Laboratorio USQAI UCN

What Laboratorio USQAI UCN does

Laboratorio USQAI UCN is an entrepreneurship support laboratory operated by Universidad Católica del Norte (UCN) in Chile, founded in 2016 and headquartered in Antofagasta with a secondary campus in Coquimbo and a satellite presence in San Pedro de Atacama. The organization is a non-commercial academic unit under UCN's Dirección de Innovación y Transferencia Tecnológica (DITT), providing free programs and accompaniment to university students, early-stage entrepreneurs, and operating companies across the Antofagasta and Coquimbo regions of Chile's Macrozona Norte.

USQAI's product surface is a structured five-phase methodology repository (Fase 0: Mentalidad through Fase 5: Expansión) delivered through a stack of programs: Nómada (preincubation, open to students from age 15 and community members), iNCUBA 1 (12-month structured incubation), iNCUBA 2 (6-month acceleration for startups with active sales), Mentorías, Asesoría Técnica, Capacitación, Programa de Desarrollo Tecnológico, Acompañamiento VIU (which channels ANID's $36M CLP per-project VIU funding), and the Formaci[on de Monitores ambassador certification. It does not build proprietary technology; its core asset is codified methodology, mentorship networks, and accreditation as a local executor for ANID and CORFO instruments.

The organization generates no commercial revenue. Its funding model is institutional: UCN's operating budget, regional government grants (Gobierno Regional de Coquimbo, Comité de Desarrollo Productivo Regional Coquimbo, CORFO Antofagasta), national public funds (ANID VIU, Startup Ciencia, Semilla Corfo), and corporate sponsorships (BHP/Escondida as the primary "Impulsa" sponsor, Banco Santander as "Apoya"). All programs are provided free of charge to participants. Reported operational outcomes include 555+ historical Nómada participants, 88 workshops, 13 incubated projects, 3 international competition winners, and 4 VIU 2025 awards channeled through USQAI accompaniment.

Name

Laboratorio USQAI UCN

Legal name

Laboratorio de Emprendimiento USQAI - Universidad Católica del Norte

Website

https://usqai.ucn.cl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Laboratorio USQAI UCN is a university entrepreneurship laboratory at Universidad Católica del Norte that delivers free preincubation, incubation, and acceleration programs to students, researchers, and early-stage founders in Chile's Antofagasta and Coquimbo regions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Entrepreneurship Support Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Technical Universities with Entrepreneurship & Incubation Focus (EDAHAEAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Technical Bootcamps & Accelerated Reskilling (Full-time/Part-time) (BPAEANAE), Corporate Venture Studios & Incubators (Build/launch ventures) (FSANAHAC)

Keywords

• Entrepreneurship support
• Startup preincubation
• University incubation
• Venture acceleration
• Innovation ecosystem

Headquarters

HQ city

Antofagasta

HQ country

Chile

HQ region

Latin America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Institutional funding and grants: USQAI operates as a university unit funded by UCN institutional budget, government regional funding (Gobierno Regional de Coquimbo, CORFO Antofagasta), corporate sponsors (Escondida/BHP, Banco Santander), and public competitive funds (ANID VIU, Semilla Corfo). No commercial revenue is generated from products or services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Laboratorio USQAI UCN is a university entrepreneurship laboratory that delivers free preincubation, incubation, acceleration, and technical advisory programs to student and community entrepreneurs in Chile's Macrozona Norte. Its core products are the Nómada preincubation program, the INCUBA USQAI incubation/acceleration track (iNCUBA 1 and iNCUBA 2), VIU accompaniment for ANID-funded science-based ventures, and a six-phase methodological repository covering the entrepreneurial journey from mindset to expansion.

Product overview

Laboratorio USQAI UCN is a university entrepreneurship laboratory that functions as a platform-plus-programs architecture. The core platform is USQAI itself, which provides a structured methodology framework through its 6-phase Repository spanning from entrepreneurial mindset (Phase 0: Mentality) through business expansion (Phase 5). The main program products include Nómada (preincubation), INCUBA USQAI/iNCUBA 1/iNCUBA 2 (incubation and acceleration), Mentorías, Asesoría Técnica, Capacitación, Programa de Desarrollo Tecnológico, Acompañamiento VIU, and Formación de Monitores. Supporting resources include Emprendo/Aprendo (books and podcasts). The organization operates across campuses in Antofagasta and Coquimbo, with locations in Antofagasta city, Coquimbo, and San Pedro de Atacama.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• iNCUBA: Incubation axis of USQAI focused on innovative entrepreneurship with high growth potential, including programs like iNCUBA 1, iNCUBA 2, mentorías, asesoría técnica, capacitación en innovación y emprendimiento, and programa de desarrollo tecnológico.
• Nómada

Products and services

• Nómada
• iNCUBA 1
• iNCUBA 2
• Mentorías
• Asesoría Técnica
• Capacitación en Innovación y Emprendimiento
• Programa de Desarrollo Tecnológico
• Acompañamiento VIU
• Formación de Monitores
• Repositorio USQAI
• Emprendo/Aprendo
• INCUBA USQAI

