MacondoLab supports the University’s Opción de Grado by helping students develop business projects and strengthen existing ventures through training, mentoring, fieldwork, sustainability planning, and pitch preparation. The program is designed for undergraduate students who have completed the required entrepreneurship coursework and are advancing business ideas or early-stage ventures as part of their graduation pathway.

The engagement addresses a development and technical need related to the strengthening of student-led business ideas with greater financial rigor and stronger alignment with international market conditions. Many participating students require additional guidance to translate early business concepts into structured, financially viable, and scalable models that can compete in dynamic markets. Priority needs include support in financial analysis, business model refinement, sustainability planning, growth strategy, market readiness, and presentation of business ideas to expert audiences.

The engagement is expected to benefit undergraduate participants in the Opción de Grado pathway, typically organized around project-based mentoring, training activities, and milestone-based reviews throughout the acceleration process.

The university is requesting two Virtual Service Pilot Participants (VSPPs) to provide specialized virtual support that strengthens the technical quality of this graduation-track entrepreneurship process. The VSPPs will contribute through structured virtual mentoring sessions, practical workshops, and feedback activities focused on financial planning, evaluation of business opportunities, international market orientation, and improvement of student presentations and project documentation. Expected support may include one to two virtual sessions per week during the engagement period, group training for participating students, and individualized feedback for selected projects at key stages of development The organization has previously collaborated with the Peace Corps.

They understand that the role of a VSPP is very different than a Peace Corps Volunteer or Peace Corps Response Volunteer.

Desired Qualifications

Experience

- Working with university students, early-stage entrepreneurs, or youth entrepreneurship programs
- Supporting business idea development in areas such as financial modeling, market validation, business planning, or pitch preparation
- Familiarity with international markets,



export readiness, or global entrepreneurship concepts
- Designing practical learning materials, tools, or workshops for entrepreneurship or business development training
- Working in multicultural, international, or virtual service environments

Required Skills

Education: Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, economics, entrepreneurship, international business, education, or a related field.

Language: Advanced Spanish

Experience

- 1 year of academic, professional, or volunteer experience in entrepreneurship, business development, finance, or student mentoring
- Facilitating virtual or in-person training, workshops, mentoring sessions, or instructional activities with youth or adult learners
- Providing practical guidance in at least one of the following areas: business model development, basic financial planning, market analysis, or presentation/pitch development
- Basic proficiency in using virtual collaboration tools such as Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, or similar platforms for online sessions and feedback

Intercultural skills and motivation: Flexible, strong cross-cultural agility, high tolerance for ambiguity, able to work independently, resourceful, creative, and genuinely motivated and capable to serve virtually

Host Country Partner’s Mission and Goals

MacondoLab, the Business Growth and Innovation Center of Universidad Simón Bolívar, works to strengthen entrepreneurship, innovation, and sustainable business development by connecting scientific knowledge, co-creation, experimentation, and practical learning for students and entrepreneurs.

Through its programs, MacondoLab supports students, entrepreneurs, and organizations in transforming ideas into scalable and sustainable business models, while fostering innovative capabilities that respond to local, regional, and international market needs.

For this engagement, MacondoLab’s priority is to support students participating in the university’s “Opción de Grado” program,



by helping them develop and strengthen business ideas with an emphasis on entrepreneurship, innovation, financial analysis, and alignment with international markets. Priority activities include mentoring students in business model development, strengthening financial planning and market-readiness skills, supporting innovation-based project design, and expanding students’ capacity to evaluate growth opportunities in general contexts.

Virtual Service Engagement and Tasks The VSPPs will engage in the following tasks, in collaboration with their host country partners:

- Review program materials and co-develop a virtual support plan during the first two weeks of the engagement, including learning objectives, session topics, and expected outputs for student support in business idea development under the “Opción de Grado” program
- Facilitate one 60–90-minute virtual group training session per week during the engagement period, focused on topics such as business model strengthening, basic financial planning, international market orientation, and presentation of business ideas, for participating undergraduate students
- Provide one 60-minute virtual mentoring or feedback session per week with MacondoLab staff and/or designated student groups, to strengthen institutional capacity in guiding students on financial analysis, venture structuring, and market-readiness milestones
- Review and provide written feedback on student business idea outputs twice per month, such as financial projections, value propositions, pitch materials, or market analysis summaries, using practical recommendations that can be applied by both students and MacondoLab facilitators
- Conduct one final virtual wrap-up and knowledge-sharing session during the last two weeks of the engagement, summarizing key lessons, useful tools, and recommendations that MacondoLab can continue using in future “Opción de Grado” cohorts

VSPPs are expected to engage on the tasks listed above for an estimated 5–15 hours per week. This engagement is estimated to be six hours per week.

Online collaboration will generally occur between 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Colombia time. Specific times will be determined during orientation.

The host country counterpart will have access to Microsoft Teams for regular communication and collaboration.

Per the Child Protection Code of Conduct, when engaging online with minors (0–18), two adults must be present.

📌 Mentor Young Colombian Entrepreneurs (Colombia)
🏢 Peace Corps
📍 Colombia