Announcing the 500 Startups Uruguay Accelerator

Silicon Valley and Montevideo are uniting to fuel startups in Latin America

500 Startups in partnership with ANII, Uruguay’s ecosystem development agency, will host a new accelerator program. The 500 Montevideo Accelerator Program will prepare 20 Uruguayan and international startups through 6 weeks of mentorship, growth workshops, and connections with investors and corporate partners. This program is also being made possible through collaborations with the Uruguayan Agency for Research and Innovation / LATU, Technological Laboratory of Uruguay / ANDE, Uruguayan Agency for Development, and the Investment and Export Promotion Institute of Uruguay. The 500 Montevideo Accelerator Program will focus on growth hacking, product design, fundraising, and will bring Silicon Valley expertise to seed-stage companies in Uruguay.

Space is limited to 15–20 startups — apply here (applications are being accepted until August 3rd).

The 500 Montevideo Accelerator is part of a series of international programs 500 Startups is launching to bridge Silicon Valley with burgeoning startup ecosystems around the world. The Montevideo program is the latest addition to 500’s portfolio of international programs, which includes programs in Kobe, Japan, Doha, Qatar, and Melbourne, Australia.

With one of 500’s LatAm HQ based in Mexico City, the goal of the ANII Accelerator is to further engage local startups and deepen 500’s relationship with Uruguay and Latin America based startups by creating another resource for founders in the form of an accelerator program.

500 Startups is also aiming to attract international startups to the program. This program will provide participating startups a chance to connect with Uruguayan founders and ecosystem players, as well as give Uruguay startups a network of relationships in Latin America and international markets to regionally and globally scale their companies.

The program will bring together early stage and growth stage startups to work side by side. With a focus on 1:1 mentorship sessions with 500 Startups’ Silicon Valley team, the program will add value to the startups regardless of their stage of funding or user traction.

Why should startups apply?

The 6-week intensive program will feature:

• Knowledge session covering the latest tactics employed by the leading startups in Silicon Valley
• Mentorship sessions led by 500 Startups Partners, Venture Partners, and EIRs
• Fireside chats with local and international guest speakers
• 500 Startups pitch training
• Connections to 500 Startups network of regional and international investors
• A Demo Day where the startups showcase achievements to investors

What is the selection criteria?

• VC fundable startups (preferably having raised USD 10K or equivalent in funding)
• Strong, full-time dedicated founders
• Working product
• Customers and Revenue are a plus

A full list of program dates:

PhaseDescriptionDateApplications openApplications are open now, to apply please visit:6/21/2017Application deadlineAll applications should be submitted by EOD8/3/2017Startups notified application outcomeAcceptance email sent to selected startups9/15/2017Remote sessions with 500 Startups500 Startups EIRs will conduct an initial round of reviews with the selected startups to prep them for the program10/02/2017Program StartsKickoff of the program10/17/2017Week 1Business Modelling and legal Sessions + 1:1 Mentorship Sessions10/17/2017Week 2Growth Hacking and User Experience and Interface + 1:1 Mentorship Sessions10/23/2017Week 3Sprint week: Focus on implementing week 1 and week 2 material10/30/2017Week 4Sprint week: Focus on implementing week 1 and week 2 material11/6/2017Week 5Fundraising Sessions + Mock investor interviews & 1:1 Mentorship Sessions11/13/2017Week 6Pitch Prep and Demo Day rehearsals + 1:1 Mentorship Sessions11/20/2017Demo DayPresentation to Investors and Corporate Executives11/24/2017

Do I get investment from 500 Startups or ANII?

The 500 Montevideo Accelerator program is not an investment program. We do not charge program fees, and we do not ask you for equity. 500 Startups will separately consider the applying and participating startups for an investment by our family of funds.

What’s 500 Startups role?

500 Startups will bring experts from our global team of partners, mentors and entrepreneurs to Montevideo to work closely with the startups in order to accelerate their development through sessions covering specific details of best operational practices, growth hacking through marketing and data-driven sales, and tailored advice from successful Silicon Valley and global entrepreneurs.

About Ecosystem Development at 500

500 partners with governments, corporates, and startup organizations around the world to invest in the critical components of emerging ecosystems. We run startup programs in Asia-Pacific, such as the 500 Kobe Acceleration Program in Japan, and our Series A Programs in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and the US. We run investor education programs with Stanford and Berkeley in the San Francisco Bay Area, and we are now taking these programs abroad. We are also expanding our work with corporate innovators to help larger companies discover, partner, and invest in breakthrough startups. To get in touch with us about our ecosystem development programs, you can reach us here.

More questions? Please visit our website’s FAQ section here.

We are now accepting applications to the Uruguay accelerator: apply here

For all other inquiries please connect with: Montevideo@500startups.com

Zafer Younis is a partner at 500 Startups, the world’s most active early stage tech investor. At 500 Startups Zafer works with entrepreneurs from all over the world, through 500’s acceleration programs in Silicon Valley and it’s Ecosystem Development Programs around the world. In 2016, Zafer launched 500 Startups’ pre-accelerator program in Japan. He also leads 500 Startups’ Corporate Startup Innovation (CSI) Program in San Francisco which aims at getting corporates and startups to innovate together. Previously, Zafer co-founded The Online Project where his team developed and executed digital strategies for Fortune 500 companies and high profile organizations. In 2004, Zafer co-founded his first company: Modern Media, LTD, a media house that owns and operates popular radio stations which received recognition from the US-based National Association for Broadcasters in 2007 (In 2014 Modern Media was acquired by D&C Electronics).