As the founder of FounderList.la I applied to Start-Up Chile multiple times but never got accepted. But that didn’t stop us. We built a business (with a lot of effort), secured real customers, joined other acceleration programs (BCI Labs and NXTP Labs), and eventually raised investment from Magma Partners.

Would Start-Up Chile have been a valuable stepping stone? Absolutely. It’s a unique program that can accelerate startups in ways few others can. But rejection doesn’t mean your startup isn’t good enough—it simply means you need to refine your approach.

Many founders who weren’t selected on their first attempt reapplied, improved their applications and later made it in. If you believe Start-Up Chile is the right place for you, understanding what went wrong and adapting your approach is key.

Now, as Director of Acceleration at Start-Up Chile, I have an even deeper understanding of the selection process. Having been on both sides—as an applicant and now as someone who designs and runs the program— I can share insights on what might have gone wrong and how you can improve your chances.

The Two Phases of Selection

Start-Up Chile’s selection process consists of two key phases:

Application Review

Evaluators assess your written application, considering your startup’s potential, alignment with the program, the impact you will generate in Chile, team capabilities and the overall strength of your proposal.

At this point, it is essential to clearly articulate the problem your startup is solving and the technology powering your solution. A well-explained problem statement helps evaluators understand the real need for your product, while a strong technological foundation demonstrates your startup’s differentiation and scalability.

Additionally, providing concrete evidence of validation and traction is critical. Explain how you have tested your assumptions, engaged with potential customers, and measured interest in your solution. Finally, highlight your team’s strengths—showing that you have the right mix of skills and expertise to take your startup to a global level. Including your advisors’ or investors’ names could give you extra points. 

Interview Stage

If you pass the first phase, you’ll be invited to an interview where you must clearly articulate your vision and execution plan. Evaluators assess the significance of the problem you’re solving, the technological complexity of your solution, its impact in Chile, and the capabilities of the Team Leader. While traction and validation are covered in the application form, the interview provides an opportunity to elaborate where necessary.

One key aspect to remember is that the team leader is mandatory in the interview. Other team members can join, but their participation should be strategic. If you decide to bring your co-founders or team members, ensure they contribute meaningfully, especially when showcasing the MVP, a demo, or technical aspects of your startup. Avoid unnecessary participation that does not add value to the discussion.

Rejection can happen in either phase. If your application was unsuccessful in the first round, it likely failed to communicate why your startup is a strong fit. If you didn’t pass the interview, the issue may have been a lack of clarity, inadequate preparation, or misalignment with the program’s expectations.

The Most Common Reason Startups Get Rejected

A significant number of applicants are not rejected because their startups lack potential —they are dismissed because they don’t fully understand the requirements of the program they applied to.

Start-Up Chile has three programs, each designed for startups at different stages. If you applied without aligning your application to what Start-Up Chile’s evaluators are looking for, that’s probably where things went wrong, hence understanding what each program looks for will be crucial to get more chances to be accepted. 

Build: Show You’ve Validated the Idea

Build isn’t just about ideas—it’s about validated concepts. You need to demonstrate that you’ve spoken to real customers and gathered meaningful feedback, not just from friends or family. Tangible proof, such as interview results, behavioural data, or expert feedback, is essential. Strong applicants provide concrete evidence of market demand, not vague claims. For example, “We surveyed 15 people, and they all said they would buy our product” is insufficient.

Demonstrating genuine user engagement with your prototype or concept is key, so ensure that interactions with your product are valuable and honest. Finally, your team should have both technical and business capabilities to execute the idea. While we don’t exclude teams without in-house technical expertise, it’s a crucial factor in evaluating projects.

Ignite: Prove Your MVP is More Than Just a Product

An MVP is expected in Ignite, but it’s not enough on its own. Evaluators want to see proof of market demand. Even if your product isn’t fully developed, showing real-world interest is crucial. You must demonstrate that people are actively seeking solutions like yours and are willing to pay for them.

Early traction is important: who is paying for your product, and why? Concrete numbers are key, so be prepared to provide data on your customer base, revenue, and growth. Focus on proving that your MVP effectively solves your client’s problems, making it a practical tool with tangible benefits, not just a theoretical solution.

