Frequently asked questions

What startups can apply to Somos Lucha?

Somos Lucha is for early-stage startups from Spanish-speaking Latin America. We are industry agnostic, startups from any industry can apply. We look for companies that leverage technology to scale. This technology can be proprietary software, external apps platforms, or no-code tools to launch a minimum viable product.

In which countries do you invest and what are the application requirements?

We invest throughout Spanish-speaking Latin America. We focus on early-stage startups that leverage technology to scale. We are industry agnostic.

How can I make a good application?

Be honest and transparent, tell us things like they are. We understand that you are an early-stage company and therefore there are many things to solve.

We also understand that you may not have figured out everything about the business and that starting a business is difficult. We want to invest in founders who understand the challenges they face and know that they are thinking about how to overcome them.

It is also very important that your application is clear, concise and that it answers what we want to learn from you efficiently. It is useless for us to write a marketing dizzying paragraph whose sole objective is to make them look good, but that does not tell us anything in substance. Use examples, data, comparisons, past events, and specific things that let us see its potential.

Find 10 tips to make a great application here.

If I apply and I am not selected, does that close the door to being invested in the future?

On the contrary, if you didn't participate in the investment opportunity now, the fact that we can know about you and what you are building allows us to have even more interest in future admissions.

So if I'm hesitant to apply, is it better to apply?

If you are doing a Startup, apply!

We like to see the evolution of companies from one application to another, we have invested in many teams that have applied more than 2 or 3 times before receiving the investment offer.

If you don't accept me, does it mean that my business or team is not good?

Of course not. We see more talent in Latin America than we have the capacity to invest, so if we did not make you an investment offer, do not be discouraged, keep working to understand your market, which in the end will be the one that will tell you if it is worth pursuing one. business opportunity or not. Historically we have spent in companies that today are not only doing very well, but are leaders in their industries.

If I am an experienced founder or already have a postgraduate degree, would Somos Lucha work for me?

Yes. Somos Lucha is not an educational program, but monitoring and work, among our local and global team, our mentors and the #500Strong community, we are going to get our hands dirty to solve the challenges you face.

What is the difference between Somos Lucha and an acceleration program?

Somos Lucha is not an acceleration program. It is our commitment to the companies that we select and invest in, to work side by side, taking all the learning obtained throughout the more than 200 investments we have made and injecting it into your company. We will achieve relevant changes and growth in your company through personalized advice twice a week. Together we will identify challenges, experiments, pivots, actionable and much more. We will get to work with you!

What happens after 4 months?

The 4 months of Somos Lucha will mark only the beginning of our relationship as partners. Your success is our success and we will continue to support you whenever you need us with multiple services led by our "Portfolio Management" team.

Could the percentage you take from the company be negotiated?

Given our investment thesis and fund model, we usually do not move this percentage. That being said, on very few occasions have we adjusted it because the reasons make sense to us, either because of the stage of the company or if there are other institutional investors that came in on different terms. Apply and add relevant information on this topic in the participation question of each partner.

If I am already a company raising a bigger capital round, can I apply?

Of course! The way to do this is to submit the same application, which is the process that allows us to review all companies. Add any comments on this topic in the question about the participation of each partner.

Can I apply if I am a single-founder?

Sure thing! We have invested in companies with a single founder such as Yana, Circulo de Belleza and Syscap, so it is not a limitation to be a single founder to apply to Somos Lucha.

Could someone from the team take a call to better explain my project?

Applying to Somos Lucha is our process to learn more about you and your company, which is designed to learn the necessary context of your startup. In addition, we like to see the ability of the founders to be able to clearly and concisely express their business. If you have any questions you can write in the chat or by sending an email to: aplica@500.co.

I have many questions, how can I talk to someone on your team?

Feel free to contact us on our website’s chat. You can also email us at aplica@500.co or join one of the 500 Live Q&A (sign up here)