In spite of the lack of a solid ecosystem to support new companies, over the past years Ecuador has witnessed the birth of initiatives to back up and boost local entrepreneurs. Some years ago, the only alternative for startups was to apply for such programs as Wayra (especially in its Peru chapter) and Start Up Chile, but the situation is changing.
Incubators like KrugerLabs or Startup Ventures are joining such initiatives as Startup Weekend Quayaquil or Lean Startup Machine Guayaquil, the last one is a training/workshop that arrived in the country to shed more light on the enterprising gene.
There is a lot to be done, but some Ecuadorian startups are gaining momentum:
RECICLA EN LÍNEA
Objective: Designing and monitoring online collection campaigns.
The platform created by Luis Bajaña collects in a simple way, since it allows users to organize a campaign that put together the elements to be collected, the collectors and the monitoring to the collection process.
Those people or companies that have the elements to be collected by the promoter of the campaign can send the notification by means of the campaign’s website. The creator of the campaign can assign collectors and monitor the collection process by using a dashboard.
The initiative had been previously named Cycle Money and it was focused on recycling technological devices for people that cannot afford them. With this project, Bajaña won the first positions in events like the APPS Challenge of Developing Latin America (DLA Latin America) in its national and regional version. Likewise, his idea stood among the seven that were chosen by program Manos Accelerator and Start Up Chile.
ORIGO SOLUTIONS
Objective: Technologies applied to the improvement of internal navigation/transfers
The company founded by Danilo Salazar Ramos targets a specific and barely exploited market niche: the research and development of different kinds of technologies (like e-beacons and GPS) for internal navigations.
The goal is to solve problems of our daily life, such as locating the children, looking for parking lot, getting a ticket for some event without standing in lines, finding hotel rooms or assistance in case of any emergency.
REVOLUCIONA TU PRECIO
Objective: An Ecommerce website that lowers shopping prices as the number of buyers goes up.
Created by Alejandro Freund and Martin Jara when they returned to Ecuador after having finished their studies in Europe, the successful platform gives a whole new meaning to traditional Ecommerce.
The platform works as an online pool: the more people buy a product, the lower the price is. A wholesale negotiation of prices is carried out with retailers and if a product is in great demand, the negotiating interest of the website is higher, as well as the price for the final consumer.
SOUTH DELIRIUM
Objective: Fashion Ecommerce with local touch
Founded by Francisco Alvarado, the platform allows local fashion designers, outfitters and brands to sell their products to international buyers, but featuring a local touch.
The slogan is “When Amazon meets Urban Outfitters”, a combination of the variety of products that can be offered by Amazon, but handpicked and curated with the style of Urban Outfitters, in a search of emotional connection with the target.
The company accepts both cash payment and bank transfers from local buyers that don’t have credit cards.
