Organized by the Young Americas Business Trust (YABT), the Talent and Innovation Competition of the Americas (TIC Americas) is an accelerator and business support platform for young entrepreneurs on the American continent.
TIC Colombia is a regional hub of TIC Americas and last week began accepting candidates for its 2019 accelerator program.
The winner of TIC Colombia 2019 will receive seed capital of $4,000, a professional mentor and the chance to take part in the complete TIC program, including international exhibitions and conferences, on-site mentoring sessions and the award ceremony.
There are four categories, including agriculture and nutrition for start-ups that have developed productive models that promote sustainable production, capitalizing the agricultural sector with new technologies.
The other categories are creative industries; sports and peace; and entrepreneurship and peace.
Registration will run until May 15, 2019, and the finals will take place in Medellin, Colombia during the 49th OAS General Assembly.
An expert panel of international judges with experience in the business world will evaluate the teams during both the semi-finals and finals.
“The program brings together young entrepreneurs, governments, universities, investors and private sector companies, as well as other relevant actors to promote economic opportunities for young people,” says TIC.
Registered teams must be available to take part in online training between March and April. “[This] online training [is] dedicated to improving business models, business plans and other deliverables in the category […] to strengthen their business and negotiation skills.”
The competition is open to Colombian citizens aged between 18 and 34 years and start-ups with a maximum of 10 employees.
Interested candidates must present their business plan, describing the commercial validation of the prototype and other deliverables. To apply, click here.
YABT also runs an Eco-Challenge in partnership with PepsiCo Latin America.
Past winners have included Bio Natural Solutions, a Peruvian start-up that extracts natural compounds from fruit and vegetables to extend the shelf life of fresh produce.
