Website reviews business hots up in Chile

A YORKSHIRE start-up has won a placement on a six-month technology ‘accelerator grant’ from the Chilean government.

Leonard Austin, Ben Waine and Joe Mewis founded Recensus earlier this year.

The Leeds-based company is an add-on for ecommerce websites that pulls a network of independent, impartial reviews onto their websites.

The company’s founders said reviews had been proved to increase conversion rates by 18%.

Now, the start-up has been accepted onto the Start-Up Chile program, with the trio travelling out to the South American country for the duration of the grant.

Mr Austin said: “It’s an incredible opportunity. This allows us to not only focus on the next stage of development for Recensus, but also puts us in a unique environment where were can work alongside dozens of other start-ups and feed off this entrepreneurial energy.”
 
The Chilean government do not take any equity on the projects they select, but instead ask for the participating companies to give something back to the local community in return for the $40,000 funding and access to a network of mentors and start-up veterans.

Mr Waine added: “Not only do we get the time, resources and funding to make Recensus the best service we can but we also get the opportunity to experience a new culture and play a part in helping to create a thriving new community.

“If the last two weeks since we arrived are anything to go by, it really has the potential to become an important part of the global start-up scene.”

The trio have combined experience at Yorkshire companies including web developers, creative agencies and new business development specialists.