HSG students support startups from Latin America and Africa

Every spring semester, there is a Latin American vibe on the HSG campus: new students chatting in Spanish, Portuguese, or English enliven the cafeteria and sports hall. They are participants in the START Fellowship.

Behind the program is START Global, a volunteer organization run by HSG students. The intensive START Fellowship accelerator program has been supporting startups from Latin America since 2020 and, for the past three years, from Africa as well. It is funded by the Fondation Botnar, a philanthropic foundation in Switzerland, which covers the fellows' education and living expenses.

Start-ups should solve social problems

Currently, 26 founders have been in St. Gallen since the beginning of February 2026, three of them from Africa. During their stay, they receive mentoring, coaching, access to investors and experts, as well as start-up financing and, if necessary, further investments.

'We want to help the fellows build profitable companies that also solve social problems in their countries of origin,' says Sebastian Mejia Camacho, a Colombian HSG student and head of the START Fellowship. According to START Global, the 143 startups that have participated so far have created around 500 jobs and attracted over $15 million in investment.

The mix of industries is broad: a few years ago, for example, the startup Satellites on Fire took part, which offers AI-supported real-time detection of forest fires and, according to its own information, detects around 100 fires in their early stages every month.

The startups participating in the 2026 program include companies from the fields of biotechnology, health and financial technology, digital education, digital legal services, and B2B software. 'We are open to all industries,' says Mejia Camacho.

Fellows benefit from a dense network in St. Gallen

Anyone under the age of 25 from Latin America or Africa whose startup already has a concrete product or service to offer is eligible to apply. START Global traveled through nine countries in the summer of 2025 and held pitching competitions at 30 universities. Additional participants were recruited through a network of former fellows, investors, and entrepreneurs. A total of over 800 applications were received. In the fall of 2025, around 200 startups were also able to complete a free digital incubator program for very early business phases.

In St. Gallen, the founders start with an introductory course on entrepreneurship with HSG lecturer and entrepreneur Torben Antretter. After that, the fellows meet several times a week for input on topics such as law, business models, and financing. At the same time, they complete an individual program: 'We have a network of around 500 contacts in the startup scene, which we connect them with as needed,' says Mejia Camacho.

Each startup receives kick-off funding of 6,000 Swiss francs. In addition, the program awards a total of 500,000 Swiss francs to 12 selected startups. The fellows present their companies at the START Summit (March 19 and 20, 2026) and conclude by presenting them to hundreds of investors from different countries at a hybrid 'Demo Day.'

The community also plays a central role: “During these months, a strong group of young entrepreneurs emerges who support and learn from each other,” says Mejia Camacho.