First it was Telefónica, which launched its Wayra accelerator 8 years ago. Then Telecom joined, which presented a few months ago Garage Personal and Claro, which develops startups through partner programs.
The three seek to collaborate not only to support them, but also to nourish themselves with original ideas.
Helping and receiving is the key, because at the same time that the telcos drive entrepreneurs, they also pursue a great goal: to include, within their offer, innovative services and products, developed within them.
Pioneer among the telephone
Wayra is Telefónica's global open innovation hub, the network of spaces that has a flexible and personalized support model for startups.
The firm already has 11 hubs distributed in 10 countries: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, Venezuela, Germany, United Kingdom and Spain (Madrid and Barcelona).
Not only that, it has agreements in the United States and in Asia to connect its companies with those markets, global references within the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
So far, Wayra invested in more than 700 startups globally. In Argentina, its portfolio is made up of 57 companies, in which it paid US $ 3 million.
In addition, it organizes and participates in various events that aim to support startups in their growth and globalization, or to position themselves at a local and regional level.
"We do Meet the companies twice a year, an event of commercial openings that seeks to present digital solutions in society, so that they can add value to their businesses through open innovation", explains Agustín Rotondo, Country Manager from Wayra Argentina, to iProUP.
Another great player is Telefónica itself. "We focus on the presentations of startups to various areas so that they can be resold among a broad portfolio of clients or that are hired to make internal use of their digital solutions," the executive adds.
In this regard, he clarifies that they do not make specific calls. "We are permanently open to receiving contacts from new companies that are aligned to our strategy, we conduct scouting and work in the relationship with various investors."
Currently, the company is looking for mature ventures that can develop synergies with Telefónica's operations.
"We rely on the ability to generate joint business, either with Telefónica or its more than 350 million customers in 24 countries, in segments such as big data, artificial intelligence, Internet of things, cybersecurity or fintech, among others", remark Rotondo.
In 2018, Wayra added to its portfolio of companies invested and accelerated to:
- Decidata: programmatic platform that allows to unify and optimize the advertising purchase.
- Nubity: administration system to help companies to centralize the operation of their servers (physical, virtual, cloud), and monitor graphically and in real time the stack of technologies that keep the operation of your business available.
- Rocketpin: combines crowdsourcing (collective financing) with mobile technology to deliver relevant information from the point of sale. Checks activities and promotions, stock monitoring, service and sales protocol. To do this, cross information and analysis.
- Auravant: it is an app for precision agriculture. It uses artificial intelligence algorithms and satellite images to build ready-made recommendations for the producer.
"We do not have a fixed goal of new startups to accelerate, we seek to invest in the best in Latin America," says Rotondo.
Step by Step
The Country Manager explains that, through the different initiatives of Telefónica Open Innovation, startups have the opportunity to go through all their development: from its initial stage to small or large investment funds.
"The path of growth begins in the Open Future hubs, which offers the appropriate scope and guidance to define business strategies, complete the profiles of their teams and put together a marketing plan, until they take their first steps in the market, testing their products and expanding their customer base, "he sums up.
The second stage of development is from the Venture Capital Corporate fund of Telefónica, where entrepreneurs access an investment that allows them to consolidate their evolution and receive a more personalized and flexible support.
Finally, when startups are fully consolidated and integrated, they can apply to access the large corporate investment funds of Amérigo and Telefónica Ventures.
Undertaking "in the garage"
Personal also launched its initiative to accelerate and invest in ventures. Garage Personal, as it was named, is an open innovation program that supports startups with a focus on innovation and technology, which turns ideas into projects that generate value.
"It was launched in October and the first call was closed, and in just one month more than 400 projects were received, among which the finalists will be selected," says Fernando Freytes, Manager of Non-Traditional Business and Device Strategy at Telecom Argentina.
The program provides an economic incentive of up to $ 875,000, as well as commercial, technical, legal and financial mentoring of experts to each initiative.
In turn, those selected will be part of a network of contacts that includes companies, investors and customers, which will help them validate and grow their business.
This plan was created with the aim of adding new value proposals to the market, thanks to the talent of entrepreneurs.
"For Personal, it is an opportunity to put their experience and resources at the disposal of innovative ideas and projects, while startups have the chance to develop and validate their initiative to transform it into a profitable, repeatable and scalable activity," he says.
In this sense, he explains that the open innovation initiative "is based on collaboration as a means to achieve new business possibilities".
According to Freytes, the segments they target are Fintech, Internet of Things (IoT), entertainment for the mass market, SMEs and large customers.
"We look for technological projects led by talented and enthusiastic people from all over the country who have an identified problem and the conviction to solve it", the executive emphasizes, and reveals that they have already started the evaluations of the 21 shortlisted projects, of which five will be chosen.
The finalists will participate in nine intensive months of work, together with Telecom and Incutex -the strategic partner of this initiative-. The business will be built with a 360 degree vision so that entrepreneurs can validate their plan with speed and at the lowest possible cost.
"At the end of the program, the projects will participate in a demonstration in which they will be able to present the solution designed for potential investors, and in 2019, we will open new calls," the spokesperson comments.
Very "Clear" programs
Claro Empresas does not have accelerators. It is limited to work for more than a year in a program of allies under the seal "Supported by Claro".
The idea is to add IoT and Cloud companies across the country and provide the necessary support and technology so they can develop their solutions.
"In this way, we favor the growth of the market, and we can add value to organizations with the best products", affirms Marcelo Guglielmucci, manager of Marketing and Commercial Planning of Claro Empresas, to iProUP.
The manager points out that the main verticals in which they have a presence are smartcities, agro, mining and energy, oil & gas, automotive industry, transport and logistics.
"The projects range from smart cities to the monitoring of raw materials for agricultural production," he explains. As an example of the latter, he mentions BIT SA, a technology solutions company for agroindustries.
"With it we provide the SmartFarm solution, which connects machines and animals, analyzes images produced by drones or satellites and integrates with sensors and telemetry equipment, collects all the recorded data to visualize them in graphs with online information and analytical, historical and predictive reports. ", emphasizes the executive.
This allows agricultural producers to make better business decisions, while reducing operating costs and making more efficient use of land.
Another tool supported by Claro is related to improving waste management in cities.
"Together with Quadminds, we provide Smart Waste solutions, based on IoT sensors, we collect information on the filling of the connected garbage containers, which is processed in an intelligent platform that optimizes the logistics and operation of the waste collection. , the quality of the service is improved and operating costs are reduced, "says the executive.
Accelerate or not accelerate, that's the question
Beyond the help they give to companies that have just started, telcos aim to find innovation, incorporate it and observe where the key markets in which they operate are going.
"A corporate transformation is achieved that, otherwise, could not be done, Wayra became a tool that changed the mentality among the executives of the company, the value achieved by an accelerator within a telecommunications company is incredible and that point is key as a strategy, "says Mariano Amartino, former CEO of Wayra (2015 to 2017), and current director of startups for Latin America at Microsoft.
The specialist notes that many telephone companies are analyzing how to work with startups, since it is a valid way to change their model.
"There are some companies that accept that their business model is simply transmission, they want to become a cable or a utility, and they only look to grow in that way, while others are buying content. acquire new products and services, "he says.
According to their vision, the latter "can develop and invest internally with an accelerator to expand their product portfolio, reach more customers and achieve greater loyalty of their traditional corporate clients, which are the ones that generate the greatest impact on their business" .
According to Amartino, this is what telcos are doing globally. "Through these accelerators, your commercial arm and your corporate arm of internal change can really make a difference," he concludes.
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