Launch in Latin America: Start‑Up Chile Seed Grant — CLP 40,000,000 Equity Free plus Visa and Housing Support (Deadline July 31, 2025)

If you are an international founding team with a tech product and you’re serious about growing in Latin America, this is one of those rare programs that hands you real runway without taking a slice of your company. Start‑Up Chile’s Seed program offers CLP 40,000,000 (about USD 45,000) in equity‑free funding, help with visas, housing stipends, and six months of on‑the‑ground immersion in Santiago. That combination — cash, legal paperwork, local connections — can shave months off the headache of entering a new region.

Think of Chile as a tidy front door into Latin America: smaller than Brazil but stable, internationally connected, and with a strong tech ecosystem that speaks both Spanish and English. For many founders, the monetary award is helpful, but the real value is the friction removed: paperwork handled, introductions opened, mentorship scheduled. Still, this isn’t free money for hobby projects. Start‑Up Chile expects commitment — moving to Santiago for six months, mentoring local entrepreneurs, and showing clear plans to sell into regional markets.

Below I’ll walk you through the offer, who should apply, how to write an application that stands out, concrete timeline and materials, and the common mistakes that sink otherwise promising teams. Read this like your co‑founder just handed you a checklist and the key questions an evaluator will ask.

At a Glance

What This Program Really Offers

Start‑Up Chile is not a traditional investor‑led accelerator. It is an economic development program with a clear goal: attract international founders to Chile and help them build businesses that sell across Latin America. The headline CLP 40,000,000 arrives as a grant — not debt, not convertible note — and it is intended to cover part of your team’s living costs and early market development while you’re physically based in Santiago.

The program includes visa support that typically results in a temporary work visa for up to one year. For startups, dealing with immigration is often a major roadblock; Start‑Up Chile smooths that out. Housing stipends reduce the financial stress of relocating, and the program organizes workshops and mentorship specific to regional realities: payment systems, local regulatory quirks, tax basics, distribution partners, and culturally appropriate marketing.

Beyond services, the program sells access: introductions to Chilean and regional investors, potential customers, and a 2,000+ strong alumni network spanning 80+ countries. Past participants have collectively raised substantial capital and built notable exits. For many teams, the practical guidance and warm introductions are more valuable than the grant’s cash component.

Who Should Apply

Start‑Up Chile is aimed squarely at international founders with a technology product under three years old who are ready to commit the time and attention needed to enter Latin America. That means you should have something more than an idea — at minimum a working prototype, early users, or pilot customers.

If your product is B2B SaaS, fintech, marketplace, edtech, healthtech, or a similarly scalable tech product, you’re a natural fit. If your business is a local services concept that requires dense local operations per city (like a local cleaning franchise that can’t be centrally run), this program will be less useful.

Here are realistic profiles of teams that should apply:

• A European SaaS startup with paying customers in its home market and a hypothesis that mid‑sized Latin American companies will pay for similar workflows.
• An Indian edtech team with a mobile product and early traction, seeking regional partners and pilot schools in Chile, Mexico, or Colombia.
• A US healthtech company with HIPAA‑compliant software that needs a safe jurisdiction to pilot in Spanish‑speaking markets and test local interoperability.

You must be willing to relocate key team members (co‑founders preferred) to Santiago for six months and commit to mentoring local entrepreneurs as part of the program’s give‑back requirement. If your team cannot physically move, this is not a fit.

Insider Tips for a Winning Application

Apply like you already see Chile as your test market. A generic “we want to expand” application won’t survive the first round. Here are seven concrete, actionable tips that separate good apps from great ones.

1. Explain a specific market entry plan. Don’t write “we will expand to Latin America.” Name the first two countries, the exact customer segments, the channel you’ll use (e.g., direct sales, partnerships with local resellers, integrations with a widely used regional payment processor), and measurable targets for the six months (for example, 3 pilot customers with contracts, 1,000 active users, or CLP X in revenue).

2. Show evidence of traction. Traction is not a single metric — it’s a coherent set: initial customers, growth rate, churn or retention, and unit economics. Present numbers clearly: Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR), Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC), Lifetime Value (LTV), conversion rates, and retention at 30/60/90 days. Even small revenue is better than none; concrete signals beat vague claims.

3. Be explicit about relocation logistics. Say who will move, when, and how you’ll maintain operations elsewhere. If one founder will stay behind, explain how decisions will be handled. Mention visa considerations for spouses if relevant. Selection committees want to see commitment, not wishful thinking.

4. Use the video to show authenticity. The video is typically 2–3 minutes. Don’t read your written answers. Show your product, demonstrate team chemistry, and articulate one clear reason you chose Chile. High production value is unnecessary; clarity, energy, and genuine personality matter more.

5. Show how you’ll give back. Have a plan for mentoring local teams: office hours, workshops on growth or fundraising, or bringing expertise that the ecosystem lacks. Concrete commitments (e.g., “we will run a monthly UX clinic for Chilean startups”) score better than generic promises.

6. Build local credibility in the application. List any pilots, advisory relationships, or introductions you already have in Latin America. If you don’t have any, reach out to two alumni or local partners before applying and mention those conversations in your application.

7. Prepare a lean, realistic six‑month roadmap. Give reviewers a month‑by‑month plan with deliverables and metrics. Include contingency plans for the key risks (payment integration delays, regulatory issues, hiring trouble). Being realistic is better than overpromising.

These tips are not marketing fluff. They address the exact questions reviewers ask: Can you execute? Will this product fit local needs? Will you show up and help the community?

Application Timeline (Work Backwards from July 31, 2025)

International applications involve logistics; start early. Here’s a realistic schedule you can follow.

