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Startup ecosystems can be fragmented, competitive, and hidden to newcomers, which is detrimental for local startups and community growth. The Startup Ecosystem Canvas seeks to provide local entrepreneurs with a clear list of resources for every stage of their startup journey, and outline a basic framework for communities to map their ecosystem.

With applications for the Guatemala Founder Institute coming to a close, we are excited to release the Guatemala Startup Ecosystem Canvas, which is currently in Draft v2 below! It was developed by the Guatemala Founder Institute and local leaders Ana Peralta, Rocio Pinto, Sofia Hegel and Enrique Novella.

This is just the first version, and more input is needed, so please leave your comments on this collaborative Google document for the next update.

If you are interested in launching a company in Guatemala, applications are currently open for the Guatemala Founder Institute. Learn more and apply at http://fi.co/apply/guatemala.

 

Startup Stages


There is no one right way to build a technology company, but for the sake of simplicity we have outlined a basic, common, sequential framework.

1. Idea Stage

This is where new entrepreneurs get inspired, learn best practices, develop skills, validate ideas, and begin to build their team and product.

A. Inspire

    • Startup Media: Centralized local information, listings, and news. (i.e. startup blogs/ publications/ lists/ FB groups/ newsletters)
      1. Startup Digest Guatemala

    • Inspirational Events: Open, inclusive, beginner startup events (i.e. Startup Weekend, idea fairs, and inspirational meetups)
      1. Cafe Cuteza

      2. Creative Mornings

      3. Emprendedores Guatemala

      4. First Tuesday Guatemala

      5. Fuck Up Nights

      6. Guatemala NetSquared Meetup

      7. Hackers and Founders Guatemala

      8. Startup Weekend Antigua

      9. Startup Weekend Guatemala

      10. The Founding Moms' Exchange Guatemala

B. Educate

    • Best Practices: Beginner knowledge-sharing events. (i.e. beginner events that serve to educate more than inspire).
      1. Guatemala Internet Startups

      2. Innovation Guatemala

      3. Splash

      4. Startup Cities Institute

      5. Startup Founder 101 Guatemala

      6. Startup Grind Guatemala City

    • Training & Feedback: Skill & Idea development. (Ex. bootcamps and comprehensive training programs, like Founder Institute, etc)
      1. Entrepreneurial Boot Camp

      2. Exosphere

      3. Founder Institute

      4. Lean Startup Machine Guatemala

      5. Teen Boot Camp

      6. Turing Coding Boot Camp

C. Validate

    • Team Formation: Resources for teaming up. (i.e. events or other resources that facilitate early-stage recruitment and cofounder matching)
      1. AJE Guatemala

      2. Asociacion de Gerentes de Guatemala

      3. Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs

      4. CoFoundersLab Guatemala

      5. Entrepreneurs’ Organization Guatemala

      6. Founder2be

      7. FounderDating

      8. Founders Network

      9. Guatemala Entrepreneurship Meetup

      10. XYZ Network

    • Build First Product: Hackathons & resources to build. (i.e. hackathons and other builder-focused events and resources)
      1. Code for the Kingdom Hackathon

      2. Hackathon SmartCityGT

      3. Guatemala Netsquared Meetup

      4. International Space Apps Challenge

 

2. Launch Stage

In this stage, entrepreneurs establish and formalize the company, develop the product, get feedback from customers, and prepare for the next step.

A. Start

    • Establish: Law firms & banks for startups
      1. ARTlex

      2. Arias & Muñoz

      3. BAC Guatemala

      4. Banco Agromercantil de Guatemala

      5. Banco G y T Continental

      6. Banco Industrial

      7. Banco Promerica

      8. Bufete Lopez Cordero

      9. Diaz-Duran & Asociados

      10. Citibank de Guatemala

      11. Consortium Legal

    • Workspace: Co-working and flexible workspaces (note: “official” office space goes in 3.1.a. Infrastructure)
      1. Chamba

      2. Co-Working Campus Tec

      3. Collision Factory by Multiverse

      4. Impact Hub Antigua

      5. Nook Design Studio

      6. Qüid

      7. Tu Zona

      8. WWW Business Centre

B. Develop

    • Formalize: Accounting, development and HR for early-stage startups.
      1. Activa Web