Quantifiable outcome

• 555+ participants trained through Nómada preincubation; 13 projects incubated; 88 workshops delivered; 3 competition winners; international exposure in Colombia
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Universidad Católica del Norte (UCN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUSQAI is an academic support unit dependent on the Dirección de Innovación y Transferencia Tecnológica (DITT) of the Vicerrectoría de Investigación y Desarrollo Tecnológico of UCN. UCN provides institutional infrastructure, academic talent, research outputs, and operational support. The relationship is foundational — USQAI exists as part of UCN's innovation ecosystem.
• Dirección de Innovación y Transferencia Tecnológica (DITT) — UCNcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDITT is the parent direction overseeing USQAI. It collaborates on VIU project accompaniment, technology transfer, and connects USQAI with the broader university innovation infrastructure. DITT and USQAI jointly support thesis-based ventures and science-based technology projects.
• Centro de Emprendimiento y de la Pyme (CEMP UCN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCEMP UCN collaborates with USQAI on research into entrepreneurial intentions, aspirations, and attitudes of students. Both entities work together to understand the regional entrepreneurship ecosystem and inform program design.
• Centro de Estudios y Desarrollo del Emprendimiento de la Universidad de Antofagasta (CEDEUA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCEDEUA co-executes the Viraliza Nómada program with USQAI in the Antofagasta region, enabling broader regional coverage and collaboration between university entrepreneurship labs.
• HEUMAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a collaboration network in USQAI's collaboration ecosystem, contributing to the network of actors supporting regional entrepreneurship development.
• SCIENCE-UPminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a collaboration network in USQAI's collaboration ecosystem, contributing to the network of actors supporting regional entrepreneurship development.
• METAREDXminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a collaboration network in USQAI's collaboration ecosystem, contributing to the network of actors supporting regional entrepreneurship development.
• ASTERminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a collaboration network in USQAI's collaboration ecosystem, contributing to the network of actors supporting regional entrepreneurship development.
• FACEA UCNminorOthersFaculty of Economics and Administration at UCN, listed as a service partner for iNCUBA participants, providing access to academic resources and expertise.
• CEDUC UCNminorOthersUCN's continuing education center, listed as a service partner for iNCUBA participants, providing access to continuing education programs.
• Clínica Jurídica UCNminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProvides free legal advice and support to entrepreneurs, listed as a benefit partner under the benefits section for entrepreneurs.
• Escuela de Periodismo UCNminorOthersListed as a service partner for iNCUBA, providing communication and media expertise support.
• Red Futuro Técnico en la Región de CoquimbominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Red Futuro Técnico (Ministry of Education and Fundación Chile initiative) to strengthen technical-professional education and support over 40 technical high schools across Elqui, Limarí, and Choapa provinces.
• Universidad EIA (Envigado, Colombia)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner university in Colombia hosting the international bootcamp component of Nómada's international technology tour, providing high-level workshops on investment, technology, startup management, and pitch construction.
• ProChileminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChile's export promotion agency included Nómada program winners in the Chilean delegation at the StarCo 2025 entrepreneurship event in Colombia, providing international visibility and networking.
• GT Chile network (Technology Manager Academy)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAndrea León, INCUBA coordinator, participated in the Technology Manager Academy (TMA) program by GT Chile network, strengthening capabilities in technology management and regional innovation ecosystem connections.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Stanford STVP: Stanford's Technology Ventures Program focused on entrepreneurship education, research, and ecosystem building. Comparable as a globally recognized university-based entrepreneurship program with educational and ecosystem development missions analogous to USQAI's Repository and training programs.
• MIT Martin Trust Center: MIT's center for entrepreneurship education, venture support, and ecosystem programming. Comparable as a globally recognized university-based entrepreneurship organization offering educational programming, mentorship, and startup support analogous to USQAI's full-lifecycle model.
• StartX (Stanford): Stanford University-affiliated startup accelerator supporting founders from the Stanford ecosystem. Comparable as a university-embedded accelerator with structured programming, mentorship, and corporate perks, though operating at a much larger scale than USQAI.

Direct peers

• Centro de Innovación UC Anacleto Angelini: Innovation and entrepreneurship hub at Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. Directly comparable as a Chilean university-embedded innovation center running incubation, acceleration, and corporate venture programs with regional and corporate partners.
• UDD Ventures: Startup factory and corporate venture arm of Universidad del Desarrollo in Chile. Directly comparable as a Chilean university-affiliated incubator and accelerator supporting early-stage ventures with corporate and public funding partners.
• Inicia (Universidad de los Andes): Entrepreneurship and innovation center at Universidad de los Andes in Chile. Directly comparable as a Chilean university entrepreneurship program supporting student and alumni ventures through incubation and funding accompaniment.
• Centro de Emprendimiento UAI: Entrepreneurship center at Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez in Chile. Directly comparable as a Chilean university-embedded entrepreneurship unit delivering preincubation and incubation programming with strong ties to public and corporate funding sources.

Broad incumbents

• Start-Up Chile: Chilean government-backed startup attraction program run by CORFO. Comparable as a broader Chilean ecosystem incumbent that provides equity-free funding, acceleration programming, and international exposure — overlapping with USQAI's preincubation-to-acceleration mission.
• CORFO: Chilean government economic development agency that administers startup and innovation funding instruments including Semilla Corfo and Viraliza. Comparable as a key funding ecosystem actor and program operator that USQAI depends on and collaborates with.
• Wayra (Movistar/Telefónica): Corporate-backed open innovation hub and accelerator operating across Latin America and Europe. Comparable as a broad incumbent in the Latin American startup acceleration space with overlapping programming in incubation and corporate venture support.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=4NxsQMIWSg4&list=PLqIntjq5cpVWXnewVB1GGuZ6GBTsrf3Fa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/laboratorio-usqai
• Instagraminstagram.com/usqai_ucn

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 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 Laboratorio USQAI UCN