ANDE: funding and guarantees for entrepreneurs (what few use)
The Uruguayan state supports entrepreneurs through ANDE: non-reimbursable funds, guarantees to access credit, and training. What it offers and how to access it — with official sources.
Many entrepreneurs don't know the state has an agency dedicated to helping them with money and tools: ANDE (the National Development Agency). There are funds, guarantees and supports that tend to be underused. Here's a map of what it offers.
What ANDE is
ANDE promotes the country's productive development, focused on micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and entrepreneurs. In practice, it offers three kinds of support: financing, guarantees and training. Its financing portal gathers the instruments:
ANDE — Access to financinghttps://www.ande.org.uy/financiamiento.htmlSiGa guarantees: credit without your own collateral
The most common obstacle for an entrepreneur is that the bank asks for collateral they don't have. That's what the National Guarantee System (SiGa) is for:
Per ANDE:
«Garantías para empresas que necesitan acceder a un crédito y no tienen las garantías necesarias para respaldarlo.»
In English: Guarantees for companies that need to access credit and don't have the necessary collateral to back it.
ANDE — Access to financing (SiGa)https://www.ande.org.uy/financiamiento.htmlNon-reimbursable funds
Yes, you read that right: there's money you don't have to repay. ANDE grants non-reimbursable funds to start or strengthen a venture, usually via calls for applications. It's among the most valuable for getting going:
ANDE — Non-reimbursable funds to start uphttps://www.ande.org.uy/emprendimientos/item/fondos-no-reembolsables-para-emprender.htmlCredits and financial education
ANDE also offers credit on better-than-market terms (through microfinance institutions), specific lines like the Crédito Modo Digital to invest in software, hardware and technical assistance, and free financial-education workshops. It's not all money: they also help you sort out your accounts.
How to access it
The starting point is the ANDE site: you fill in the form for ventures, micro and small enterprises, and check the open calls (many have a deadline). It's worth checking now and then because the programs change.
ANDE — Ventureshttps://www.ande.org.uy/emprendimientos.htmlAt a glance
| Instrument | For what |
|---|---|
| SiGa (guarantees) | Access credit without your own collateral |
| Non-reimbursable funds | Capital you don't repay, to start up |
| Credits | Loans on better terms |
| Financial education | Free workshops |
In short: ANDE is an entrepreneur's ally — SiGa guarantees to unlock credit, non-reimbursable funds and soft loans, plus free training. Check the current calls at ande.org.uy; programs and deadlines are updated.