together with its low population, made it very easy to count Uruguay out of the global technological race. That was where we were completely mistaken.
Uruguay is the leading software exporter per capita in South America, and it is the third worldwide. It is Latin America’s most advanced country in the degree of penetration of Internet and mobile phone users, with 79.6% of penetration of LTE lines in population and 77% of households with broadband connections. With the installation of optical fiber, it has the continent’s fastest Internet download and upload speed. Uruguay hosts one of the biggest and most modern data centers of Latin America and the world. The country has become an international supplier of high-quality IT solutions, with more than 700 tech companies in 2016. It is a mature tech market, surrounded by experienced talent.
Peru Tech Ecosystem Facts and Trends
category: conference
Peru is characterized by rich biodiversity, dominant agriculture and mining sectors. The response to the unfulfilled demand of the emerging middle class becomes the foundation of the Peruvian startup ecosystem. Furthermore, corporations in Peru are considered to be not innovative, thus creating high opportunity for startups to fulfill the needs that until today, cannot be met by the larger institutions. The two industries in Peru that has the most potential for startups are Agriculture and Financial Services, with biotech, agtech, foodtech and fintech as the leading sectors.
Mexican Fintech Startup Joins Startup Visa Program at LatAm Startups
category: conference
A couple of years ago Victor Salinas, CEO at Aiontech started to think about internationalizing his company. With over a million dollars in sales in the local market, going to new markets made sense as a next step for this Fintech company.
In Mexico, he has closed deals with big clients including HSBC bank. He then thought about how the US was a natural market to start an internationalization process, but also about Canada, a country he had the opportunity to study just a few years before founding his company in Mexico.
Initially, Aiontech was accepted as part of the bootcamp program at LatAm Startups. He started the validation process, which then led to a three month softlanding program where he finally began the market entry strategy for one of Aiontech’s products called SmartCouncil (launched in the first quarter of 2018).
LatAm Startups is Looking for the Next Big Thing from Latin America
category: conference
Back in 2014, when Miryam Lazarte transformed into reality the concept of a Canadian accelerator for Latin American emerging companies, there was hardly any volume of deals flowing between Canada and Latin America when referring to angel investments, venture capital, and cross-border collaboration for startups.
The geographical area between Mexico and La Patagonia was, in many ways, still highly misunderstood, and even if some of the leading economic voices recognised it as holding significant potential and as the booming market of the future, many facts deterred further penetration by the broader business community: lower rates of digital technology adoption, a significant wealth gap that restricted purchasing power for a majority of the population, and in several cases, complex political and societal issues that made the overall commercial environment challenging to navigate.
That, however, was about to change.
LatAm Startups invites you to Canada
category: conference
Last week I spoke to Miryam Lazarte, CEO of LatAm Startups, the Canadian accelerator empowering Latin American founders in the northern country. We discussed the similarities between both regions and how LatAm Startups is helping both economies work together.
Latam Startups is a non-profit organization based in Toronto dedicated to fostering entrepreneurial growth. As part of its mission, the association helps startups (mostly Latin American ones) scale.
LatAm Startups Receives Canada Startup Visa Designation
category: latinohub
LatAm Startups, the Toronto-based startup accelerator that focuses on bringing international startups to Canada, today announced their official designation as a Startup Visa-approved organization by the federal government in Ottawa.
The Startup Visa program is designed to attract high-tech startups to Canada and make it easy for companies to put down roots, creating jobs and generating tax revenue in the process.
"We are tremendously excited to be able to offer qualifying, high-growth startups an easier path to permanent residence in Canada," CEO Miryam Lazarte says. "The Startup Visa program gives Canada the competitive edge it needs to attract startups looking for an alternative to Silicon Valley."
LatAm Startups Wins Entrepreneur Success Fund Award
category: latinohub
Today LatAm Startups received the Entrepreneur Success Fund Award 2018 from Startup Canada during Startup Canada Day on the Hill.
LatAm Startups will use the award to host a two-week bootcamp to inspire newcomers to build new high-tech companies.
This is the second time LatAm Startups has won this award. LatAm Startups previously won the award in 2016.
More than 150 applications were submitted this year from across Canada.
LatAm Startups Alum SISAT Plans Global Expansion From Toronto
category: latinohub
LatAm Startups is pleased to announce that a graduate of our Fall 2018 bootcamp plans to move their successful global IoT startup to Toronto.
The two co-founders of SISAT, a Mexican IoT startup that sells fleet management technology, visited Toronto for two weeks to attend the LatAm Startups bootcamp, and were so impressed by the startup ecosystem in Toronto they plan to move their international headquarters to Canada, they told Lattin Magazine in an interview.
LatAm Startups Alum Secures Canadian Startup Visa Sponsor
category: latinohub
LatAm Startups is pleased to announce that a graduate of our softlanding program has secured a Canadian Startup Visa sponsor with investment attached.
