Hailing from 36 nations, this third generation represents 28% of the year’s 364 total selected startups and the program’s most geographically diverse group yet.

After receiving over 570 applications during the third application period that ended in October, Start-Up Chile announces that 100 startup companies have been selected to be part of the world-recognized acceleration program’s third generation. 40 of those 100 teams are comprised of a group of entrepreneurs from more than one country.

With arrival dates in either February or March of 2012, the 100 chosen startups (236 entrepreneurs) call more than 36 diﬀerent countries home and represent a myriad of industries as well as many of the world’s most prestigious educational institutions including the University of Pennsylvania, MIT, Stanford, Harvard, and the Monterrey Institute of Technology.

The top five most frequently represented countries are: USA, Chile, Argentina, India, and Brazil. This is the first time that Romania, Hungary, Peru, South Korea, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Sweden have had entrepreneurs participate in Start-Up Chile.

E-commerce is the most strongly identified industry (18% of the selected), which is then followed by Education (13%), IT & Enterprise Software and Social Media– both with 10%, and Mobile & Wireless (9%). Remaining categories include Clean Tech, Tourism, Natural Resources, and, among others, Biotech.

Jean Boudeguer, Start-Up Chile’s Executive Director, says “entrepreneurs are looking towards Chile not just for the money, but for the abundant network of people that the program attracts. We’ve had a commendable number of success stories and are very proud that after conducting 3 rounds of applications, the energy is more alive than ever. I look forward to seeing what next year will bring to us.”

To read the complete Press Release, please click here for English and here for Spanish.

Congratulations to everyone– see you in Chile!