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| Start-Up Perú | |
|---|---|
| Name | Start-Up Perú |
| Founded | 2013 |
| Founder | Ministry of Production (Perú) |
| Type | Public initiative |
| Location | Lima |
| Area served | Peru |
| Focus | Entrepreneurship, innovation, venture creation |
Start-Up Perú is a national entrepreneurship initiative launched in Peru to promote technology-driven startups, stimulate private investment, and connect entrepreneurs with regional and international innovation ecosystems. The program links public policy instruments with academic institutions, private accelerators, and international development organizations to accelerate high-growth ventures across diverse sectors. Start-Up Perú integrates competitive funding, mentorship networks, and incubation services aimed at scaling startups into domestic and export markets.
Start-Up Perú operates as a competitive incubator and seed capital platform administered by the Ministry of Production. It builds partnerships with universities such as the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru and the National University of Engineering (Peru), private accelerators like Wayra, and multinational development actors like the Inter-American Development Bank and World Bank. Regional agencies, including the Regional Government of Lima and the Arequipa Regional Government, coordinate deployments to provincial innovation hubs. The program aligns with national strategies in the 2016–2021 and 2011–2016 periods that emphasized entrepreneurship ecosystems and small business competitiveness.
Start-Up Perú was inaugurated in 2013 following policy debates involving the Ministry of Production (Peru), the Ministry of Economy and Finance (Peru), and representatives from the Confederation of Peruvian Business Institutions and the Society of Entrepreneurs of Peru (ASEP). Early pilots drew on models from Startup Chile, Techstars, and Y Combinator, while adapting to Peruvian market structures and labor regulations. Growth occurred through successive calls for proposals administered in coordination with regional innovation nodes in Cusco, Trujillo, Piura, and Iquitos. Over time Start-Up Perú expanded to include sectoral focuses inspired by national priorities in mining technology, agritech, and gastronomy, aligning with institutions such as the National Agrarian University La Molina and the Peruvian Gastronomy Society.
The initiative seeks to increase the number of high-impact startups, attract private co-investment, and foster exportable technologies. Eligibility criteria target teams linked to higher education institutions like the University of Lima or registered companies under the SUNARP registry. Priority has been given to startups demonstrating technical validation, market traction, and potential for job creation in regions such as Loreto, Tacna, and Huancavelica. Specific lines favor projects with links to export markets, collaboration with entities like PROMPERÚ, and alignment with sectoral clusters managed by the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism (Peru).
Start-Up Perú delivers a suite of services including business model validation, prototyping support, mentorship, and access to coworking spaces affiliated with accelerators like Cubo Labs and incubators such as COPI. The program leverages partnerships with research centers including the Peruvian Institute of Nuclear Energy for technology transfer, and with legal clinics at the University of San Martín de Porres for intellectual property guidance. Start-Up Perú coordinates workshops drawing on methodologies popularized by Lean Startup practitioners and links entrepreneurs to investor networks like AngelList and regional venture capital funds including NXTPLabs and Mountain Nazca.
Funding is allocated through competitive calls evaluated by panels comprising representatives from the Ministry of Production, academic partners, private investors, and international advisors from institutions such as the United Nations Development Programme and the Inter-American Development Bank. Grants typically cover seed funding, prototyping costs, and access to acceleration services. Selection criteria emphasize team capacity, technology readiness level, scalability, and potential for export. Co-financing requirements encourage matching from private investors, angel groups such as Red de Ángeles Perú, and corporate partners including BBVA Continental and Scotiabank Peru in selected cohorts.
Start-Up Perú has been credited with increasing visibility of Peruvian startups in regional competitions like Startup Weekend and Seedstars World, and contributing to job creation in innovation clusters in Arequipa and Lima Province. Notable impacts include catalyzing partnerships between startups and traditional sectors such as agriculture and tourism via linkages to PROMPERÚ and cluster development programs. Criticisms have focused on bureaucratic delays tied to the Peruvian public procurement system, concerns about the sustainability of grant-dependent ventures, and uneven geographic distribution favoring metropolitan areas over Amazonian regions such as Madre de Dios. Academic evaluators from the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru and policy analysts at the GDA Group have urged stronger follow-on financing and improved metrics for long-term survival.
Start-Up Perú alumni include startups that advanced into international markets and follow-on financing rounds: agritech firms collaborating with the National Agrarian University La Molina; healthtech ventures partnering with EsSalud and private clinics like Clínica Internacional; and fintech companies integrating with banks such as Interbank. Case studies presented at conferences like Perú Digital and COP side events highlight success stories that engaged accelerators like Wayra and venture funds including NXTPLabs. Regional success examples have emerged from entrepreneurial ecosystems in Cusco (tourism tech), Piura (agritech), and Trujillo (manufacturing automation), often involving collaborations with local chambers like the Chamber of Commerce of Lima and international agencies like the European Union.
Category:Economy of Peru Category:Business incubators