World Economic Forum's Start-up Initiative Expands into Latin America

World Economic Forum UpLink Start-up Initiative has decided to expand into Latin America and the Caribbean. The WEF will be collaborating with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), and select 50 outstanding start-ups in Latin America ahead of its annual regional meeting as part of its UpLink initiative. The World Economic Forum on Latin America will take place in São Paulo, Brazil, on 13-15 March 2018.

About UpLink initiative

The Forum’s UpLink initiative consists of a unique community and digital platform. Here, start-ups can interact with global peers, multinationals, governments, universities, investors and next-generation technology solutions. The start-ups will be selected by leading experts of the start-up ecosystem in Latin America and the Caribbean. Applications will be sourced from across the region and carefully evaluated based on specific selection criteria outlined in the application, including revenue generation, funding sources and the strength of the start-up environment in each country.

"Start-ups in Latin America are using creative solutions to address not just local, but also global problems. This new initiative will further integrate Latin America’s top start-up leaders into national and regional dialogues about the region’s most pressing challenges. We look forward to welcoming the new crop of innovators and disruptors to the Uplink global initiative and to the World Economic Forum on Latin America,” said Jeremy Jurgens, Managing Director and Head of Knowledge and Digital Engagement at the World Economic Forum.

WEF on Latin America, What to expect

The selected Latin American start-ups will join the UpLink community of entrepreneurs who are enabling a societal and technological transformation. The selected start-ups will join the Global UpLink community as regional representatives. As a first step, they will be invited to take part in a tailored programme at the World Economic Forum on Latin America. At the meeting, they will have the opportunity to network with influential policy-makers from the region, as well as leading chief executives. Also they will have access to the Forum’s network to partner with Members on future projects in the region.

“Innovative business models are already helping improve the competitiveness of Latin America and the Caribbean region. Cross-fertilization among start-ups will help accelerate their contribution to some of the region’s most pressing development challenges,” said Hector Gomez Ang, the IFC’s Country Manager in Brazil. “This is part of a wider effort by the IFC to support entrepreneurship and skills development in Latin America and the Caribbean,” he added.

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