Alejandro, Ana Paola, Miguel Ángel and Zlowenka are just four of the 220 winning entrepreneurs of the three versions of Impulso Chileno, a contest of the Luksic Foundation whose objective is to support entrepreneurs with the growth and development of their businesses.
Aware that it has been a very challenging couple of years for entrepreneurs, this fourth version of the contest doubled the number of winners and will award 200 entrepreneurs from all over the country. Applications for the fourth version close this Sunday, October 10 at 11:59 pm.
Entrepreneurships that have taken off from north to south
Of the 220 winners of the three versions of the contest, 52% are women and 76% are from regions other than the Metropolitan Region.
In the north, for example, in the Antofagasta Region, Alejandro Monsalves won the second version of the contest, and saw in tires an opportunity for entrepreneurship. What others saw as garbage, he considered the raw material for his creations, such as his planters and anti-slip floors. “We managed to generate a project with environmental, economic and social impact,” says the owner of EpuHome.
In the commune of San Carlos, in the Ñuble Region, is the business “Pola, flavors that delight” of Ana Paola Pérez, an entrepreneur who is part of the third generation of Impulso Chileno. “I was able to equip my business and include technology, such as software for inventory and thus maintain greater order in the finances and administration of the store,” says Ana.
Further south is Miguel Ángel, an artisan and forger from Puerto Montt who makes handmade knives. “I received training and an economic contribution. All this allowed me to acquire new machinery and improve the quality of my products”, explains the owner of “Cuchillos Yensen”.
Finally, with the aim of supplying the Magallanes Region with herbaceous plants throughout the year, Zlowenka Basic created “La Herbacería” in Punta Arenas. With the prize she built a technological container to achieve her goal and is already seeing good results. “I participated, I won and my business took off,” said the winner of the second edition of the Luksic Foundation contest.
The four entrepreneurs, together with Alba Santana, winner of the last edition of Impulso Chileno and owner of Aliwenko, a purified water treatment plant in the Metropolitan Region, star in the campaign of the fourth version to encourage more entrepreneurs in the country to apply and take off with their businesses.
The winners of Impulso Chileno will receive funding for their businesses, between $3 and $5 million pesos each; classes taught by the School of Management of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, and mentoring by the Corporación Simón de Cirene, an expert in entrepreneurship.
All information on the requirements and stages of the contest process is available through Impulso Chileno’s social networks and its website www.impulsochileno.cl, where a form must be completed to submit the application.
