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Lima, February 2024. Cristhian Agüero Huaranga, co-founder of Kasa and tenth-cycle student on the Business Administration degree program at the Universidad del Pacífico (UP), has been selected for the prestigious START Fellowship accelerator, which is designed to empower Latin American entrepreneurs and support them in scaling their startups to a higher level.

But what is Kasa? Cristhian explained. "Through collective investment and a simplified process, we make the world of real estate investments more accessible to everyone, allowing investors of any size, with or without previous experience, to participate in real estate operations with just $500." [CT1] 

To qualify for this scholarship, Cristian had to present a solution to a specific need in Latin America. But that was not all. During the selection phase, he took part in submission contests, interviews with local investors, and meetings with the START Global team.

“The biggest challenge was to focus, along with my team, on developing this solution. Developing a resilient and ambitious attitude was essential to make a positive impression during the selection process," he revealed.

The award covers travel, accommodation, and living expenses for four months in St. Gallen, Switzerland, besides access to the startup accelerator program operated by START Global in collaboration with the University of St. Gallen. There, young entrepreneurs access courses, workshops, mentoring, high-level connections, and financing opportunities, without having to give up any of their venture.

"This scholarship will drive Kasa to scale faster, allowing us not only to raise capital but also to enrich and differentiate our value proposition from alternatives in the region."

Upon completion of the four-month program, Cristhian plans to focus on growing Kasa and expanding access to real estate investments. His objective is for his startup to be sustainable while making an even bigger impact.

A leader with purpose

Along his journey, Cristihan highlights the fundamental role played by the Universidad del Pacífico and its Entrepreneurship Center (Emprende UP). UP is one of the four universities in Peru that has an agreement with START Global, giving its students a tremendous opportunity to participate in the fellowship. Cristhian also points out that Emprende UP provided advice on key areas for the growth of his startup.

“Kasa started out as an idea that Haru [co-founder] and I had during the Strategic Management course with [the late] [KH2] Professor Jorge Heredia, just over a year ago. However, it was a few months later, when joining forces with Diego and Fabián [also co-founders], that this idea took shape," he explained. "The passion for the startup ecosystem that the professor transmitted spurred us to think in an innovative way and venture beyond our comfort zone. We are deeply grateful for his influence and we always carry it in our memories."

Finally, Cristhian urges those students who have an idea or project in mind to be bold enough to apply it.

At the end of the day, there is no greater satisfaction than dispelling the “what if?" doubts. From my perspective, university is the ideal time to embark on the adventure of entrepreneurship, "he says.

What are the next steps for Kasa? Cristhian said that he and his partners will soon be announcing their second investment project, which aims to allow anyone to start investing in real estate without the need for extensive knowledge or initial capital.