• March–April: Decide as a team whether you’ll commit to six months in Santiago. Begin market research targeted at Latin America and identify two priority countries.
• April–May: Reach out to Start‑Up Chile alumni and potential local partners. Sketch a six‑month roadmap and gather traction metrics. Draft your written answers.
• May–June: Prepare your pitch deck (10–15 slides), product demo, and the short video. Have multiple people review the written application and the deck.
• Early July: Finalize the video, proofread everything, and collect any required attachments. Confirm travel logistics and lodging options in Santiago.
• July 15–25: Do a final pass, export files in required formats, and submit no later than July 25 to allow buffer time for technical issues. Avoid submitting on the deadline day.

Pro tip: Treat your institution (co‑founder commitments, family logistics) like a project with deadlines. You’ll be judged partly on whether you are practical.

Required Materials

The application asks for both narrative and evidence. Prepare these documents well ahead of time.

• Written application: detailed answers about product, market, team, and the six‑month plan. Use numbers and short, concrete examples.
• Short video (2–3 minutes): present the founding team, product, and why Chile. Be human, not scripted.
• Pitch deck (10–15 slides): problem, solution, traction, go‑to‑market plan for Latin America, business model, team, and forecast.
• Product demo or screenshots: live links, demo video, or screenshots that make the product real.
• Traction materials: user stats, revenue reports, customer testimonials, and press mentions.
• Team bios: short CVs of founders, highlighting relevant international or domain experience.
• Any letters of support or partnership commitments if you have them.

Write the written answers as if a busy investor will skim them: clear headings, short paragraphs, and bold a few numbers. The people reading dozens of applications appreciate readable structure.

What Makes an Application Stand Out

A strong application reads like a coherent plan, not a wish list. Reviewers want three things: evidence of product‑market fit, a credible Latin American strategy, and a committed team.

Product‑market fit can be demonstrated with any of the following: pilot contracts, retention rates above typical benchmarks for your category, meaningful user engagement metrics, or paying customers. Even proof of concept with good qualitative feedback counts if you’re honest about it.

A credible regional strategy includes specifics: local competitors and how you differ, expected pricing adjustments, payment and logistics partners you’ll approach, and regulatory hurdles you foresee. Don’t spray generic market size stats; instead, show how you’ll capture the first 1,000 users or first five enterprise clients.

Team quality is not just resumes. Show evidence of complementary skills, prior execution, and cultural adaptability. If someone on the team speaks Spanish or Portuguese, say so. If you lack local language skills, explain how you’ll bridge that gap.

Finally, align with Start‑Up Chile’s ecosystem mission: be explicit about giving back — mentoring, workshops, or hiring locally. Applicants who present themselves as ecosystem contributors consistently get better outcomes.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Many promising teams trip over avoidable errors. Here are the pitfalls and how to fix them.

1. Vague market statements. “Huge market in Latin America” without specifics gets you filtered out. Fix it by naming target customers and describing how you will reach them.

2. Underplanning for relocation. Not addressing who moves, when, and how operations continue back home looks uncommitted. Create a logistics page in your application that lists travel, housing, family considerations, and a contingency plan.

3. Poor video. A dark, noisy, or scripted video is forgettable. Record in good light, speak clearly, and be natural. Show the product if possible.

4. Treating mentoring as optional. The give‑back requirement is real. Have a concrete mentoring plan and mention specific topics you can teach.

5. Overly ambitious six‑month goals. Propose achievable milestones. It’s better to promise three realistic deliverables and meet them than to promise ten and fail.

6. Jargon and fluff. Use plain language. Replace buzzwords with specifics and examples.

If you avoid these errors, your application moves from hopeful to compelling.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do we need fluent Spanish? No. Spanish helps, and teams that can operate in Spanish often move faster. But many programs and mentors operate in English, especially in tech sectors. If you don’t speak Spanish, explain how you will handle customer interactions and which team members or local partners will bridge the gap.

Can we participate remotely? No. The program requires physical relocation to Santiago for six months. Remote participation is not accepted.

What happens after six months? You’ll receive a temporary work visa (typically up to one year). You can stay and continue building in Chile, return home, or move elsewhere. Many teams choose to maintain a base in Chile to serve regional customers.

Can we bring family members? Yes, families can accompany participants, but visas for dependents must be arranged separately. Start‑Up Chile provides guidance, not legal guarantees.

How competitive is it? Selection is competitive — hundreds apply for each cohort. Strong traction, a credible Latin American plan, and clear commitment to relocation and community contribution improve your odds.

Do they take equity? No. Start‑Up Chile’s Seed program is equity‑free.

Are taxes due on the grant? Tax treatment varies by jurisdiction and your corporate structure. Consult a tax advisor familiar with Chilean and international tax law.

How to Apply

Ready to move? Here’s the exact sequence you should follow this week:

1. Visit the official Start‑Up Chile site and read the Seed program guidelines carefully: https://www.startupchile.org/
2. Decide as a team who will relocate and confirm their availability for the six months.
3. Draft a focused Latin American market entry plan: two target countries, three customer acquisition tactics, and month‑by‑month milestones.
4. Prepare the pitch deck, product demo, and a 2–3 minute video highlighting team chemistry and why Chile.
5. Reach out to alumni for quick feedback — a 20‑minute call can give you precise improvements.
6. Submit your application at least five days before July 31, 2025 to avoid last‑minute platform issues.

Apply now: https://www.startupchile.org/

If you want, paste your draft one‑pager or video script here and I’ll give tight edits that sharpen your market entry argument and spotlight the metrics reviewers care about. Your odds improve dramatically with a crisp, rehearsed application — and the people who treat this like a cross‑border product launch tend to win.