EQUIPU Red de Emprendedores

What EQUIPU Red de Emprendedores does

EQUIPU Red de Emprendedores is a Lima-based non-profit entrepreneurship network founded in 2006 and affiliated with the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú (PUCP). It operates programs that connect university students across Latin America with expert mentorship, real-world corporate challenges, and peer collaboration opportunities. The organization reports 31,320 cumulative student participants, 1,200 mentors, and 45 partner higher education institutions spanning Peru and the broader region.

EQUIPU's core product portfolio comprises six interlocking programs: Laboratorio de Emprendimientos (the flagship venture development program), Innovation Challenge (open innovation competitions with corporate partners), Reto Verde (sustainability-focused challenges), InnovaXión (a PUCP-exclusive program), Innova Talks (monthly speaker events), and the Red de Mentores (a curated mentor directory). The underlying technology is a lightweight web platform (e-quipu.pe) handling program registration, mentor matching, and event management; there is no disclosed proprietary AI, machine learning, or data infrastructure. Programs are delivered through institutional coordinators embedded across the 45 partner universities, supplemented by virtual sessions.

The business model is non-profit: EQUIPU provides programs free of charge to student participants, with operating costs covered through institutional partnerships with universities and corporate sponsors such as SEDAPAL. There is no public pricing, no disclosed revenue, no funding rounds, and no equity ownership structure beyond the PUCP parent affiliation. The go-to-market motion is community-led and event-driven, relying on university-based coordinators, recurring speaker events, social media (Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok), and word-of-mouth across the inter-university network for top-of-funnel acquisition.

Name

EQUIPU Red de Emprendedores

Legal name

EQUIPU Red de Emprendedores

Website

https://e-quipu.pe

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

EQUIPU Red de Emprendedores is a Peru-based non-profit entrepreneurship network, affiliated with PUCP, that runs mentorship and innovation programs for university students across 45 Latin American higher education institutions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Entrepreneurship Education

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAMAHAC

Youth Business Incubators & Accelerators

Education/Supplemental & Enrichment Programs (Arts, STEM, Language)/Entrepreneurship & Business Enrichment

SECONDARYEDAMAHAI

Leadership, Management & Teamwork for Business

Education/Supplemental & Enrichment Programs (Arts, STEM, Language)/Entrepreneurship & Business Enrichment

SECONDARYEDAAAOAM

Entrepreneurship & Small Business Workforce Programs

Education/Adult & Continuing Education/Workforce Development Initiatives

Keywords

• Student entrepreneurship programs
• University innovation networks
• Mentorship matching services
• Youth entrepreneurship education
• Open innovation challenges

Headquarters

HQ city

Lima

HQ country

Peru

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Institutional Partnerships: EQUIPU operates as a non-profit entrepreneurial network primarily funded through partnerships with educational institutions and corporate sponsors. The organization provides programs free of charge to student participants, with costs covered by institutional support.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

EQUIPU delivers structured entrepreneurship and innovation programs, competitions, and mentorship services to university students across 45 higher education institutions in Latin America. Its programs (Laboratorio de Emprendimientos, Innovation Challenge, Reto Verde, InnovaXión) are provided free of charge to student participants, supported by a curated network of 1,200 volunteer mentors and institutional/corporate sponsors. The organization operates as a non-profit network affiliated with PUCP in Lima, Peru.

