SERCOTEC — Technical Cooperation Service (Servicio de Cooperación Técnica)

Invests SERCOTEC in startup subsidies for micro and small firms, commercialization support, and digitalization initiatives.

SERCOTEC (Servicio de Cooperacion Tecnica) is Chile's main public institution for micro and small enterprise support, operating under the Ministry of Economy, Development and Tourism. It focuses on early-stage business formation and the competitiveness of existing micro and small firms.

Its core instruments are non-reimbursable co-financing subsidies. The main routes include Capital Semilla Emprende, Capital Abeja Emprende, Capital Pioneras, Crece, Mejora Negocios, Digitaliza tu Almacen, and Barrios Comerciales, with award ceilings ranging from CLP 1.5 million to CLP 80 million. The portfolio covers business start-up, commercialization, digital adoption, and district-level commerce support.

Applicants that fit SERCOTEC tend to be small firms or founders with a concrete operating base and a narrow use case for subsidy capital. The agency sits closer to business development and market access than to research funding, so its strongest cases are practical, locally rooted, and ready to turn modest public support into visible commercial growth and resilience.