Mapping Entrepreneurship in Ibero-America

The publication “Entrepreneurship in Ibero-America” was presented at the headquarters of the Paraguayan Industrial Union (UIP) in Asunción. The study prepared by CAF Development Bank of Latin America and SEGIB organizes the information available on entrepreneurial activity, with an emphasis on financial, technical and legal resources and instruments.

While broad, the provision of resources and support tools for entrepreneurs in the region is varied, and the information available is not systematized, which may be act as a barrier. This prompted the initiative by the two institutions to map out this activity, which also puts forward recommendations and conclusions on the status of entrepreneurship in the region.

The research that inspired “Entrepreneurship in Ibero-America” was conducted through interviews with experts, organization and government representatives, entrepreneurs and scholars. The result is Ibero-America's growing interest in entrepreneurship, both from the perspectives of innovation, creativity and the incorporation of technologies, as well as the possibilities of labor and economic integration, particularly with young women. These conclusions, among others, were presented by Erika Roffler, executive director of the Pharos Group and coordinator of the study.

The event was organized by the SEGIB Sub-regional Office for the Southern Cone, in partnership with the Ibero-American Federation of Young Entrepreneurs and with the support of the UIP and Paraguay’s Association of Young Entrepreneurs (AJE).

Guests at the opening session included the President of the Paraguayan Industrial Union (UIP), Eduardo Felippo, CAF Director-Representative in Paraguay, Jorge Gärtner; the president of the Ibero-American Federation of Young Entrepreneurs (FIJE), Juan Manuel Barrero, and Marcos Acle, cooperation manager for the Southern Cone at SEGIB.

In his opening remarks, Mr. Gärtner invited young people to start businesses, which requires research and documentation, to ensure a positive experience when developing their proposal. He stressed that innovation and entrepreneurship are now important drivers in our region’s economies; hence the importance of organizing available information and sharing success stories.

After the main recommendations were presented, the meeting continued with a discussion between the audience and a panel of specialists composed of Victor Bernal, Deputy Minister of MSMEs of the Ministry of Industry and Trade; Fernando Ramírez, Director of Planning, Statistics and Research at Paraguay’s National Youth Secretariat; Nadia Delgado, former president of AJE Paraguay and Mercosur Young Entrepreneurs; Emiliano González, director of AJE Paraguay and member of YLAI and Marco Riquelme, member of the Board of Directors of UIP and former president of UIP Joven.