When it comes to startups in the field of apps, platforms, and technologies, the “most distinguished” denominations- arbitrary and polemic just like every decision- are made according to different criteria.
Here at PanamericanWorld we don’t care about big profits, record capital investments, or big milestones reached. Instead, we decided to choose young companies that, born in Latin America during 2014 and focused on the region, we believe are innovative; because they want to explore new markets or because they decided to be creative or to revolutionize any industry from the inside.
Every one of them awaits a great 2015 with more than just favorable forecasts.
Satellogic (Argentina)
Founder: Emiliano Kargieman
Description: Company dedicated to build and launch Nano-satellites to space. Their leit motiv is “Bringing space down to Earth”.
Why we chose it: As he went through Singularity University, Kargieman set a goal in his mind (and he accomplished it) to create a company that democratized access to space and therefore, the data that can be obtained from satellites in real time as well. On his way, he realized how obsolete, expensive, and hard to access was technology with which satellites were built and so he decided to start producing Nano-satellites (small, light and with affordable costs of production launching). With these, there would be free access to spatial information to many companies in the fields of natural resources, energy, food, etc. that are now his clients all around the world.
The potential of this company is known around the world, part of its team is in the US, UK, Israel, and France. After launching three Nano-satellites in 2014 they hope to end 2015 with 15 more launched.
The Influence (Guatemala)
Founders: Eduardo Benchoam and Pablo Estrada
Description: A network of benefits that connects publicity and marketing agencies with Latin American brands with the best technology of Silicon Valley “key in hand”. Their leit motiv is “Technologies and people to dominate the web”.
Why we chose it: Because they realized that when it came to technologies and software available for use in digital marketing, everything already existed, and even more the supply was huge and varied. They then decided that creating a new alternative to this market was useless, and that they should come up with a different service that would put together the existing technologies in one unique solution customized for their clients and their needs. The solutions were adapted to what Latin-American professionals wanted in that field, which was very different to what their peers in the US need.
After receiving USD 100k as an initial investment, they already have clients in Argentina, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Ecuador, Mexico, and Guatemala, and as a milestone since we are talking about a startup, they started making profits three months after creating the company.
Acámica (Argentina)
Founders: Tomas Escobar, Gonzalo Orsi, Ignacio Puig Moreno, and Juan Badino
Description: A platform that has available contents and educational courses in the fields of technologies, design and business abilities. Their leit motiv is “Learn technology, Change your world”
Why we chose it: Because it is a platform that revolutionizes access to educational courses and goes perfectly well with a global trend that is challenging the reigning educational paradigm. Anybody can access courses and careers related to technologies, design, or businesses. This will allow them to enter the labour market quickly and in very little time, so that they match the actual context of labour demand.
The company, which was incubated by Wayra Argentina, was named in December as one of the 16 companies chosen for the second edition of Creating Solutions: to improve lives, (Demand Solutions) organized by the Inter-American Bank of Development (BID in Spanish) and the Blum Center for Developing Economies with the objective of promoting innovation in Latin America and the Caribbean. In the frame of the event, the company won the prize to the best pitch of all.
Criptext (Panama)
Founders: Mayer Mizrachi, Luis Loaiza y Alberto Vera
Description: Platform for safe massaging/email for companies, organizations and institutions that need to take care of and protect their information and their conversations.
Why we chose it: When it comes to the security of messaging and corporative information they decided to go further than just encrypting it. They created then this impeccable product that allows sending and receiving messages that are impossible to track. If they intercept your messages or mails, you can see the message but never where it came from or for whom it was for.
The startup, which was also chosen by Demand Solutions, has clients in the US and in all of Latin America but it focuses on organizations that are doing I+D and need to protect their confidential information.
Tizkka (Uruguay)
Founders: Gabriel Roizner and Nathan Schorr
Description: Using this app (available in iOS) users can connect with known professionals in the fashion world and ask for personalized advice in real time. Their leit motiv is “Your personal stylist”
Why we chose it: Because they focused on something that wasn’t developed yet, the intersection between ecommerce and social networks. Besides asking and receiving fashion advice from followers and professionals, they are working on an ad Server where brands can upload their ads, segment them, and link them to buy online directly.
The app, which first started in Brazil under the name of Roupologia was launched in Spanish this December and changed its name to Tizkka. It managed to become the number 1 app in lifestyle at the Brazil App Store after only two weeks of being launched with pure organic growth. From its launch in august until December, they counted more than 6.5 million looks on different outifits. They currently have a user base with more than 300 fashion professionals in Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Peru, Colombia, and Mexico.
