Colombia Startup 2016 Conference Kicks Off Friday in Bogotá

For the fourth straight year, Colombia Startup is kicking off this week in the capital with an impressive lineup of entrepreneurs, innovators, and business veterans who will offer their expert analysis and unique perspectives throughout the day. The 2016 edition will take place on Friday, October 7, in the Bogotá Chamber of Commerce with a jam-packed agenda sure to show why this free event has become one of the premier gatherings in Colombia.

This year, Colombia Startup will bring together national and international guests, including Juan Gorricho of The Walt Disney Company, Andrés Hernández of Google, Gladys Corredor of Banco Davivienda, and Carlos Ángel of Uber. Daniel Arango — vice minister of business development for Colombia’s Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Tourism — will also attend.

Another special feature this year will be exclusive interviews with the founders of three success-story startups that have been a part of the Colombia Startup ecosystem in past years: 1DOC3, Hogaru, and Undertrail. Carlos Rodriguez, director of Dinero magazine, will host a discussion with the innovators.

“Colombia Startup is one of the most important events for entrepreneurs in the country, and we want to make it one of the most important in Latin America,” said Alfonso Gomez, CEO of Telefónica Colombia and president of the forum. “This year, the call to entrepreneurs broke the record by having 644 registered enterprises. Colombia Startup is a unique space for high-level networking and accessing potential investors.”

The agenda will also include a new initiative, in alliance with Be-novate, where the results of a challenge that is open to all who wish to participate will be presented. The contest calls upon all entrepreneurs to become agents of change to create a better future for disruptors in Colombia and Latin America. All attendees can participate by entering here.

Others who will be at Colombia Startup 2016 include: Monica de Greiff, president of the Bogotá Chamber of Commerce; Carlos Castaneda, director of Wayra Colombia; Juan Jose Guemes, president of the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at IE Business School; Eduardo Santoyo, CEO of .CO Internet SAS; Maria Andrea Nieto, director of employment, labor, and entrepreneurship at SENA; Reinaldo Romero, vice president of credit for Banco Davivienda; Juanita Rodriguez, manager of Apps.co; and Pierre Yves Calloc’h, general manager of Colombia and Venezuela for Pernod Ricard.

Those who wish to attend can do so for free — but must first register at: Colombia-Startup.com.