Columbia Students Dive into Chile’s Tech and Startup Culture

A cohort of seven undergraduate students from Columbia College and the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS), embarked on a trip to Santiago, Chile during the Thanksgiving break as part of the Fall 2023 Global Tech Trek, an initiative under the Columbia Organization of Rising Entrepreneurs (CORE).

Taking place from November 21 to 26, the trip – that was led by third-year student Hassane Fiteni – aimed to delve into the Chilean entrepreneurship and startup ecosystem while gaining insights into cultural values and business practices. The Santiago Center welcomed the group and organized a presentation by Venture Capital expert and Columbia alumna Evelyn Von Bischoffschausen (CBS'18), who shared insights and valuable perspectives on the startup and Venture Capital landscape in Chile and the Latin American region. 

Throughout their visit, the group participated in over a dozen site visits to renowned companies and NGOs, including Betterfly and NotCo (two of Chile's three unicorn companies), Fundación Chile, Soyfocus, Mastercard, ACU Abogados, Balloon Latam, Nubox, Xepelin, BCI’s Fintech arm MACH, Daedalus Ventures, and Venturance Alternative Assets. Board members of the Columbia Alumni Association of Chile (CAA Chile) Jorge Domínguez Cruzat and Alex Hazbún, assisted the group in the organization of some of the site visits. Additionally, the students celebrated Thanksgiving Day with members of the CAA Chile, and also took part in several touristic activities around the Chilean capital.

Founded 20 years ago, CORE is Columbia’s undergraduate entrepreneurship society, dedicated to inspiring, educating, and launching the next generation of student entrepreneurs at Columbia University.