World Economic Forum, International Finance Corporation Bring ‘UpLink’ Startup Accelerator Program to Latin America

The World Economic Forum (WEF) and International Finance Corporation (IFC) of the World Bank Group have partnered to bring a startup accelerator program to Latin America aimed at developing 50 early-stage companies.

Known as the UpLink initiative, the selected startups will get the opportunity to attend the World Economic Forum on Latin America from March 13-15 in São Paulo, where they will meet and network with “influential policymakers” and chief executives, according to the WEF.

Following the event, the startups will continue to be regional representatives of the “UpLink Community,” which will give them ongoing access to other members across the world and the chance to collaborate on projects.

The wider goal of the UpLink initiative, according to the WEF and IFC, is to support entrepreneurship and skills development in the region and help the chosen companies scale, create jobs, and add economic opportunity in their respective countries and throughout the region

Half of the 50 selected startups will come from Brazil, with the remaining 25 coming from the rest of Latin America and the Caribbean. The application deadline is February 5.

The company has included a list of selection criteria on the application, including a company’s revenue-generation ability, funding sources, and the strength of the startup environment in each country.

“Innovative business models are already helping improve the competitiveness of Latin America and the Caribbean region,” said Hector Gomez Ang, Brazil country manager for the IFC. “Cross-fertilization among startups will help accelerate their contribution to some of the region’s most pressing development challenges.”

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