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Digital marketing agency led by Unicauca alumnae wins the Fondo Emprender

IngenIA Ads specializes in offering customized solutions for MSMEs and personal brands. Led by Yuliana Isabel Martínez Valencia and Wendy Valentina Ortega Muñoz, it is part of the 142 entrepreneurs who won the “Create Your Future” Youth call.

Unicauca graduates Yuliana Isabel Martínez Valencia and Wendy Valentina Ortega Muñoz, from the Business Administration program, are among the 142 entrepreneurs who won the National Call No. 115 “Create Your Future” for Young People, organized by SENA’s Fondo Emprender, with their business plan IngenIA Ads – Digital Marketing Agency. The venture specializes in offering personalized solutions for MSMEs and personal brands in Popayán, a region characterized by a traditional economy where most businesses are family-owned and seek to preserve their local identity while adapting to modern trends.

The idea began its journey in 2021, founded by two students from the Business Administration program at the University of Cauca. At that time, the services offered were limited to the creation of advertising campaigns. However, what started as an extra activity to earn income during their student years soon began to take shape as a real business opportunity, driven by the need to make their work profitable and provide higher-quality services. Over time, the founders’ dedication and passion led them to train and specialize in digital marketing, taking advantage of courses offered by institutions such as SENA, Google, SENATEC, and Converzzo.

“Our proposal focuses on addressing these needs by implementing digital marketing strategies that respect and enhance the authenticity of local businesses, helping them improve their visibility and expand their presence not only in the local market but also in regional and national markets. We recognize that entrepreneurs in Popayán are often cautious about adopting new technologies and methods, which is why our strategies are designed to be affordable, accessible, and aligned with each client’s values and objectives. IngenIA Ads identified that of the 11,291 MSMEs in Popayán (figures from the Cauca Chamber of Commerce, 2024), only 40 out of every 100 formally established companies survive after five years,” stated graduate Yuliana Isabel Martínez Valencia.

There are many factors that affect the survival of these businesses; however, one of the most relevant is the low sales flow and limited visibility of companies in the department of Cauca. For this reason, IngenIA Ads seeks to help mitigate this issue through strategies focused on digital marketing that allow these businesses to gain greater visibility and, consequently, achieve a higher sales flow, preventing their closure between their first and fifth year of operation.

The National Youth “Create Your Future” call by SENA’s Fondo Emprender aimed to finance entrepreneurial initiatives led by young entrepreneurs, allocating a total of $14,000,000,000 COP in seed capital to strengthen their business ventures. More than 470 young entrepreneurs from across the country applied to this call, submitting business plans from various economic sectors. Of these, 142 projects were selected for funding at the national level, and only two of them are from the department of Cauca, one being IngenIA ADS.

The graduates and entrepreneurs explained that the application process began in March 2024, when they first presented their business idea to be evaluated through a pitch at SENA’s Cauca regional office before a panel of experts in the business field. “We received a favorable score that allowed us to move forward and qualify for the next phase, which consisted of developing the Business Plan, including the operational plan and financial plan, in order to assess the project’s technical, economic, and financial viability over a five-year horizon. This Plan enabled us to apply to the national call and reach the final stage, where our Business Plan was evaluated by SENA’s Technical Commission and National Steering Council.”

It was approximately 10 months of hard work and significant learning, which ultimately allowed them to be one of the winners of Call No. 115. They were awarded seed capital to finance rent, payroll, equipment, and other needs. “It is important to highlight that thanks to this funding, our Agency will be able to generate four formal jobs. Fondo Emprender was the boost that allowed IngenIA Ads, in July 2024, to take the major step of registering with the Cauca Chamber of Commerce as a sole proprietorship, under the economic activities of Advertising, Specialized Design Services, Photography Activities, and Retail Trade Conducted Over the Internet.”