      2. Asesoria R y S

      3. Atom

      4. Bits Development

      5. Calaps

      6. DB Marketing

      7. DConta

      8. Guateportal

      9. HR Center

      10. iLifeBelt

      11. MEGAPROCESOS Guatemala

      12. MISCORP

      13. PIXtig

      14. Perinola

      15. Premper

      16. SolucionesGT

      17. SoMad Technologies

      18. VESCO Consultores

    • Prepare for Seed: Incubators and advanced mentorship. (i.e. advanced knowledge sharing, later stage events and resources for startup TEAMS)
      1. Alterna

      2. Campus Tec

      3. Heuristica

      4. Startup Next Antigua

      5. Startup Next Guatemala City

C. Launch

    • Pitch & Demo: Show local startups for investment (i.e. demo days for companies seeking seed investment)
      1. DemoDay Campus Tec

      2. Eclipse DemoCamp Neon 2016 Guatemala

      3. PitchDay Campus Tec

      4. Seedstars Guatemala 2016

 

3. Growth Stage

Here, a startup proves their utility, receives recognition, and scales up. This usually requires funding, angels, VCs, and ways to connect them to startups.

A. Recognition

    • Investor Networking:  Connect professional investors with founders. (i.e. events or groups that facilitate connections with professional investors)
      1. Global Entrepreneurship Network

      2. Latin American Trade & Investment Association (LATIA)

    • Major Media: Mainstream local business press. (i.e. major local or regional publications that frequently champion local businesses)
      1. Al Dia

      2. El Periodico

      3. Guatevision

      4. La Hora

      5. Prensa Libre

      6. Publinews

      7. Siglo21

B. Funding

    • Angels / Micro-VCs: Seed-stage investors 
      1. Latin American Angel Networks

    • Venture Capitalists: Series A and beyond
      1. E10

      2. Invariantes Fund

      3. Multiverse

      4. Pomona Impact

C. Growth

    • Infrastructure: Office space, HR, local business insurance. (i.e. office space/ HR/ insurance providers for capital-rich companies to grow and scale)
      1. CS Talento Humano

      2. Conseguros

      3. Instant Offices

      4. Orange Talent Group

      5. Regus

      6. Search Office Space

      7. Somit Corredores de Seguros

      8. Tecniseguros

      9. Unity Promotores

    • Expansion: Growth accelerators/consultants. (i.e. programs and business consultants for capital-rich companies to grow and scale)
      1. Aon

      2. Feher & Feher Consulting

      3. Gyssa Business Technology Consulting

      4. International Consulting Group

      5. KPMG

      6. PwC

      7. Score Consulting

 

4. Success Stories

Successful homegrown companies that have raised significant institutional funding, employ a large workforce, or have achieved liquidity.

    1. Duolingo

    2. Flatbox

    3. Fri

    4. Kipo

    5. The Influence

 

Supporters


 

To facilitate the steps, every ecosystem needs strong supporters.

1. Evangelists

Successful local founders who lead the ecosystem & frequently mentor newbies.  

  1. Alejandro Estrada

  2. Edwin Xico

  3. Enrique Novela

  4. Gustavo Reyes

  5. Juan Bautista Bosch

  6. Juan Carlos Asensio

  7. Juan José Estrada

  8. Julio Lemus

  9. Karla Ruiz Cofiño

  10. Lorena Bin Galvez

  11. Malte Holm

  12. Ricardo David Figueroa

  13. Rocio Pinto

  14. Zachary Caceres

 

2. Government

Public organizations that facilitate local economic development

  1. Camara de Comercio de Guatemala

  2. Centro Municipal de Emprendimiento

  3. Invest in Guatemala

  4. Ministerio de Economia de Guatemala

  5. PRONACOM

 

3. Talent

Major local business or tech universities and employers that attract and retain local talent.

  • Local Universities (universities with prominent technical or business programs)
    1. Universidad Francisco Marroquin

    2. Universidad Galileo

    3. Universidad Mariano Galvez de Guatemala

    4. Universidad Mesoamericana

    5. Universidad Panamericana

    6. Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala

    7. Universidad del Valle de Guatemala

  • Local Employers (Major technical employers, like Microsoft or Google or large local companies, with large local offices)
    1. Claro Guatemala

    2. Huawei Guatemala

    3. Microsoft

    4. Movistar

    5. Tigo

    6. Xerox


 

If you are interested in launching a company in Guatemala, applications are currently open for the Guatemala Founder Institute. Learn more and apply at http://fi.co/apply/guatemala.


Note: The Startup Ecosystem Canvas is a perpetual work in progress. Learn more at http://fi.co/canvas, and comment on this document to provide your feedback.  

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