LatAm marketing accelerator INDY scouts for startups
From left: Antonio Duarte and Jaime Rosado.
INDY, the first marketing accelerator in Latin America, announced an open call to apply for a six-month program focused on helping post-seed startups develop marketing plans to fuel their growth.
INDY will take five startups or emerging companies that have already been through a first round of funding and are ready to enter new markets through a program to further develop their businesses with a unique hands-on approach, spending time to validate product fit, work on customer engagement and guide them to a successful marketing plan.
The main objective is to actively engage the target audience to prepare startups for their next step, which may include brand licensing, raising capital or the deployment of a successful exit strategy.
“Over the last five years, Latin American incubators and accelerators have been playing a major role in the development of entrepreneurial ecosystems in the region. However, none of these platforms are leveraging marketing strategies for growth,” said Antonio Duarte, founder and Chief Marketing Officer of DuartePino, a marketing advisory firm.
“We believe businesses must be customer centric in order to be successful, and this also applies to startups, which can uncover meaningful insights through marketing processes that will help develop their brands and connect with customers,” he said.
Participating companies will receive intensive support from DuartePino and creative agency J. Walter Thompson to prepare them to present their businesses to strategic partners, opinion leaders and investors during a Demo Day.
DuartePino and J. Walter Thompson will provide their services free of charge in exchange for a 6 percent stake in the company. Additionally, an advisory board comprised of top marketing experts whose services are typically reserved for major corporations backs INDY.
“Projects such as INDY allow the advertising industry to make a swift and necessary move towards a model where our growth is intimately tied to the launch and development of local brands and products,” said Jaime Rosado, Chief Creative Director for J. Walter Thompson in Latin America.
“This way, we advertising creatives will be able to take part in the creation, development and communication of a brand from its inception through its execution,” he said. “We’re excited to get to work with startups and help them gain a competitive advantage to scale their businesses with greater efficiency and speed.”
Based in Puerto Rico, INDY can be a gateway for startups in Latin America interested in growing and exporting to the United States by leveraging the island’s tax incentives and competitive advantages.
The INDY Marketing Growth Accelerator is open to startups in the technology, consumer goods, retail, health and financial services categories that are ready grow their businesses, disrupt their industries and that are capable to expand globally. Interested applicants should visit www.indyaccelerator.com for more information.
