Yes, the Chilean entrepreneurial ecosystem has significant issues, but that is not really an excuse for what appears to be uninformed expectations.
Some of the issues cited are obvious even from researching at a distance, so it makes one wonder if he moved over without conducting basic research, just trusting that the govt invitation would make it rain? Where on earth can you expect to enter as a foreigner to raise a $40 million fund within 6 months with NO solid connections within the community or with capital providers? In a conservative environment to boot?
Now he says he wants to "help Chilean companies to invest in Asia" although he couldn't get Chileans to invest in Chile? 0_o
Some of the issues cited are obvious even from researching at a distance, so it makes one wonder if he moved over without conducting basic research, just trusting that the govt invitation would make it rain? Where on earth can you expect to enter as a foreigner to raise a $40 million fund within 6 months with NO solid connections within the community or with capital providers? In a conservative environment to boot?
Now he says he wants to "help Chilean companies to invest in Asia" although he couldn't get Chileans to invest in Chile? 0_o
Other sides of the debate that I came across: Sarah Lacy http://www.sarahlacy.com/sarahlacy/2011/12/attention-world-d...
Nathan Lustig http://www.nathanlustig.com/2011/12/26/arnon-kohavi-chilean-...
Rich Yang http://thenextweb.com/la/2011/12/27/start-up-chile-entrepren...