Boston, MA — As AscentIncubator.com officially launches across Latin America, founder Andres Perea sat down with our editorial team to share his perspective on who the platform is built for—and why its AI-powered, equity-free model is reshaping startup incubation across the globe.
Q: Andres, let’s start with the basics. Who exactly is Ascent Incubator designed for?
Andres Perea:
Ascent Incubator is for every person with an idea and the desire to turn it into a real, scalable business. Whether you’re a 22-year-old student in Cartagena, a small business owner in Montería, a freelancer in Bogotá, or a corporate executive in Medellín, ready for your next chapter—we built this for you.
Our platform is designed for first-time and serial entrepreneurs, career changers, university students, small business owners looking to pivot, and even creators or freelancers who want to stop trading time for money. What connects them all is that they wish to receive structured guidance and practical tools. Still, they don’t know where to start, or don’t want to give away equity or navigate exclusive, high-barrier accelerator systems.
Q: You’ve emphasized “no equity required” many times. Why is that so important?
Andres:
Because we believe mentorship shouldn’t cost you a piece of your business. Traditional incubators often require entrepreneurs to give up equity just to access guidance, creating a long-term imbalance. With Ascent, our mission is to provide high-quality incubation, powered by AI and structured curriculum, for just $30/month. No hidden fees, no application gates, and no ownership loss.
We want our users to stay focused on validating their ideas and building real traction, not worrying about losing control of their vision early on.
Q: What does the actual experience look like for entrepreneurs inside the platform?
Andres:
It’s a six-module, self-paced program where you go from idea validation to building an investor-ready pitch deck. Each module blends lessons, assignments, and hands-on tools powered by large language models—like ChatGPT—to help founders generate everything from market research to business plans, MVP outlines, and financial projections.
What’s powerful is that the AI is personalized. It learns from your profile—your skills, your context—and helps you make smart, data-backed decisions. And because it’s self-paced, people can build their startup around their schedule, not someone else’s deadline.
Q: You’re launching in Colombia first. What’s the strategy behind that?
Andres:
In 2024, I conducted the Ascent Incubator testing in partnership with Universidad del SINU and ASDEMIN (Montería Small Business Owners Association). This three-day workshop brought together over 100 participants, including entrepreneurs, small and medium business owners, and students. It was incredible to see how, by utilizing AI, they conducted market research and generated ideas to enhance their existing entrepreneurial projects or identify potential market opportunities. Additionally, Montería is my hometown. Colombia is full of untapped entrepreneurial talent, especially in cities outside the traditional innovation circuits—Montería, Barranquilla, Cartagena, and more. We’re starting our “100 Entrepreneurs” campaign in Colombia, caribbean region. We focus on one region each month and aim to onboard 100 founders. It’s a grassroots way to build momentum and community trust while spotlighting local innovation.
After Colombia, we’re scaling to other parts of Latin America, then globally. But we always lead with local relevance.
Q: What would you say to someone who’s unsure if they’re “qualified” to join an incubator like this?
Andres:
That’s the whole point—we’re changing the definition of “qualified.” If you have a business idea, a problem you want to solve, or a skill you think could become something bigger—you are qualified.
You don’t need prior experience. You don’t need to be a tech founder. You don’t even need to speak English fluently. The platform is bilingual, affordable, and built to guide you step-by-step. You don’t need to know everything—we’ll help you learn what matters most.
Q: Finally, what’s your invitation to the startup community?
Andres:
To entrepreneurs: try it. Sign up, start your 30-day free trial, and explore your potential without risk. Follow us on social media for enrollment discounts and updates on your region’s spotlight month.
To partners—universities, accelerators, chambers of commerce, government programs—join us. Let’s build a more inclusive and accessible startup ecosystem together. We offer co-branded campaigns, student discounts, and structured tools you can plug right into your curriculum or community programs.
Ascent isn’t just a platform—it’s a movement. Become part of it.
Learn more and register at www.ascentincubator.com
Spanish version available at www.ascentincubator.com/es
Press Contact:
Andres Perea – https://www.linkedin.com/in/andresperea/
Innovation Ascent LLC | Boston, MA