Semilla.VC: Recent Episodes
Trip Gorman
Highlighting the most exciting and revolutionary figures in Latin American Venture Capital, Tech, and Society with Trip Gorman.
On this episode of Semilla.VC, the podcast highlighting the most exciting and revolutionary figures in Latin American Venture Capital, Tech, and Society, Trip Gorman spoke with Allison Kern, Partner at Morro Ventures. Morro is a new early-stage venture capital fund based in San Juan, Puerto Rico investing in attractive technology-enabled products and services across the Hispanic market. The Fund leverages the unique position of Puerto Rico, as a U.S. law-based and U.S. dollar-denominated entity with a bilingual populace to provide a platform for offshore Spanish-speaking companies to launch into the U.S. market and for American companies to capitalize on opportunities in Latin America. Prior to her current role, Allison was previously a Senior Associate at StarVest Partners and a Senior Associate at the Carlyle Group.
In this episode, we discussed:
✅ Puerto Rico’s Venture Capital & Technology ecosystem.
✅ What you need to know about Puerto Rico; its legal status in the United States, the tax incentives, and even what life is like there.
✅ How Morro is fundraising in the current interest rate environment.
We talked about all this and more in this episode of Semilla.VC
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Host: Trip Gorman, Twitter @GormanTrip, Linkedin: Tripg.me
On this episode of Semilla.VC, the podcast highlighting the most exciting and revolutionary figures in Latin American Venture Capital, Tech, and Society, Trip Gorman spoke with Leo Quintao, Founder of Smoov, a retail Smoothie Company founded in São Paulo, Brazil. Yes, Semilla.VC is a podcast about Latin American VC and technology, but Smoov is a smoothie shop I came across in São Paulo when walking down the street in São Paulo over the summer. I saw a sign for Zero sugar smoothies…it felt like back home in the United States…even more specifically back home in California. When I walked up to the counter, Leonardo and his co-founder greeted me–first in Portuguese…and when it was clear my Portuguese wasn’t sufficient…then in English and told me about his company Smoov. After spending time in the US, he wanted to bring healthy, zero-sugar Smoothies to Brazil and popularize them. Just like some enterprising entrepreneurs have done in the past decade by bringing Acai from Brazil to the United States.
https://smoovco.com/en/
In this episode, we discussed:
✅ Everything you’d ever want to know about operating a brick-and-mortar business in Brazil.
✅ How Leo prioritizes safety in Brazil's “security situation”.
✅ Brazilian hourly wage for retail workers.
✅ Why he doesn’t hire and place friends together in the same store.
and much, much more!
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Host: Trip Gorman, Twitter @GormanTrip, Linkedin: Tripg.me
On this episode of Semilla.VC, the podcast highlighting the most exciting and revolutionary figures in Latin American Venture Capital, Tech, and Society, Trip Gorman spoke with Eric Yáñez, the Founder and CEO of Holacasa.mx (YC W23). Before founding Holacasa, he was the founder and CEO of HolaHipo and Mentoreamos.
In this episode, we discussed:
✅ How Eric used no code tools like Canva and Figma instead of a design agency to build out his website.
✅ How Y Combinator helped catalyze Holacasa’s growth
✅ How Eric has found success as a solo founder
We talked about all this and more in this episode of Semilla.VC
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Host: Trip Gorman, Twitter @GormanTrip, Linkedin: Tripg.me
On this episode of Semilla.VC, the podcast highlighting the most exciting and revolutionary figures in Latin American Venture Capital, Tech, and Society, Trip Gorman spoke with Claudio Schlegel for a special episode to hear about a new perspective…the boss's boss…the LP! Claudio is an LP in 99 Startups, Platanus Ventures, and Cometa. He is also an angel investor.
In this episode, we discussed:
✅ What the minimum LP investment is for LatAm VC funds, and how he’s able to invest in them below their normal thresholds.
✅ What type of companies he invests in as an Angel Investor.
✅ How Claudio provides real value to his portfolio companies.
