Nearly 3.000 startups in development phase have been identified in Colombia in the last year. A high percentage have great potential for success, although they face serious funding problems, according to a study conducted by iNNpulsaand the National University in Medellin. This study, which was carried out in the 32 departmental capitals and in 10 municipalities in Medellin’s metropolitan, Cali and Bucaramanga, reveals that these startups, the majority with less than five years of operation, have generated 7.933 direct jobs. It is also known that these young Colombian companies offer more services (53.35%) than products (24.4%). Of the 7,933 jobs created by the startups, 53.47% were created in the initial growth stage; 24% in acceleration; 17.51% in the discovery phase and 5% in the stability stage. 45.44% of the enterprises formalized the company in less than a year.
This is the most reliable radiography of the startup ecosystem in Colombia, one of the Spanish speaking countries with the greatest dynamism and capacity for entrepreneurship. An example of this is that 94% of entrepreneurs have used their own resources for their company development, which also indicates serious shortcomings in funding which, undoubtedly, are weighing a growth that could show more muscle. Family funding remains vital in many projects. 42% of the entrepreneurs have asked for loans to their family or friends throughout the product development. While 69% affirm that they have had them as investors. These data appear in a report from the Strategy and Competitiveness Center of the Andes University (SCC), commissioned by iNNpulsa and the Colombian Confederation of Chambers of Commerce (Confecámaras). Their conclusions highlight the difficulties that entrepreneurs have when it comes to accessing funding. Despite this, interesting projects are emerging every year that are facilitating the lives of Colombians and that also contribute to the dynamism of their economy. This is the PanamericanWorld selection
FITPAL
Fitpal is an attractive way to try fitness lessons in different gyms and facilities in the country. It’s a portal that gives users access to more than 100 gyms and workout centers. By paying a monthly fee, app users have access to more than 48 types of lessons in more than 100 locations in Colombia main cities. Fitpal allows users to take lessons or visit gyms located in different places; that is, they don’t have the obligation of always going to it, but they can choose according to their needs. In this way, one day they may want to go to the gym that is closest to their home and another day you may want to exercise directly from work. This physical advancement app provides freedom and flexibility.
Viajala is a search portal for flights and hotels with a difference compared to other competitors: it doesn’t sell flights or hotel packages, it’s simply a real-time search engine that creates a simple and easy-to-use search results page. With direct links to airline and hotel booking pages, Viajala strives to offer a fast and efficient search site that compares the flights and hotels real prices. It also doesn’t include commissions. The portal is currently available in Colombia, Argentina, Peru, Spain, Chile and Mexico and registers more than one million searches per day. Viajala is changing the way people look for flights by eliminating doubts about price and vacancy compared to other search engines.
RAPPI
Rappi is a delivery service company that is currently expanding rapidly throughout Latin America. It’s an app through which people can buy almost anything they want and have them receive it at home. From household products to restaurant meals, alcohol or sports equipment. In your request, there is a section called Rappi Favors where people can ask the company to provide specific services such as walking your dog, pick up clothes or help with household chores. According to its promoters, now, more than 5% of the requests received by Rappi consist of withdrawing money from an ATM and delivering it. Since it was founded two years ago, Rappi has already completed more than two million deliveries in Colombia and Mexico.
CIVICO
Civico is a digital portal that connects people with the cities in which they live or are going to visit. It offers users information about events, news, transportation, police, bicycles, music, movies or other services, all centralized in one place. So far Civico offers updated information about Mexico City, Bogota and Santiago. This portal is changing the way locals and visitors find culture and information in real time.
NIDOO
A young Colombian man found that while he was working, the doorman of his building rented his parking space for hours. This circumstance made him think of an app that assumes the same philosophy as Airbnb or even UBER. That’s how Nidoo was born, the Airbnb of the parking lots. Its operation is simple: If a person has free the parking space of their house for a few hours, you can rent it for hours through Nidoo. The application puts in contact the petitioners of a parking space with the owners who will leave it free for a certain period.
The service has quickly become a great success in cities such as Bogota, where according to Juan Cubillos, CTO and founder of Nidoo, there are only about 60.000 parking spaces for almost two million cars.
Nidoo has plans for growth through new ideas that affect the collaborative economy: for instance, an app for companies in which the employees can agree to do carpooling and share parking spaces in their workplaces.
MEDICAPP
The founders of this startup boast of having developed the first app in Colombia that takes advantage of the collaborative economy model in the health sector. Their services range from sending home medical consultations and laboratory tests, to request the ambulance service, if required. These services can be requested through the MedicApp mobile platform.
