El Salvador is set to host its first startup residency dedicated to public-interest technology, bringing founders, government institutions, development banks and investors together in San Salvador from October 12 to 17.
The initiative, organized by Funding the Commons, will select four Salvadoran founders developing technology aimed at addressing public challenges through digital infrastructure, financial access, identity, governance, coordination and artificial intelligence.
The six-day program is designed to connect entrepreneurs directly with institutions and potential funders, creating opportunities to develop concrete pilot projects and establish pathways toward sustainable financing. Funding the Commons describes the initiative as a space where technology builders can work alongside the institutions capable of implementing their solutions.
A central principle behind the program is that some of the most important digital infrastructure of the coming decade may function as public goods rather than privately controlled products. Nelson Daniel Lopez, who is leading the initiative, summarized the vision with the statement: “The most important technology of the next decade will not have an owner.”
The residency will be offered at no cost and without taking equity from participating founders. The program is supported by the GSR Foundation and brings together local institutions, development finance actors and international members of the Funding the Commons network.
The initiative also reflects El Salvador’s expanding focus on entrepreneurship and technology. Recent programs in the country have increasingly connected startups with international investors, development institutions and opportunities for commercialization, strengthening the ecosystem for emerging companies.
By hosting the residency in San Salvador, El Salvador is positioning itself as a testing ground for technology designed to address public needs, while giving local founders access to international networks, capital and institutions capable of turning innovative ideas into real-world applications.