I think the post author is right in the sense that Startup Chile is not for everybody, but I also think she was expecting everything to be provided to her as part of the program. I believe there are some good criticisms, like the one about office security (although, you should really get your own office, that's what the money is for), but most of it seems like unmatched expectations (she was expecting the same experience she and other members of her team had at american startup accelerators, and like she says, Startup Chile is not an accelerator/incubation program).
She also talks about not having access to mentors, and I know that is not completely accurate. Startup Chile has a mentorship system (godfather/godsons) in which experienced entrepreneurs help the teams participating in the program.
I was there for Demo Day too, there were two rooms with presentations. And even though they had some pretty bad technical issues at the room I was in, the whole thing there was in English (I can't say anything about the other room).
I hope that in spite of her disappointments, she had a good experience and that Startup Chile keeps improving in the future.
The "mentorship system" you've heard of isn't a mentorship system. When it works it connects you with a friendly Chilean that can help you by picking you up from the airport, helping you find accommodation, introducing you to other friendly locals and showing you around the city. They are generally no more experienced or connected than participants in the program. Sadly it works less than 50% of the time - most participants rarely see the "mentors" they've been assigned to.
They could be more useful to the startups if they were provided with some mentorship training and if there was some light-weight facilitation like YC's Office Hours to help it along.
I didn't know that there were mentors who were not experienced entrepreneurs. I have several (very successful and experienced entrepreneurs) friends, who are mentors for Startup Chile participants. They've advised these companies, hooked them up with important contacts for their businesses and even provided office space. I guess I generalized that to the whole mentorship system.
I think nico is talking about a CORFO program that I've only barely heard mention as a Startup Chile participant (someone else mentioned getting mentorship thru it, but I've never seen anything from Startup Chile on how we could participate).... while jot is talking about the padrino program.
She also talks about not having access to mentors, and I know that is not completely accurate. Startup Chile has a mentorship system (godfather/godsons) in which experienced entrepreneurs help the teams participating in the program.
I was there for Demo Day too, there were two rooms with presentations. And even though they had some pretty bad technical issues at the room I was in, the whole thing there was in English (I can't say anything about the other room).
I hope that in spite of her disappointments, she had a good experience and that Startup Chile keeps improving in the future.