Start-Up Nation Central to help Latin American firms tap into Israeli tech

Start-Up Nation Central (SNC) has set up a partnership with ConnectAmericas, an online business platform that helps small and medium-sized enterprises from Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) internationalize their business.

The two will work together to connect Israeli startups to LAC firms. As a first step, some 5,000 Israeli companies have set up profiles on the ConnectAmerica’s platform.

ConnectAmericas, set up by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), is a social network backed by Google, DHL, Sealand, Facebook and Mastercard to help small and medium-sized enterprises from Latin America and the Caribbean internationalize their business by connecting them to more than 360,000 users from 110 countries to explore business opportunities, and by offering training tools that enhance their ability to secure this new business.

Start-Up Nation Central is a nonprofit organization that aims to connect Israeli startup firms to corporations, governments and organizations around the world.

SNC and IDB have also identified areas of particular interest for the LAC firms, addressing the challenges they face especially in light of the coronavirus pandemic including health, cybersecurity, food security, critical infrastructure and social services.

SNC is working with experts in each of these fields to understand the main challenges of the region and match them with the most relevant innovative Israeli solution, the statement said.

In addition, the innovation lab of IDB will make available to Israeli startups a “sandbox” to pilot selected solutions and help the successful ones grow.

“Our partnership with IDB plays a major role in connecting the ecosystems, allowing us to identify Israeli partners to jointly develop and adapt solutions to the challenges faced by Latin America and the Caribbean,” said Prof. Eugene Kandel, CEO of Start-Up Nation Central, in the statement.

Set up in 1959, the IDB is a source of long-term financing for economic, social and institutional development in Latin America and the Caribbean. The IDB also conducts research and provides policy advice, technical assistance and training to public and private sector clients throughout the region.

“COVID-19 will accelerate the shift to digital, and reshape the business landscape,” said Ana María Rodríguez, vice president for Sectors and Knowledge at IDB, in the statement. “Latin America and the Caribbean must be part of the digital future. The alignment of public and private strategies is, without doubt, a necessary condition for success.”