We talked about all this and more in this episode of Semilla.VC
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Host: Trip Gorman, Twitter @GormanTrip, Linkedin: Tripg.me
On this episode of Semilla.VC, the podcast highlighting the most exciting and revolutionary figures in Latin American Venture Capital, Tech, and Society, Trip Gorman spoke with Rafa Barroso, Engineering Manager at Apple and a former Solutions Architect at Google. Rafa is also an Advisory Board Member at DUX Capital, an Angel Investor, and a former founder.
In this episode, we discussed:
✅ How he adds value as a technical angel investor.
✅ Why you NEED a technical co-founder.
✅ Why co-founder relationships destroy most startups.
We talked about all this and more in this episode of Semilla.VC
and much, much more!
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Host: Trip Gorman, Twitter @GormanTrip, Linkedin: Tripg.me
On this episode of Semilla.VC, the podcast highlighting the most exciting and revolutionary figures in Latin American Venture Capital, Tech, and Society, Trip Gorman spoke with Javier Sanchez Aldana, Managing Partner at Carabela, based in Guadalajara, Mexico.
In this episode, we discussed:
✅ Why some founders try to solve too many problems at once.
✅ What is happening in Guadalajara’s venture capital and tech scene.
✅ Why Javier is betting on underrepresented founders.
We talked about all this and more in this episode of Semilla.VC
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Host: Trip Gorman, Twitter @GormanTrip, Linkedin: Tripg.me
On this episode of Semilla.VC, the podcast highlighting the most exciting and revolutionary figures in Latin American Venture Capital, Tech, and Society, Trip Gorman spoke with Claudio Barahona, Managing Partner at Alaya Capital. Claudio is on the board of Kilimo Agtech, Backstartup, Houm, Inti-Tech, Telenty, Pago49, and Rocketpin.
In this episode, we discussed:
✅ The advantage of doing business in Chile
✅ What the real role of boards is for venture-backed companies and how he operates on them
✅ Why he wants all of Latin America to be a single common country
and much, much more!
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Host: Trip Gorman, Twitter @GormanTrip, Linkedin: Tripg.me
On this episode of Semilla.VC, the podcast highlighting the most exciting and revolutionary figures in Latin American Venture Capital, Tech, and Society, Trip Gorman spoke with Joel Phillips, Founder of Siglo Internet (YC S21).
Before Founding Siglo Internet (YC S21), Joel was CEO of Farrow Ventures, a mobile money, payment, and content platform that he scaled to 1.5 Million users in Mexico and Colombia.
In this episode, we discussed:
✅ How to allow customers to pay for your product at 7/11, OXXO, and other retail locations in Mexico
✅ How Cambridge Analytica killed his last startup after Trump’s election
✅ Joel and Siglo’s experience in Y Combinator
and much, much more!
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Host: Trip Gorman, Twitter @GormanTrip, Linkedin: Tripg.me
On this episode of Semilla.VC, the podcast highlighting the most exciting and revolutionary figures in Latin American Venture Capital, Tech, and Society, Trip Gorman spoke with Alejandro Gonzalez. Alejandro is a Managing Partner at Redwood Ventures, an early-stage fund based in Guadalajara, and a Managing Partner at Santatera Capital, a global fund investing in emerging companies in the food & beverage industry, with a particular focus on those seeking to dominate the US market.
In this episode, we discussed:
✅ What Redwood Ventures does differently.
✅ Redwood’s Investment in Seeri
✅ Why he co-created Santatera Capital to capitalize on the future of innovation in the food & beverage industry.
✅ Food & Beverage Innovation in the USA vs. LatAm
and much, much more!
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Host: Trip Gorman, Twitter @GormanTrip, Linkedin: Tripg.me
On this episode of Semilla.VC, the podcast highlighting the most exciting and revolutionary figures in Latin American Venture Capital, Tech, and Society, Trip Gorman spoke with Vicente Zavarce, the Founder & CEO of Yummy (YC S21), which operates services like rideshare and food delivery in overlooked Latin American markets like Venezuela and Bolivia. I have to say, I particularly enjoy speaking with founders who truly are contrarian and Vicente is exactly that.
