One of the most important visits we had in our trip in Chile is the collaboration of the US embassy with the INACAP school in Chile in promoting and supporting the entrepreneurship and start-up culture in Chile. With our professor Michael Goldberg's guidance, we met with students from INACAP that are interested in learning more about how "things are done" elsewhere and get insights and takeaways from conversations with us, students from Weatherhead in the US and our professor's global experience in entrepreneurship.
The students we met, Isabelle and Joseph, as well as an ex-entrepreneur and business owner, Christopher, who is now working in the public sector, have all had their questions and their stories about the difficulties they have in opening up a business our starting a new idea in Chile. Isabelle's comment was mostly around financial problems. But from our discussion with all three, we felt that it is more a matter of organization, structure and support for entrepreneurs. they were surprised when they heard about Comfu, start-up Chile, and other companies that might have supported them. It is clear the structure is not in place yet in Chile but the will is there, and the private and public institutions are working on it and building a knowledge-base network around it.
Joseph, the youngest among our guests, was mostly interested in working on his academic education, and asked about studying in the states, how hard is it to get there and how important it would be for him. He is specializing in Informatics and eventually wants to open up his own business in the future in that same sector.
Biggest take-away for me during that session is how important "spreading the awareness" is, especially when we are starting or working on a new way of thinking for academics and business men. I imagine it would be the same in any country that is heading towards start-ups and small businesses.
The students we met, Isabelle and Joseph, as well as an ex-entrepreneur and business owner, Christopher, who is now working in the public sector, have all had their questions and their stories about the difficulties they have in opening up a business our starting a new idea in Chile. Isabelle's comment was mostly around financial problems. But from our discussion with all three, we felt that it is more a matter of organization, structure and support for entrepreneurs. they were surprised when they heard about Comfu, start-up Chile, and other companies that might have supported them. It is clear the structure is not in place yet in Chile but the will is there, and the private and public institutions are working on it and building a knowledge-base network around it.
Joseph, the youngest among our guests, was mostly interested in working on his academic education, and asked about studying in the states, how hard is it to get there and how important it would be for him. He is specializing in Informatics and eventually wants to open up his own business in the future in that same sector.
Biggest take-away for me during that session is how important "spreading the awareness" is, especially when we are starting or working on a new way of thinking for academics and business men. I imagine it would be the same in any country that is heading towards start-ups and small businesses.