Tag: startups peru

The Investment and Startup Community in Peru

Many travelers visit Peru to experience Machu Picchu, and though incredible, there is much more to this country than its wonder of the world. Known for its gastronomic sector, Peru has some of the most diverse (and delicious) food in the world. Through its long history of eating seafood, mixed with Spanish, Japanese and Chinese immigration, it’s always a pleasure to go to Peru, even if it’s only to eat, and entrepreneurial Peruvians have taken advantage.

Peru has diverse terrain, from the steeply sloping Andes and dense jungles to the cerulean coastline. About one-third of Peruvian residents live near or close to the ocean. The population is just shy of 32 million, surpassing Chile but falling below Colombia. Monthly wages are on the upswing at 1680.67 Peruvian Sol (roughly US$519), with a minimum wage of 850 Peruvian Sol.

The capital city, Lima, is experiencing rapid growth and the government is allocating investment towards more infrastructure and improving public transportation. Foreign investors are paying close attention to the new Cuzco airport which offers easier access to Machu Picchu, though has caught some local scrutiny. Peru offers multiple visas for foreigners interested in the business sector, but these visas can come with an unwanted amount of red tape. (more…)

Peru Venture Capital Overview

This post is the second in a series about Latin American startup ecosystems. Greg Mitchell, Managing Director at Angel Ventures Peru, provided much of the research for this post. Thanks Greg! Read the post on the Chilean Venture Capital, Highlighting Latin American Startups.

VCs

Angel Ventures, a Mexico-based VC, has a local presence in Peru through its Angel Ventures Peru branch office. Angel Ventures Peru has sourced deals from Latin America for the regional fund, but the fund has yet to make an investment in a Peru-based company.

Accelerators

The Peruvian government, through the Ministry of Production has a program to support local incubators and accelerators.

Endeavor – Endeavor is a global organization that promotes high impact entrepreneurs. It arrived in Peru three years ago and has been a leader developing the ecosystem.

Wayra – Wayra Peru is part of the investment arm of Telefonica. They invest in startups generally with $50k + $25k of services for 5-10% equity on convertible notes. They prefer technology companies that can be Telefonica clients or have products that can integrate into its other solutions. (more…)