ClickSitter co-founders Luciana Pereira and Taric Andrade were part of the first LatAm Startups cohort in 2017.
LatAm Startups welcomes fall bootcamp startups
category: latinohub
LatAm Startups is pleased to welcome a new cohort to our fall bootcamps in Toronto and New York.
To welcome the startups attending the Toronto bootcamp, we are hosting a public meet-and-greet on Monday, September 17.
LatAm Startups opens a sales office in New York City
category: latinohub
LatAm Startups has opened a sales office in New York City in midtown Manhattan, just blocks from Times Square.
The sales office will helps Canadian and Latin American startups accelerate their businesses in the North American market.
A short flight from Toronto, New York City is the obvious next step for many startups looking to grow their business.
LatAm Startups has long been the innovation bridge between Canada and Latin America. We aim to strengthen that connection with our new foothold in the US market.
Brazilian EdTech Startup Launches in Toronto
category: latinohub
Sometimes you need a global team to scale globally.
Brazilian Lucas Pinto is the founder of Cerbo. Or rather, one of the co-founders—the other three are from France (Alexandre Schmitz), China (Anthony Liu), and the US (Justin McOmie).
And Cerbo's co-founders decided to scale their startup from Toronto, using the LatAm Startups acceleration program as a springboard.
Mexican FinTech Startup Launches in Toronto
category: latinohub
Victor Salinas joined LatAm Startups to grow his fintech business--and succeeded.
Salinas started Aiontech nine years ago in Mexico. The company today has 30 employees and counts banks like HSBC among their clients.
When the time came to scale globally last year, Salinas chose Toronto because, unlike Silicon Valley, Toronto is a major global financial hub, home to most of Canada's largest banks, and the Canadian branches of global banks. Toronto is fertile ground for a fintech startup.
Brazilian Health Tech Startup Launches in Toronto
category: latinohub
Brazilian startup WW8 successfully launched their startup in Toronto.
After working in the health sector in Brazil providing a software solution for hospitals and clinics, Diego Correa, one of the four co-founders of WW8, decidied it was time for the company to go global.
Toronto's strong startup ecosystem, including LatAm Startups, drew Diego to Canada.
Diego joined LatAm Startups' spring 2018 cohort after successfully completing the two week Scaleup Bootcamp Toronto.
"Going global is a challenge for any company. But when you are a small company from Latin America the challenge is even bigger. For us being part of the LatAm Startups Hub was the key point to really understand how this process could happen, Diego Correa says.
Join the LatAm Startups accelerator and go global, apply now!
category: latinohub
Want to take your startup global? Toronto is the best place in North America today to scale your startup.
Our one-week bootcamps is ideal for startups at the prototype phase. Learn how to scale your startup globally from Toronto.
Our three-month softlanding program is ideal for market-ready startups with proven traction. Ready to sell, but don't know how? We can smooth your entry into the North American market.
Why LatAm Startups?
LatAm Startups works closely with the City of Toronto. LatAm Startups is also a member of NACO, the National Angel Capital Organization of Canada.
Apply now. Here are the details:
City of Toronto Expands Latin American Business Opportunities Through Agreements with Mexico City and LatAm Startups
category: latinohub
The City of Toronto has entered into two new business relationships that will help create opportunities for companies in Toronto, Mexico and throughout Latin America.
Today in Mexico City, the City of Toronto and Mexico City signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that establishes the intention to collaborate in trade, environment, life sciences, information technology, culture, tourism and education among other sectors, while encouraging trade and investment exchanges between both jurisdictions.
“Toronto is pleased to begin this new business partnership with Mexico City that will capitalize on and enhance the multi-sector strengths we both have as the largest business centres in our respective countries,” said Councillor Michael Thompson (Ward 37 Scarborough Centre), Chair of the City’s Economic Development Committee.
In Toronto, an MOU was also finalized today between the City and LatAm Startups, with the aim of supporting LatAm’s success in bringing Latin American tech startups to the city.
“LatAM Startups is doing tremendous work with Mexican and Latin American companies in Toronto and the City is now better positioned to support their efforts through our MOU with them and with public and private business entities throughout Latin America,” said Councillor Thompson.
Brazilian Startup Accelerated By Latam Startups Featured in StartupHereToronto
category: latinohub
There’s no question Brazil and Canada share an affinity for agriculture, both count the sector as a key economic driver and both have begun to look into the future of farming through research and development.
So when Toronto’s LatAm Startups accelerator offered Brazil-based agricultural tech startup Agromarra a spot in its first four-month cohort, Rebeca Souza was quick to take a post as CEO launching the company’s Canadian branch under the SmartFarm name.
It was a great opportunity, says Souza. “Not just for the resources, there's an educational system in entrepreneurship in Canada that Brazil is (still) a little behind.”
