For more info see these post:
Prelaunch of a network of entrepreneurs in Antofagasta (in Spanish)
A report of tonight’s activities with support from Leonardo Maldonado, Estuardo Robles, Bijoy Goswami, and Steve Golab
Returning to Chile- moving forward with projects
You might know of the work that I started in Chile in 2003 – which was to become the basis of Tech Ranch Austin– the “Enterprise Teaming” (trademark!) framework that I originally took to Chile so many years ago. Well the Tech Ranch Austin has been growing, and we’re starting to duplicate this framework and our more polished insight back to Chile. Last year, I was in Antofagasta, Chile for the launch of Region Fertil– a project that has been started to invigorate innovation and entrepreneurship in Antofagasta. I’ll be working with my colleagues from G&L and Gulliver– and am looking forward to seeing many of my friends in Chile.
Given as we’ve been unpacking at the new Tech Ranch Austin (we moved a few weeks ago) and we launched the Austin Startup Bazaar with 30 startups presenting, and over 350 people in attendance, I am getting this info out late about my travel plans, so I’d figure I’d share it directly here – for coordination purposes. Here’s generally my schedule- let me know via twitter, email, or US phone or Chilean phone at +56.9.9.871.5077 to coordinate getting together while I am in Chile.
Sep 25th: Sunday Austin – Santiago
Sep 26th: Monday Meetings in Santiago
Sep 27th: Tuesday Santiago – Antofagasta- Meetings in Antofagasta
Sep 28th: Wednesday Antofagasta
Sep 29th: Thursday Antofagasta – Santiago
Sep 30th: Friday Meetings in Santiago
Oct 1st: Saturday Fun around Santiago
Oct 2nd: Santiago flying out in the evening
Oct 3rd: return to Austin in the morning
What are we working on? We’ll be following up on building teaming opportunities between networks of entrepreneurs both in Antofagasta, Santiago, and Austin. (We’ll be showing off some of our results at SXSW2012 by the way). Here’s to strengthening entrepreneurship by working together. I’m excited to return to Chile, for that’s where this whole process began for me.
Opportunities Connecting Worlds
Many have asked me what’s brought me to Chile this time. As I sit here in Antofagasta, Chile, I wanted to share this recent New York Times article that frames in the discussion. Power in the 21st century is about networks. Over the next 10 years. The individuals, companies, and nations that have the strongest networks will define the age. Its critical to continually build these networks. I am in Chile to assist entrepreneurs in Austin, Antofagasta, and Santiago to connect, create strong relationships, and do business with each other… and through this, transform each location.
Opportunities come from all over the world. In my business, I’ve known this since I started my first company, for my “first dollar earned” was actually a peso from Mexico. As we forge and create into the future, the world we’re building as entrepreneurs will be about being connected together. Its not just a naive vision of the future, its good business, especially given that $40 billion will be invested in Antofagasta over the next 10 years.
Reconnecting with Chile
Its hard to ever know how seeds once planted will grow.
This and next week represent an exciting reconnection of my work with Chile. For context, in 2003, I took an early version of what was to become the blueprint of Tech Ranch Austin to Chile. I was convinced that I needed to open the next door of my life, in not just starting yet another tech startup, but instead, starting a platform, some might say a revolution :-), of startups working together.
Its exciting to see how these seeds have grown. Two really quick areas that I’ll mention here. This next Thursday, Paige Brown, Founder and CEO of Tripeezy heads to Chile, as one of the winners of Startup Chile. Startup Chile is a program where the government of Chile is investing money in her startup.
Secondly, three executives are coming from Chile- two from Antofagasta- where the major copper mines of the world area, and another long term colleague and friend coming from Santiago. We’ll be talking about specific technologies that the executives from Antofagasta are looking for. Moreover, we will explore ways to shape the innovation culture of Antofagasta in specific, and Chile more generally.
I am excited because the work that originally took me to Chile, including perhaps the simple concepts, and my naive understanding of these concepts and my work has now blossomed into a much bigger opportunity that includes many businesses and early stage entrepreneurs. Feeling like a proto-entrepreneur for the Startup Chile program (before there was a program years ago) its exciting to see doors open where there were once walls and a bunch of dreams.