Medellín’s Plaza Mayor will host StartCo 2026 on April 16 and 17, serving as Latin America's largest live startup auction. The event aims to accelerate regional business development by bringing together hundreds of entrepreneurs and global investors.
According to latercera.com, the event functions as an 'auction' where startups showcase products and services. A selected group of companies will conclude the event by delivering pitches directly to international investors.
Organizers expect the gathering to generate US$18 million in business interest. The program will connect 350 companies with 80 international investment funds during the two-day summit.
Regional growth and Chilean presence
StartCo 2026 anticipates over 16,000 attendees from 25 different countries. The organizers are targeting a 30% increase in international startup participation for this edition.
Fintech companies lead the lineup at 19% of participants, followed by SaaS solutions at 11% and healthtech at 6.9%. This distribution reflects a growing sophistication within the regional ecosystem.
Chile will maintain a significant presence at the summit with a delegation of 28 companies. Twenty of these firms are part of a group supported by ProChile, signaling a push for Chilean startups to expand across Latin American markets.
Data cited by the outlet shows Colombia is already a vital partner for Chile. In 2025, Chilean exports to Colombia—excluding copper and lithium—surpassed US$1.082 billion.
Chilean service exports to Colombia also reached more than US$258 million, marking an 18.9% growth rate. This makes Colombia the third most important market for Chilean services.
