Imagine and Microsoft launch Spark, an open innovation program that seeks to connect startups with companies from different LATAM countries between February and June 2022

Spark, an open innovation program, has as its main objective to connect the best startups so that they can solve the challenges of large companies from different Latin American countries.

With the mission of continuing to develop an agile collaboration model between startups and companies throughout Latin America, Imagine, the business accelerator and incubator supported by Microsoft, and which currently also offers services focused on support and investment for startups, consulting, design and mobilization of projects, and ecosystem of digital solutions, launched a call for national and international startups through the Spark program. What do they seek? Facilitate interaction between large companies and startups, which will allow systematic capture and generation of value. This will be a creative solution to solve challenges in different industries such as financial services, retail and commerce, health, manufacturing and education, among others.

Javier Cueto, CEO of Imagine, comments that the main reasons for leading this program are based on its offer and experience with the more than 24 open innovation and corporate venturing processes that it has led in the region in various industries, where Microsoft has been a key partner to provide a global, regional and strategic view of this model.

“With our mission as our guide — to enable every person and organization on the planet to achieve more — at Microsoft, we seek to motivate everyone to dream, define and build a better future. We firmly believe that innovation can help companies from different industries in the region to find solutions to the complex challenges they face. With that in mind, we are pleased to be strategic allies of Imagine and promote, together with them, an environment of collaboration between the creative and innovative vision of startups and the challenges of the business sector in Latin America”, commented Wilson Pais, Director of Companies & Digital Native Ecosystems in Microsoft Latin America.

Through Spark, entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to attract new potential clients from the region, since they hope to collaborate with different companies from countries such as Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Costa Rica, Colombia, Puerto Rico and Chile, among others, which will leave advertising between February and May at www.imagine-spark.com and through @grupoimagine_ on Instagram, which will allow them to start or strengthen their internationalization process. “In the same way, they will be able to work with more than one company, if their value proposition coincides with more than one identified challenge,” adds Cueto.

The program contemplates 4 stages: the initial one will be focused on defining, together with large companies, the focuses that will be prioritized based on a strategic pillar of each participating company; the second will be the call for startups throughout the region; the third will be selection process and match with the identified challenges; and, the last one, will consist of a validation process between startups and large companies to arrive at a specific proposal for proof of concept or pilot.

“Our role, as strategic allies of Imagine, is to open the door and put Microsoft’s reach and capabilities at the service of startups and companies that can cooperate to grow together. In other words, we think of collaboration as the key to solving challenges in an effective and scalable manner. We are convinced that success is not limited to a single leader or company, but to all of us who work to face the challenges of each of our countries and the region,” added Pais.

How to apply? Through the site www.imagine-spark.com. It is important to note that the call process will be continuous. “Between February and May we will be publishing innovation challenges from the various companies and startups will be able to select all the challenges with which they match. The selection process will be led by Imagine who, together with each large participating company, will validate the startups that best match their challenges and priorities”, highlights Cueto.

Who can apply? Mainly entrepreneurs who already have a solution and value proposition that has been validated in the market, who already have traction and who are prepared to quickly start a pilot or proof of concept with the companies in the program.

“Latin America is characterized by the creativity, talent and vision of its entrepreneurs. Many of them have become entrepreneurs with projects and ideas that become profitable initiatives, since they cultivate special talents, such as the ability to innovate, launch new products and explore other markets. We always find inspiration in the work of startups, because they push the limits of what is possible and develop products that improve our personal and professional lives, with a special focus on the most urgent problems in their environments. We are sure that, Through this important Imagine initiative, both startups and large companies will benefit from the transformation of the entire region,” concluded Wilson Pais.

Spark intends to be the means to promote the strengthening of collaboration between large companies and startups at a regional level, focusing on generating impact on the business and strategy of both parties, since in this way it grants sustainability and possibilities for the development of synergies in the medium term. long term.

About Imagine Spark

Open innovation program whose main objective is to connect the best startups so that they can solve the challenges of large companies in different Latin American countries, facilitating interaction between large companies and startups, which will allow systematic capture and generation of value. This will be a creative solution to solve challenges in different industries such as financial services, retail and commerce, health, manufacturing and education, among others.

About Microsoft

Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT” @microsoft) enables digital transformation for the age of the intelligent cloud and intelligent landscape. Their mission is to empower every person and organization on the planet so they can achieve more.

Press Contact:

Fernanda Merino: fmerino@grupo-imagine.com 

Concepción Maturana: cmaturana@grupo-imagine.com