Growth: Show a Clear Plan for Expansion

Growth is for startups with revenue ready to scale. To stand out, demonstrate that your current challenges align with those of companies preparing for global expansion. This includes scaling operations, adapting to new markets, and managing international logistics and a growing team.

Show that you have a bold vision, not just incremental growth. Provide a clear strategy for expansion, outlining target markets, competitive positioning, and key milestones for international growth.

Finally, go beyond revenue—evaluators want a deep understanding of your financials, unit economics, and growth drivers. Show that you’re thinking strategically, not just focused on short-term gains, and that you have a plan for building a sustainable, scalable business in global markets.

Science-Based Startups: Prove Market Readiness

If you’re building a deep-tech or research-based startup, it’s important to remember that having great technology alone doesn’t guarantee business success. Start-Up Chile seeks teams that can successfully translate their innovation into a market-ready solution. To achieve this, it’s essential to focus on four key areas: commercial validation, entrepreneurial capability, intellectual property strategy, and controlled disclosure.

• Market Validation is crucial in proving that your technology holds commercial potential, not just technical merit. While developing cutting-edge technology is a significant achievement, it’s equally important to demonstrate there is a real, pressing market need for it. Engage with key stakeholders, ask well-structured questions, and identify inefficiencies in the market. This process will help you understand whether your technology meets the demands of potential customers and partners.
• In addition, Entrepreneurial Capability is just as important as your technological strength. A great scientific team isn’t enough on its own—you need the right mix of skills to commercialise your research. It’s essential to complement your technical team with experts in business development, sales, and commercialization. Tap into networks within universities, research centres, and innovation hubs to access mentors, incubation spaces, and industry connections that can support your business growth.
• When it comes to Intellectual Property Strategy, it’s important to realise that patenting isn’t always the best route. You should consider alternative strategies, such as leveraging trade secrets, executing your product swiftly to capture market share, and utilising complementary assets. Your IP strategy should focus on how you can protect your innovation while maintaining a competitive advantage in the marketplace.
• Finally, Controlled Disclosure is necessary to protect your intellectual property without hindering market validation. Engaging with the market doesn’t mean exposing your core technology prematurely. Instead, test your assumptions using strategies like non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), functional prototypes that don’t reveal the heart of your technology, and a phased approach to disclosure. This allows you to gather crucial feedback while safeguarding your innovation.

Ultimately, the success of science-based startups lies in finding the right balance between innovation, commercial validation, and intellectual property protection. At Start-Up Chile, we are looking for teams that not only have groundbreaking technology but also the entrepreneurial drive and strategy to take their innovations to market.

How to Strengthen Your Next Application

To strengthen your next application, there are a few steps you can take to increase your chances of success.

First, watch the webinars and attend Q&A sessions. Start-Up Chile provides webinars that explain the selection criteria and highlight common mistakes—many of these sessions are recorded, so you can review them at your convenience. Additionally, every application call includes live Q&A sessions where you can directly clarify doubts with the team, making this a valuable opportunity to gain insights.

Second, read the evaluation rubric. Start-Up Chile follows a structured evaluation process, and if your application didn’t score well, it’s likely because it didn’t align with the key points outlined in the rubric. By understanding these criteria, you can refine your next submission to better meet the expectations of the evaluators.

Finally, seek feedback and learn from others. While the Start-Up Chile team may not always provide detailed feedback on individual applications, they can offer general guidance. Speaking with founders who were accepted can also provide valuable insights into how they structured their applications. However, remember not to simply copy their approach—your application should authentically reflect your startup’s unique strengths.

Final Thoughts

Rejection isn’t personal, and it certainly isn’t the worst thing that can happen to your startup. Many of the most successful companies have applied to Start-Up Chile multiple times before being accepted. Remember, not being selected for the program doesn’t mean your startup won’t succeed—it’s just part of the journey.

Instead of viewing rejection as a setback, see it as an opportunity to grow. It’s a chance to refine your pitch, strengthen your application, and come back with a clearer, more compelling case for why your business is poised for success. Use the feedback and insights gained from the process to improve, learn, and get closer to your goals.

Being rejected from Start-Up Chile doesn’t define your potential as an entrepreneur. It’s how you respond that matters. Keep pushing forward. There are many paths to building a successful company, and this experience can only help you become a stronger, more resilient founder. Keep developing your business, showing that you can learn, adapt, and overcome challenges. This is the kind of drive that leads to success.