This article is the second instalment of a three-part GEW Series on “Ecosystem Building in Latin America” produced by the Global Entrepreneurship Network, in collaboration with the Latin American Group of Intelligent Ecosystems (GEIAL). Each story spotlights the people, the organizations, and the ecosystems that support entrepreneurial dynamics—amplifying the lessons and leadership shaping the future of entrepreneurship worldwide. Read the previous story in this series, here, and access the International Brief of the GEIAL 2025 report, here.
In the spirit of Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW), to inspire peers from across the globe, we are shining a global spotlight on ecosystem support organizations (ESOs) from across Latin American cities, sourcing noteworthy actors from the Awards for Commitment to Entrepreneurship and Innovation by Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the Latin American Group of Intelligent Ecosystems (GEIAL).
In the previous post in the GEW Series on Latin America, we explored ESOs in the IDB-GEIAL Entrepreneur Support category. We now present the finalists and the winners from large and intermediate cities (metropolitan areas with fewer than one million inhabitants) for the IDB-GEIAL Ecosystem Development category.
All the finalists in this category share a defining characteristic: they are not primarily entrepreneur-facing organizations; they are ecosystem-building institutions whose core work focuses on coordination, governance, and strengthening the conditions for entrepreneurship to flourish.
Juan Federico, GEIAL's co-founder, expressed the commonality in these terms: "All finalists have built credibility over years—sometimes decades—through sustained engagement, ecosystem-wide influence through data and intelligence, and the ability to mobilize partners and resources."
Blanca Torrico, IDB Specialist in Competitiveness, Technology and Innovation, highlighted that the Award "gives visibility to those actors convening a diverse set of actors—government, private sector, academia, investors, civil society—to create a platform for sustained collaboration rather than fragmented local efforts."
Finalists From Intermediary Cities
The 2025 intermediate-city winner in the Ecosystem Development category is EIVA, the regional ecosystem governance platform for the port city of Valparaíso, Chile. Since 2020, the inter-institutional platform has brought together public and private actors, academia, and research centers to drive a dynamic and innovative local entrepreneurship ecosystem. Its most recent priorities include transformative initiatives such as the Regional Supercomputing Center and Innova Valpo Ventures, which prepare technology-based ventures to attract private investment with support from CORFO, Chile’s national entrepreneurship and innovation agency.
EIVA also operates a leadership program to train 40 ecosystem actors and leads community-building efforts—including Protagonistas del Futuro, Ecosistema Hoy, and After Office networking events—designed to strengthen ties between entrepreneurs and the private sector. In addition, EIVA works to activate entrepreneurship among the youth. Through Valpo Emprende, delivered in partnership with Social Lab and the Anglo American Foundation, EIVA has helped 3,500 young people develop real-world solutions supported by mentors from local companies.
"Collaboration is our strategy to multiply impact across the region. Working together allows organizations to achieve results none of us could reach on our own. This approach requires deep commitment, reflected in shared agendas and joint budgets aligned with goals that go beyond any single institution’s interests,” said Jaime González, Executive Director of EIVA.
Another Chile-based organization, Endeavor Biobío, was among the finalists. Since 2021, Endeavor Biobío has supported more than 150 startups and scale-ups across central Chile, unlocking new opportunities for growth, investment, and international expansion. As part of the Startup Biobío collaborative platform, Endeavor provides acceleration services, mentorship, investor connections, and immersion trips abroad. Its flagship event, Experiencia Endeavor, brings together entrepreneurs, corporations, investors, and key ecosystem stakeholders, strengthening regional capacity to scale high-impact ventures.
Finally, CORFO's Regional Office in Coquimbo, Chile, was also among the selected by IDB and GEIAL as finalists for the Award. Aligned with Chile’s commitment to decentralizing entrepreneurship support, CORFO’s Regional Office in Coquimbo has mobilized more than USD 1.2 million to strengthen over 200 local companies in 2024 alone. The office bolsters the regional ecosystem through funding for incubators, mentorship initiatives, digital resources, and technical training tools—creating favorable conditions for dynamic ventures across the coastal region.
Finalists from Large Cities
Uruguay’s National Development Agency (ANDE) emerged as the winner in Ecosystem Development among the large city finalists. Based out of Montevideo, but with a nationwide reach, ANDE is well known among our global network for promoting productive growth by supporting innovative and sustainable ventures with nationwide impact. Through its leadership in forming the Red Uruguay Emprendedor, ANDE has strengthened institutional collaboration and elevated the importance of cross-sector partnerships. ANDE also provides online workshops, regional calls for proposals, and visibility for projects through a national entrepreneurship catalog. Among its flagship instruments is Semilla ANDE, which offers non-reimbursable funding to scalable ventures, and the VIN program, developed jointly with ANII, the national innovation agency, to help entrepreneurs validate ideas through technical assistance. Additionally, ANDE coordinates Global Entrepreneurship Week in Uruguay, mobilizing over 150 activities and dozens of ecosystem stakeholders across Uruguay.
“The recognition by the Latin American Intelligent Ecosystems Group (GEIAL) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) is the result of sustained, strategic, and collective work that we have driven from Montevideo to strengthen Uruguay’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, together with the institutions that make up the Red Uruguay Emprendedor across the country. The distinction reflects the trust built among the institutions in the network, the outcome of years of effective collaboration and shared commitment,” expressed Ana Laura Trias, ANDE's Network Coordinator.
Among the runner-ups was GEN's partner in Ecuador, the Alliance for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (AEI). Founded in Quito in 2013 by five partner organizations, AEI now comprises more than 186 institutions across the public, private, and academic sectors. AEI has connected over 17,000 entrepreneurs, trained 50,000 individuals, and contributed to the creation of USD 115 million in sales and 5,000 jobs.
On the policy front, AEI spearheaded the development of Ecuador’s Entrepreneurship and Innovation Law, which enabled the creation of more than 100,000 simplified stock corporations (SAS). AEI also led the Ecuador Innovative Entrepreneur 2030 Strategy, recognized by UNCTAD, and is currently implementing Misión Emprende 593, an initiative to train and accelerate high-impact startups.
Completing the set of finalists was the Tijuana Development Council (CDT) from Mexico’s sixth-largest city. The Council drives regional economic development by fostering cross-sector collaboration. Through its Startups Tijuana platform, CDT provides ecosystem knowledge, mentorship, connections to investors, and networking opportunities. Its Tijuana Ventures program in turn advances open innovation by supporting an incubation process that helps entrepreneurs validate new technologies and business ideas in partnership with local corporations.
GEN congratulates the teams behind these six organizations. Together, their efforts embody the spirit of Global Entrepreneurship Week—mobilizing communities, strengthening collaboration, and showcasing how collective action can transform local ecosystems into engines of opportunity. To learn more about Global Entrepreneurship Week and to get involved, visit www.gew.co.