StartCo draws 13,000 attendees and leads entrepreneurship in Latin America
On April 3 and 4, Medellín welcomed over 13,000 attendees from 20 countries for StartCo 2025, reaffirming its role as one of the region’s top hubs for tech and entrepreneurship. With 340 startups, 360+ investment funds, and dozens of corporate partners, the event was a bold statement of confidence in Latin America’s innovation potential.
The Region’s Only Live Startup Auction
StartCo isn’t your typical startup event—it’s Latin America’s first live startup auction, where founders pitch on stage and investors place real-time offers. From early-stage entrepreneurs to experienced founders, the event drew a crowd eager to connect, raise capital, and scale beyond borders.
Adrian Trucios, CEO Airbag.
Stories from Across the Continent
The event brought together startups solving real challenges across Latin America:
FinsMart (Peru) is tackling SME financing gaps, having already connected 18,000 investors and deployed $4 million in loans.
Plataforma Group (Chile) offers debt recovery solutions for banks and large clients and is now eyeing expansion into Colombia and Peru.
Samay, a healthtech born in the U.S. but operating out of Medellín, is using AI to detect respiratory conditions and recently raised $5M.
Apex, a local startup, showcased drone systems that clean industrial structures, looking for new partnerships to grow.
A Stage for Emerging Voices
For young founders, StartCo was a launchpad. Tomás Juan Uribe, co-founder of NovX, is helping companies discover young talent with leadership potential, focusing on performance over experience. Valentina Agudelo, founder of Salva Health, presented a solution using AI to detect breast cancer early—a pitch selected from 340 startups to reach the final stage in front of live investors.
Real Connections, Real Investment
StartCo created more than 20,000 real business interactions, supported by 7 keynote sessions, 10 side events, and 6 tailored networking zones. Organizers projected more than $3 million in investment intent, and the energy on-site reflected just that.
“Startups here are not just building companies,” said Juan Gabriel Arboleda, StartCo’s CEO. “They’re creating jobs, solving problems, and reshaping how Latin America grows.”