Product overview

EQUIPU is an entrepreneurship and innovation network for university students across Latin America. The organization operates as a platform offering multiple interconnected programs: Laboratorio de Emprendimientos serves as the core entrepreneurship development program; Innovation Challenge and Reto Verde provide competition-based innovation experiences; InnovaXión targets PUCP-specific participants; Innova Talks delivers monthly educational events; and Red de Mentores provides expert mentorship support. Together, these programs form an ecosystem designed to take students from initial ideas through to sustainable business ventures, supported by over 1,200 mentors across 45+ educational institutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Laboratorio de Emprendimientos Core EQUIPU program that empowers higher education students to transform their project ideas into sustainable businesses, providing resources and mentorship to develop ventures from concept to implementation.
• Innovation Challenge Open innovation program where students from Latin America tackle real-world challenges, developing innovative solutions through collaborative competition.
• Reto Verde Sustainability-focused challenge program that drives students to create eco-friendly solutions generating positive environmental impact.
• InnovaXión Entrepreneurship and innovation program exclusive to PUCP students, designed to help participants create, transform, and generate real-world impact.
• Innova Talks Monthly event series featuring expert speakers who share experiences and insights about innovation, entrepreneurship, and emerging technologies.
• Red de Mentores Curated mentor network connecting EQUIPU teams with experienced professionals who provide guidance across business models, innovation, finance, marketing, product development, software technology, sales, and legal matters.

Quantifiable outcome

• 31,320 student participants have engaged with EQUIPU programs
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• PUCP (Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary institutional host and founding partner of EQUIPU. PUCP provides physical venue space for events including Innova Talks held at the university campus (SUM and Pavellon A), access to student population, and administrative support. The organization is headquartered at PUCP and many team members are affiliated with the university.
• SEDAPALminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState-owned water and sewage company (Servicio de Agua Potable y Alcantarillado de Lima) that partners with EQUIPU to provide real-world challenges for student innovation programs, connecting students with practical industry problems to solve.
• Universidad Católica de Uruguay (UCU)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner university participating in the Red Interuniversitaria (inter-university network), contributing students and potentially mentors to EQUIPU programs as part of the cross-institutional collaboration.
• Universidad Católica de Santa Cruz (UCAL)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner institution in the Red Interuniversitaria collaborating with EQUIPU to provide entrepreneurship opportunities for students from their university community.
• 45 Higher Education Institutions (Network)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of 45 universities across Latin America participating in the EQUIPU ecosystem including Universidad Nacional Pedro Ruiz Gallo, Universidad Científica del Sur, Universidad Privada del Norte, Universidad Andina del Cusco, Instituto Superior Tecnológico TECSUP, and others. These institutions provide student participants, campus coordinators, and mentorship resources.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Junior Achievement: Worldwide youth entrepreneurship and financial literacy education provider with strong institutional partnerships. Comparable to EQUIPU as a non-profit delivering structured entrepreneurship curricula through educational institutions to young participants.
• Hult Prize: Global student startup competition and accelerator focused on social entrepreneurship. Directly comparable to EQUIPU's Innovation Challenge model of mobilizing university students around real-world, impact-driven venture challenges.
• Enactus: Global student entrepreneurship network with university chapters running competitions and social-venture programs. Most directly comparable to EQUIPU as a multi-country student entrepreneurship platform anchored in higher education institutions.

Broad incumbents

• Ashoka: Established global organization supporting social entrepreneurs and youth changemakers through networks and programs. Comparable to EQUIPU's broader mission of fostering student-led social and entrepreneurial impact, though with a much larger global footprint.

Regional players

• Start-Up Chile: Chile-based government-backed startup accelerator supporting Latin American founders. Comparable as a regional entrepreneurship support organization in Latin America, though Start-Up Chile targets post-student founders rather than university students.
• INCAE Business School: Leading Latin American business school with entrepreneurship centers and innovation programs. Comparable to EQUIPU as a higher-education-anchored entrepreneurship development organization in the Latin American region.
• Socialab: Latin American social innovation platform running open innovation challenges and accelerator programs. Comparable to EQUIPU's Innovation Challenge and Reto Verde as a regional Latin American platform focused on student-led impact ventures.

Emerging players

• Founder Institute: Global pre-seed startup accelerator operating through local chapters with mentor-driven programs. Comparable to EQUIPU in providing structured mentor-supported venture-building pathways, though Founder Institute targets founders more broadly rather than only university students.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@prensaequipu
• Facebookfacebook.com/redequipu
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/equipu
• Instagraminstagram.com/equipu_oficial
• TikToktiktok.com/@equipuoficial?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about EQUIPU Red de Emprendedores