Past crowded street, modern lobby, and the U.S. embassy representatives, we approached an entrepreneurship seminar at Inacap. The university brought us together with students and local citizens to promote small business growth in Chile. Before the event, my only expectation was to hear from students and share our experience with business development. Then, the experience was more enriching than promised.
We got to hear from Michael about the opportunities and trials of entrepreneurs. From different sources of capital to government regulations, we discussed aspects of starting a venture and navigating the market. These topics felt fresh in the context of the Latin American economy. After his talk, we got to really engage with the attendees.
Seated in small groups of 8-10, we had concentrated discussions about promoting entrepreneurship, a relatively new and growing discipline in Chile. We first acknowledged that change occurs slowly and patience is necessary to observe it. However, recent actions and indicators suggest the environment is improving. While a few most powerful groups exert their influence on the population, young people are looking for ways to have an impact. Money is available through Startup Chile and angel investors. One of the areas needing improvement is business education. Students are barely encouraged to learn about business practices outside their discipline, which inhibits creativity. Additionally, it sounded like there is little transparency to new, successful companies. The dream of building a business from the start and working tirelessly towards its success does not completely translate. Nevertheless, attention from events like this and continued economic growth will continue to drive free market entrants in Chile.
We got to hear from Michael about the opportunities and trials of entrepreneurs. From different sources of capital to government regulations, we discussed aspects of starting a venture and navigating the market. These topics felt fresh in the context of the Latin American economy. After his talk, we got to really engage with the attendees.
Seated in small groups of 8-10, we had concentrated discussions about promoting entrepreneurship, a relatively new and growing discipline in Chile. We first acknowledged that change occurs slowly and patience is necessary to observe it. However, recent actions and indicators suggest the environment is improving. While a few most powerful groups exert their influence on the population, young people are looking for ways to have an impact. Money is available through Startup Chile and angel investors. One of the areas needing improvement is business education. Students are barely encouraged to learn about business practices outside their discipline, which inhibits creativity. Additionally, it sounded like there is little transparency to new, successful companies. The dream of building a business from the start and working tirelessly towards its success does not completely translate. Nevertheless, attention from events like this and continued economic growth will continue to drive free market entrants in Chile.