In this episode we discussed:
✅ Building a team and startup in Venezuela
✅ The differences in pricing rideshare for Venezuela, including difficulties calculating rates, and Yummy’s introduction of price bidding.
✅ The difficulties of fundraising for a startup with Yummy’s geographic focus of Venezuela and Bolivia.
✅ The role of Venezuela in the future of Latin American Venture Capital & Technology.
and much, much more!
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Host: Trip Gorman, Twitter @GormanTrip, Linkedin: Tripg.me
Filming date: 6/9/2023
On this episode of Semilla.VC, the podcast highlighting the most exciting and revolutionary figures in Latin American Venture Capital, Tech, and Society, Trip Gorman spoke with Ignacio Masias, the Co-Founder & CEO of Wynwood House, a decentralized boutique hotel with locations across Latin America built to cater to travelers who aspire for the quality and consistency of a luxury hotel without the price tag. Before founding Wynwood House, Ignacio was a Business Analyst at McKinsey and an Advisory and Corporate Finance Intern at KPMG.
In this interview you will learn: ✅ Building and scaling a tech-empowered brick-and-mortar business in Latin America. ✅ How Wynwood House chooses building locations and prices their rooms. ✅ How COVID affected Wynwood House & the hospitality industry in Latin America. ✅ Why Ignacio believes doing business across Latin America is more similar than it is different.
and much, much more!
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Subscribe to Semilla.VC on YouTube, or wherever you listen to your podcasts! Host: Trip Gorman, Twitter @GormanTrip, Linkedin: Tripg.me
On this episode of Semilla.VC, the podcast highlighting the most exciting and revolutionary figures in Latin American Venture Capital, Tech, and Society, Trip Gorman spoke with Ignacio Masias, the Co-Founder & CEO of Wynwood House, a decentralized boutique hotel with locations across Latin America built to cater to travelers who aspire for the quality and consistency of a luxury hotel without the price tag. Before founding Wynwood House, Ignacio was a Business Analyst at McKinsey and an Advisory and Corporate Finance Intern at KPMG.
In this interview you will learn: ✅ Building and scaling a tech-empowered brick-and-mortar business in Latin America. ✅ How Wynwood House chooses building locations and prices their rooms. ✅ How COVID affected Wynwood House & the hospitality industry in Latin America. ✅ Why Ignacio believes doing business across Latin America is more similar than it is different.
and much, much more!
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Subscribe to Semilla.VC on YouTube, or wherever you listen to your podcasts! Host: Trip Gorman, Twitter @GormanTrip, Linkedin: Tripg.me
On this episode of Semilla.VC, the podcast highlighting the most exciting and revolutionary figures in Latin American Venture Capital, Tech, and Society, Trip Gorman spoke with Bruno Pérez Celio, Senior Analyst at ArkFund and a Portfolio Manager at Arkangeles, an investment platform that’s seeking to democratize the ability to invest in startups in Latin America. Prior to his current roles, Bruno was a Credit and Investment Analyst at Anteris, a venture debt fund, and an Investment Intern at Angel Ventures Mexico. In this episode we discussed:
✅ Venture Debt in Latin America ✅ How Shark Tank catalyzed entrepreneurship in the United States ✅ Crowdfunding for Tech Startups in Latin America.
and much, much more!
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On this episode of Semilla.VC, the podcast highlighting the most exciting and revolutionary figures in Latin American Venture Capital, Tech, and Society, Trip Gorman spoke with Antonio Nunes, Instaleap Founder & CEO, a SaaS platform that powers on-demand logistics for leading grocery retailers. Prior to Instaleap, Antonio was the Co-Founder of Mercadoni, a 1-hour delivery Groceries marketplace in Latin America.
In this interview you will learn: ✅ Conquering last-mile delivery for logistics startups. ✅ The differences between working with customers in Latin America, US, and Europe. ✅ Antonio’s time working as a consultant at McKinsey living in Lisbon, New Delhi, Kuala Lumpur, and Luanda.
and much, much more!
