U Ventures, the Bet to Prevent Mindset from Getting Lost Along the Way
Latin America produces entrepreneurs, but what it doesn't produce, with enough consistency, are companies that scale.
TL;DR
- Less than 2% of startups in Latin America scale beyond the initial idea, and only 12% move from seed to Series A within three years.
- Colombia has a high rate of entrepreneurial spirit among university students, with a significant percentage planning to start companies after graduation.
- Despite a strong entrepreneurial drive, 80% of Colombian startups never leave the pre-seed stage, and over 90% fail in their early years.
- U Ventures, backed by EAFIT, EIA, and Fundación Fraternidad Medellín, is Colombia's first university fund focused on investing during the ideation stage.
- Global examples like Stanford, MIT, and Tel Aviv show that early-stage university funds can lead to more formalized companies, founder diversity, and increased chances of institutional funding.
- U Ventures aims to support Medellín and Colombia in transforming entrepreneurial intent into successful businesses that generate employment and contribute to the economy.