StartupLab: The initiative to create a national network of hubs for science and technology-based startups
The first of these hubs is Startup Campus, driven by Corfo and Fundación Chile, which from today will be named StartupLab.01. The aim of this public policy is to support dynamic and innovative entrepreneurship in Chile.
Within the framework of EtMDay 2024, the Corporation for the Promotion of Production - Corfo, presented an ambitious public policy named StartupLabs, which creates a national network of physical and digital spaces that will support dynamic and innovative entrepreneurship in Chile, aiming to become a catalyst for success for scientific-technological based startups, both from Chile and Latin America.
All with the aim of attracting companies that can establish themselves in Chile, particularly those that contribute to the development of solutions to the major challenges the country faces, with a special focus on the different realities across the national territory.
STARTUPSLAB OBJECTIVES
Among the objectives of this new public policy are: to design, implement and provide physical meeting places equipped with laboratory infrastructure; to foster collaborative work, creativity, productivity and the development of innovative solutions through the connection of entrepreneurs with key players in the ecosystem; to develop a robust and complementary support program network for different stages of the entrepreneur's life cycle, through the coordination of existing providers both nationally and internationally in key areas such as funding, technological validation, commercial traction, internationalization; to accelerate the growth and scaling of a significant number of science and technology-based companies; and to generate partnerships and strengthen ties with similar global references, through the carrying out of exchange activities, collaboration and knowledge transfer.
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The Executive Vice President of Corfo, José Miguel Benavente, detailed that the public policies of entrepreneurship and innovation influence the improvement of a country's productivity, because they stimulate the creation of new technologies, efficiency of processes, adding value to production, support business development, strengthen human capital, improve infrastructure, and facilitate integration into the global economy.
He added that science and technology-based companies are central to developing innovation, competitiveness and productive diversification of the country at this stage of development, because they are linked to scientific research and cutting-edge technology. Their activity implies generating new knowledge, technologies and innovative solutions that can have applications in a wide range of economic sectors, and, at the same time, generate more and better jobs and create high-quality products and services.
Likewise, Benavente reported that during the first quarter of 2025, there will be an announcement on the competitions that will give way to the creation of this network of campuses throughout the country.
StartupLab01
The first of these support hubs for startups or science and technology-based companies (STBC) is Startup Campus, led by Fundación Chile and Corfo, which unveiled its new identity at the meeting in Bicentenario Park, becoming StartupLab01.
"This new brand represents key attributes of this initiative: the offer of specialized laboratories and resources for growth. We are designing very solid work with various actors in the ecosystem, to achieve the goal of supporting 200 businesses in the first five years. It is a concrete effort to develop a more complex economy based on science and technology, which is a significant step closely linked to the public policy of decentralizing territories. It is also an effort to position scientific-technological knowledge in the place it deserves in the country," said Pablo Zamora, CEO of Foundation Chile.
StartupLab01, launched in May by President Gabriel Boric at La Moneda Palace, seeks to catalyze the development of disruptive solutions that not only improve people's quality of life, but also address critical challenges such as mitigation, resilience, and adaptation to climate change.
The hub will be located in Territoria Santa Lucía, an innovative mixed-use project in the heart of Santiago, which will include the renovation of the iconic former Enel Tower, a food market, offices, green areas, among other things.
StartupLab.01 has achieved significant advancements which consolidate its position as a key space for innovation linked to science and technology in Chile. Among the most notable milestones is the incorporation of BancoEstado and BID Lab as Founding Partners, which strengthens its capacity to drive innovative solutions to climate change.
In addition, the alliance with Thermo Fisher will ensure access to specialized laboratory equipment, while the strategic collaboration with Patagonia Biotech Hub, in Puerto Varas, will strengthen synergies with the southern country's biotechnological ecosystem. This progress is complemented with the development of a new brand, reflecting a powerful and modern vision, and the consolidation of a highly qualified team leading essential areas such as corporate linkage, startups selection, and the strengthening of the connection between the hub and the public.
StartupLab.01 is also actively exploring collaboration opportunities with potential founding partners, including companies from key sectors such as energy, mining, agriculture, food, and mobility, as well as with universities, hubs, accelerators, and international entities.