Alexandra Arellano and Jorge Luis Popayan #
Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Colombia
This paper reports on the use of the Lean Startup methodology that contributes to improving specialized services for sugarcane cultivation in Colombia and defines a clear entrepreneurial opportunity. The objective of this project was to study and create a solid business model, using Lean Startup, to improve and automate services for sugarcane growers in Colombia. The main question guiding this research was: How can services and operations provided by suppliers associated with sugarcane cultivation in Colombia be improved and automated? To support this project, theories of entrepreneurship, agile methodologies and tools such as Lean Startup were used, and phases were defined for the design of the model consisting of create, learn and measure. Interviews were conducted with some players in the sector to identify and validate the hypotheses associated with the problem, the identified business opportunity, and to understand how the needs of growers can be improved. The results allowed the design of a platform model called «Soy Cañero», which contributes to improving efficiency and profitability in the Colombian sugarcane sector.