​ The SURA Accelerator was created to incorporate the first generation of entrepreneurs who develop technologies to help encourage savings among the general public. With this Fintech program, SURA AM Mexico joins the entrepreneurship ecosystem and promotes the development of new finance technology, with the additional potential of alliances and a program custom-designed for Latin American entrepreneurs.   Mexico City, July 2, 2017 . SURA Asset Management México (SURA AM México) and BlueBox Ventures announced the launch of the SURA Accelerator , a Fintech program aimed at incorporating the first generation of entrepreneurs who help to apply technologies that promote savings among the general public.  Pablo Sprenger, CEO of SURA AM México, accompanied by Gustavo Huerta, CEO of BlueBox Ventures and Nadia Ornelas, Associate Director of Innovation at Sura AM Mexico, led the official presentation and put out the first call for entries to this initiative.  The first SURA Accelerator Program , applications for which were accepted starting June 29, consists of four phases: Scouting, Selection Event, Acceleration and DemoDay.  The program is open to Mexican and Latin American entrepreneurs who have an innovative startup or scaleup that works to overcome the challenges of the financial services industry, focused mainly on developing technology that promotes and facilitates savings. Entrepreneurs must be dedicated 100% to the project. The jury is made up of the SURA AM México Innovation Committee and guests from Vero Norte, an investment fund supported by Grupo SURA.  The program lasts for two months and is designed to boost scaleups' growth with the infrastructure of a large corporation. Sixteen entrepreneurs will be invited to present their projects to the Innovation Committee, which will select up to six finalists for the Acceleration Program.  In the second week of November, a DemoDay event will be held to present the results and award a prize of 300,000.00 Mexican pesos to the best program entrepreneur. SURA AM México may also at this point forge alliances, supplier relationships or a possible relationship with the selected entrepreneurs.  "At our company, we believe that awareness of the importance of voluntary savings can have a huge impact on the world, so the SURA Accelerator is the key to beginning the change," remarked Pablo Sprenger.  With the launch of this initiative, "SURA AM México joins the entrepreneurship ecosystem in Latin America, providing new opportunities for growth and a program tailor-made for the selected entrepreneurs," Sprenger added. BlueBox is the largest network of corporate incubators, accelerators and venture funds in Latin America, with extensive experience in the entrepreneurship ecosystem. With SURA AM México, it will endeavor to harness the power of emerging technologies to accelerate digital innovation and create alliances that generate competitive advantages.   About SURA Asset Management México SURA AM México's extensive business portfolio includes Afore SURA, Pensiones SURA, SURA Investment Management and Seguros de Vida SURA. As of the first quarter 2017, it had more than USD27.4 billion in assets under management, with a little over 2,800 employees and more than 7.5 million clients. About SURA Asset Management SURA Asset Management is a Latin American company with pensions, savings and investment operations in Mexico, Peru, Chile, Colombia, Uruguay and El Salvador. It is an affiliate of Grupo SURA and has other minority shareholders: Grupo Bolivar, Bancolombia and Grupo Wiese. As of the first quarter 2017, Sura Asset Management had USD123.4 billion in assets under management and 19.2 million clients.  * Clients and AUM include AFP Protección in Colombia and AFP Crecer in El Salvador; although they are not majority owned, SURA AM has a significant stake in these firms. ​About GRUPO SURA Grupo de Inversiones Suramericana (Grupo SURA), the parent company of Grupo Empresarial SURA, is a Latin American firm listed on the Colombian Stock Exchange (BVC) and registered in the ADR-Level I program in the United States. It is also the only Latin American company in the Miscellaneous Financial Services sector group listed in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, which recognizes companies around the world that have demonstrated best practices in economy, environment and society matters. Grupo SURA has two types of investment: strategic investments, focused on the financial service, insurance, pension, savings and investment sectors; and industrial investments, primarily in processed foods, cement and energy.