Businessmen Club businessmen community arrives in Colombia

According to figures released by the Department of National Planning, DNP, Colombia has more than 3.5 million registered companies, of which 97% are micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. However, despite the fact that these companies account for 80% of the jobs in the country and 30% of the GDP, many of them are facing difficulties in growing and expanding due to the lack of business knowledge and tools.

(How high inflation affects entrepreneurs?).

for this reason, The Business Club came to Colombia with the aim of creating a community of businessmen and investors who share knowledge, experiences and ideas to develop strategies for their companies and productive sectors. This non-profit project seeks to promote economic development in the country through knowledge transfer.

“This is a moment when Colombian businessmen and investors must unite, because great challenges await them. That is why we have created this project, a club, a place where Colombian presidents, vice-presidents and entrepreneurs meet, exchange information, and evaluate local and international markets and experiences to help us all take action. decisions and anticipating future situations.It is an entertaining place, but with a lot of added value for those of us who choose to help the country and strengthen the country’s business fabric”says Camilo Betancourt, founder and director of the Business Club of Colombia.

The commitment is also to share knowledge and experience with vulnerable regions of Colombia, to help others and almost to become a business coach and mentor to people and companies that normally do not have access to CEOs and entrepreneurs. Face it, every two months, Business Club members will do Knowledge Days and Guided Conversions.

(Businessmen are less optimistic about the future of the economy).

The idea was born in the USA, where I was invited to participate in a trading club where economic and political issues were discussed, such as the rate of the dollar in our country and its possible increase. At first I was skeptical, but after a few months it went away. This led to the idea of ​​creating the Columbia Business Club with the premise of having access to information that allows you to make strategic decisions for your business.” Betancourt adds.

The Business Club of Colombia is betting on a national level, with events in Medellín and Bogota, to begin with, but other cities are also being considered. The goal is for entrepreneurs to be inspired, to have access to information that helps them make decisions, to create high-level networks, to participate in impact discussions and dialogues that are part of the country’s agenda, to have access to investment opportunities at an early stage and to help entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs at the base of the pyramid. .

Members have access to information, investment opportunities and face-to-face experiences such as wine tastings, lunches, forums, permanent intellectual diets, business cases and meetings that allow them to socialize and create working relationships.

(Challenges that companies must face in uncertain times).

“To be part of this club, you can purchase different memberships with different benefits directly on our website. We have created a series of services and experiences tailored to each type of member, since everyone has different interests and goals, yes: building a nation in acid nuclear for all members. Founder ends.

Camilo Betancur, of LA7EM in Marketing and Contents; Alberto Hoyos, from NOEL in Food and Beverage, as consultant; Lina Uribe, UPB’s Entrepreneurship Specialist; Federico Restrepo, Impact Hub in Sustainability; Maria Luisa Martinez, of A&C in construction; Felipe Rojas, Community Guarantes in Finance; Jorge Vélez, from Payvalida in Fintech, and Andrea Levano, in Communications and PR.

Agreements in venture capital or venture capital decreased by 55% during the second month of 2023. Investment continues to decline, after achieving a record high in 2021 and a strong start to 2022 in Latin America during the second month of 2023 compared to last year, according to a monthly report issued by investment data platform, Transaction Track Record (TTR).

However, Colombia remains one of the most attractive Latin American countries to make investments and add vertical investment capital to the portfolio of angel investors and investment funds in the region, which is why the Business Club of Colombia organizes investment forums every two months where 3 or 4 early-stage projects will be presented. So that experienced investors and entrepreneurs who are just starting out in the world of venture capital can invest and become partners in the companies of the future.