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On this of Semilla.VC, the podcast highlighting the most exciting and revolutionary figures in Latin American Venture Capital, Tech, and Society, Trip Gorman spoke with Sebastian Cardenas, Senior Associate at Monashees in Mexico City. Prior to his current role, Sebastian spent 4 years at Goldman Sachs in New York as both an Associate and Analyst in Equities Sales Trading.
In this interview you will learn: ✅ Differences in working at a bank in New York vs. at VC in Mexico City. ✅ Monashees presence in Mexico City & Spanish-speaking Latin America. ✅ How Monashees sources deal flow.
and much, much more!
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Subscribe to Semilla.VC on YouTube, or wherever you listen to your podcasts! Host: Trip Gorman, Twitter @GormanTrip, Linkedin: Tripg.me
On this episode of Semilla.VC, the podcast highlighting the most exciting and revolutionary figures in Latin American Venture Capital, Tech, and Society, Trip Gorman spoke with Ana Ramos, the Co-Founder & CEO of Glitzi (YC S21) to provide at-home spa, beauty, and grooming services in Latin America. Prior to co-founding Glitzi, Ana worked at Vorwerk Ventures.
In this interview you will learn: ✅ How Glitzi is reshaping the future for both female solopreneurs in the beauty industry and their families. ✅ Ana’s experience in YCombinator with Glitzi. ✅ Disintermediation risk in a B2C marketplace. ✅ Why this model works in Latin America, but not the United States.
and much, much more!
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Subscribe to Semilla.VC on YouTube, or wherever you listen to your podcasts! Host: Trip Gorman, Twitter @GormanTrip, Linkedin: Tripg.me
On this episode of Semilla.VC, the podcast highlighting the most exciting and revolutionary figures in Latin American Venture Capital, Tech, and Society, Trip Gorman spoke with Chris Dowd, who works on the Investment Team at Dalus Capital and was a Fulbright Scholar in Mexico City. Prior to moving to Mexico City, Chris worked at Google in a number of different positions as a Strategic Partnership Development Manager, a Google.Org Fellow, and a Global Affairs Analyst. He was also an intern in the Executive Office of the President in the White House during the Obama Administration.
In this interview you will learn:
✅ AgTech and Mining in Latin America, especially Chile’s recent move to nationalize Lithium production.
✅ What it was like for Chris to start a restaurant in Mexico City.
✅ Why elite Latin American technology operators are founding climate tech startups.
✅ The geopolitical and global security need for climate tech innovation.
and much, much more!
Check out the restaurant Chris opened in Mexico City; NIV at C. Atlixco 132, Hipódromo Condesa, Cuauhtémoc, 06170 Ciudad de México, CDMX. (instagram.com/nivbar.mx/)
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Host: Trip Gorman, Twitter @GormanTrip, Linkedin: Tripg.me
On this episode of Semilla.VC, the podcast highlighting the most exciting and revolutionary figures in Latin American Venture Capital, Tech, and Society, Trip Gorman spoke with Alfonso de los Rios, also known as “Poncho” is the Co-Founder and CEO of Nowports, the Mexican Unicorn developer of a digital freight forwarder platform designed to handle freight transportation. The company's platform offers real-time tracking for freight, booking import or export cargo, and enables businesses to transport freight anywhere, at any time, and in a convenient & affordable manner. Nowports has raised $242.6 Million from some of the world’s most reputable investors including but not limited to Y Combinator, Softbank, Tiger Global, Tencent, and Monashees. Alfonso is also a Thiel Fellow.
In this interview you will learn:
✅ How Alfonso stays grounded having a billion-dollar company and hundreds of employees…at only 24.
✅ How Nowports revolutionized freight forwarding.
✅ How Alfonso raised $242.6 Million dollars.
✅ How being in Y Combinator affected the trajectory of Nowports
and much, much more!
