Team

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Start-Up Chile is comprised of a dynamic team of young, energetic professionals with diverse backgrounds, looking to transform the entrepreneurial landscape in Chile. With a variety of talents and real-world experience, we are proud to be a part of this unique and powerful initiative that has been internationally recognized. Our interests range from music, to software design, to travel-- and many more. We invite you to get into contact with us with any questions you might have because if there's one thing we don't mind, it's talking about Start-Up Chile.

Our Board
The Team

Board of Advisors

An Advisory Board comprised of some of the most potent and recognized minds in entrepreneurship and innovation oversees Start-Up Chile and assists in some of the most important and strategic decisions.

Chuck Holloway | Director of the Center for Entrepreneurial Studies Professor Holloway has become a leader in the study and teaching of entrepreneurship, supply networks, and technology management. He has recently developed two new courses in this area, Evaluating Entrepreneurial Opportunities andStrategy and Management in Supply Networks. [Read more about him]
Kathy Eisenhardt | Co-Director , Stanford Technology Ventures Program Kathleen is the Stanford W. Ascherman M.D. Professor at Stanford University. Her work centers on strategy and organization, especially in technology-based companies and high-velocity industries. Co-author of Competing on the Edge: Strategy as Structured Chaos, she won the George R. Terry award for outstanding contribution to management thinking and named one of the top 10 business and investing books by Amazon.com [Read more about her]
Tina Seelig | Executive Director, Stanford Technology Ventures Program Tina is responsible for the management, operations, and dissemination efforts of STVP. In addition, Tina is the Director of the Stanford Entrepreneurship Network and the co-Director of the Mayfield Fellows Program. Tina also teaches a course in the Department of Management Science & Engineering on Creativity and Innovation. [Read more about her]
Marcela Perez de Alonso | Executive Vice President, Human Resources, HP Marcela has served as Executive Vice President, Human Resources since January 2004. From 1999 until she joined HP in January 2004, Ms. Perez de Alonso was Division Head of Citigroup North Latin America Consumer Bank, in charge of the retail business operations of Citigroup in Central and South America. [Full Bio]
Vivek Wadhwa | Researcher, Professor, Columnist, Entrepreneur Vivek Wadhwa is a senior research associate with the Labor and Worklife Program at Harvard Law School and an executive in residence/adjunct professor at the Pratt School of Engineering at Duke University. He is also an advisor to several start-up companies, and a columnist for BusinessWeek.com. [Full Bio]
Michael Leatherbee | Secretary-General, Board of Advisors, Start-Up Chile
Michael is Assistant Professor of Technological Entrepreneurship at Universidad Católica de Chile, where he led an innovation culture transformation during 2009. He is one of three founders of Yx Wireless, a hardware design and manufacturing company that has earned multiple innovation awards and served as board member of several companies and non-profits. Michael is currently pursuing a PhD in Strategy, Technology and Entrepreneurship at Stanford University. [Read more about him]
Nicolás Shea | Founder of Start-Up Chile
Founder of Start-Up Chile (2010), eClass (2004), Little Lions Nursery Schools (2004), Jóvenes al Servicio de Chile (2000), and Founding President of ASECH (Chilean Association of Entrepreneurs). Former advisor of entrepreneurship and innovation to the Chilean Ministry of Economy (2010-2011). He left government in July of 2011 to start Cumplo, a P2P lending platform for Latin America. Nicolas holds a M.Sc. in maganement from the Stanford Graduate School of Business (Sloan Fellow), a M.Sc. in Education from Columbia University and a B.A. in business and economics from the Catholic University of Chile. Happily married with 5 amazing kids.
Agustín Huneeus
Huneeus was partner and general manager of Concha y Toro, the largest vineyard in Chile. He founded the Quintessa Estate vineyard in Napa Valley and Casablanca Valley Vineyard Veramonte (first vineyard in Chile with the concept of tourism Napa Valley style). His wines have won awards both in the Napa Valley and in Chile and his entrepreneurship spirit and tangible result in the USA make him achieve the “Orden de Caballero” awarded by the Chilean President Sebastián Piñera. Today he owns different wineries as Rutherford, Quintessa, Flowers and Prisioners in the Napa Valley of California.

Jean Boudeguer | Executive Director @amigojean
IT Engineer, former freelance developer and online marketing manager for one of the biggest airlines in the world. My full time job is taking Chile to be a developed country through working with high potential entrepreneurship. I dream about changing the world. Learning new software development techniques is my hobby.
Horacio Melo | Assistant Director@hora8
Commercial Engineer. I worked in one of the biggest companies in the world and as a Marketing Manager in a Latin American airline. Looking forward to contribute in whatever is needed to take Chile to be a developed country, I believe entrepreneurship and innovation are key pillars to achieve this goal. I really love soccer and outdoor/extreme sports.
Brenna Loury | Communications Coordinator@brennakl
Former Zag living in Chile originally from Colorado, USA. Communications professional who digs music, design, social media, and "green" innovations. Budding techie with a penchant for all things Norwegian-- not to mention an avid news addiction and an always open office door.
Jennifer Rix | Business Development
I'm an American living in Chile for the past 7 years. My interests are in social entrepreneurship, understanding the evolution of collaborative consumption, community development, and the creation of sustainable business models.
Catalina Boetsch | People and Group Experience
I am psychologist specializing in Human Resources, and previously worked in HR in Chile's largest bank. My main motivation to be part of the Start-Up Chile staff is to support and participate in the development of the entrepreneurship and innovation environment here in Chile. It's important to me that the Start-Up Chile entrepreneurs get to know the Chilean community, and vice versa.
Cristián López | Environment
I'm a Commercial Engineer, my objective is contributing to the creation of the right entrepreneurship environment at Start-Up Chile. I love sports, especially basketball and soccer, and also photography.
Mariel Valdés | General Coordinator
I'm Chilean, lived for a short time in Canada, I love to travel and meet new people and cultures. Now working as an assistant in Start-Up Chile. I have big dreams and goals to accomplish here!
Bernardo Herrera | Financial Executive
I am Public Administrator. I am responsible for all of the financial follow up for each SUP project. I provide the auditing services necessary to acquire the appropriate budget for each team. I enjoy listening to music, especially when it´s live, soccer, and spending time with my friends.
Ricardo Catalán | Financial Executive
I'm a Public Administrator, specialized on systems and organizational processes and responsible of the coordination between InnovaChile and SUP's projects. I am also a classical guitarist and a composer of meditation music. Love football (soccer), tennis and yoga.
Felipe Costabal | Communications
Journalist and multimedia storyteller. Master in Management of Comunications Businness in Navarra University, Spain. I worked in TV, Movies and now i especialized in Web and Multimedia Contents. Really big fan of movies, soccer, running and cool stories.
Ignacio Henderson | Technical Executive
I am an industrial engineer, I got my work experience in the banking industry. I want to contribute to Start-up Chile with my knowlege in Operations Management related to the entrepreneurs activities. I like practicing sports specialy equitation.