Start-up development in Latin America : the role of venture accelerators

Abstract

Venture accelerators are entrepreneurial development instruments that help startups grow in their earliest stages. Accelerators have proliferated in the United States and other developed countries despite the debate regarding their real value to entrepreneurs and ecosystems. New entrepreneurial development instruments are key to Latin America's economic growth. Accelerators have gained traction in the region, and more Latin American countries are implementing them to boost the success of local entrepreneurs. Through a series of interviews with scholars, accelerator executives, venture capital investors, and entrepreneurs, I explore the key strategies and characteristics of successful accelerators and propose a set of design drivers to better adapt the model to Latin American realities.