LatAm Startups Hub has announced the official launch of the Hub based in Toronto with the first cohort of nine startups from Latin America. Startups from eight countries applied, and the final group includes innovative, scalable startups from Ecuador, Chile, Brazil, and Argentina. More than half of applications came from Brazil, and seven of the successful nine startups are Brazilian.
The startups will be in residence in Toronto for four months, from April-July 2017. LatAm Startups Hub will provide guidance on business development, intellectual property, licensing and commercialization strategies, introduction the Toronto startup ecosystem, plus connections to local investors and other funding options.
Startups will be required to travel to Toronto and remain in residence for at least three of each four-month cohort term, at their own expense, including a small membership fee. Extensions will be possible for those who wish to remain, and the accelerator will help successful startups to remain in Canada under the Startup Visa program, where appropriate.
According to LatAm Startups Hub, «Canada and Latin America are natural partners when it comes to high-tech innovation. Canadian startups go global from Day One—they have to. The same is true in Latin America«.
But Latin America lacks the deep experience of successful startup founders turned angel investors. Innovation is getting cheaper with every year that passes, and LatAm startups are booming, but need mentorship and capital in order to scale. LatAm Startups Hub Toronto will bring the best startups in Latin America to Toronto to mentor them so they can scale globally.
Here are profiles of each of the companies:
Connects beauty salons with potential clients. From Brazil.
Improve the privacy and security of your WhatsApp. From Brazil.
An indie publishing platform for emerging writing, storytellers, and published authors. From Ecuador and Chile.
EnergyNow makes an IoT-based management solution for reducing power consumption, improving energy efficiency, and boosting profitability in factories. From Brazil.
HD live-streaming of concerts and other events. From Argentina.
A modular SaaS IoT platform. From Brazil.
Agtech startup that helps livestock farmers maximize profit. From Brazil.
Learn to play the guitar online. From Brazil.
How do you find a babysitter you can trust? Get your «baba» here. From Brazil.