We filmed this Interview on Alfonso’s 24th Birthday, so a big happy birthday to him, and I hope you enjoy this episode of Semilla.VC!
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Host: Trip Gorman, Twitter @GormanTrip, Linkedin: Tripg.me
On this episode of Semilla.VC, the podcast highlighting the most exciting and revolutionary figures in Latin American Venture Capital, Tech, and Society, Trip Gorman spoke with Mariano Mayer, Managing Partner & Co-Founder at Newtopia VC. A lawyer by trade, he was a partner at a Buenos Aires-based law firm before joining the government of Buenos Aires as the General Director of Entrepreneurship under then-Mayor Mauricio Macri. When Macri was elected President of Argentina, Mariano became Argentina’s National Secretary of Entrepreneurs and Small and Medium Enterprises. Then in 2021, Mariano Co-Founded Newtopia VC, an early-stage VC with a focus on startups from pre-product market fit to the seed stage.
In this interview you will learn:
✅ Mariano’s thoughts on Argentina as a Venture Capital & Technology hub in 2023.
✅ The hardest part of starting a VC fund
✅ Mariano’s experiences working in government in Argentina.
✅ Why the Argentine entrepreneur was born to build in a world with inflation and uncertainty.
and much, much more!
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Host: Trip Gorman, Twitter @GormanTrip, Linkedin: Tripg.me
On this episode of Semilla.VC, the podcast highlighting the most exciting and revolutionary figures in Latin American Venture Capital, Tech, and Society, Trip Gorman spoke with Alex Laplaza, Partner at Lowercarbon Capital. Alex has held multiple roles at Lowercarbon Capital, starting as an Associate, then Principal, and is currently a Partner. He was a 2020 Fellow at the Clean Energy Leadership Institute. He was a Visiting Scholar at Harvard University and was an Associate at ReNew Power. Alex also was a Fulbright Scholar with The Fulbright Program and a Critical Language Scholar with the U.S. Department of State. He holds a Master's degree from Stanford University in International Policy with a focus on Energy, Environment, and Natural Resources and an Honors Bachelor's Degree from American University in International Studies.
In this interview you will learn:
✅ How are governments and regulatory bodies in Latin America supporting and fostering the growth of Climate Tech.
✅ How ClimateTech in LatAm is different from ClimateTech in the United States and Europe.
✅ Which specific sectors within Climate Tech in Latin America are witnessing the most innovation and investment.
and much, much more!
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Host: Trip Gorman, Twitter @GormanTrip, Linkedin: Tripg.me
On this episode of Semilla.VC, the podcast highlighting the most exciting and revolutionary figures in Latin American Venture Capital, Tech, and Society, Trip Gorman spoke with Marcial Gonzalez Fraga, Latitud’s Lead Investor for Hispanics Markets. Before joining Latitud, Marcial was the COO of Croni and spent 3 years at Mercado Libre working as both a Sr. Business Analyst for Mercado Credito and for their corporate strategy team.
In this episode you will learn:
✅ Latitud’s suite of services to help Latin American startup founders, including Latitud Go, Meridian by Latitud, and Latitud’s fellowships for both founders and investors
✅ The biggest misconception about Latitud
✅ Why Marcial is excited about Kontempo.io, which we picked to discuss only because I ran into Marcial in Kontempo’s Mexico City office last month when I was with their CEO Matthew Meehan–not because of any favoritism over his other amazing investments :)
and much, much more!
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Host: Trip Gorman, Twitter @GormanTrip, Linkedin: Tripg.me
On this episode of Semilla.VC, the podcast highlighting the most exciting and revolutionary figures in Latin American Venture Capital, Tech, and Society, Trip Gorman spoke with Cristian Raygoza, Founding Partner at Iluminar Ventures and Venture Partner at Gaingels. Before his current roles, Cristian spent 3 years at AIG in New York, on their Fixed Income, Private Equity, and Hedge Fund teams. He is also an On Deck Fellow.
In this episode we discussed:
✅ Cristian’s thoughts on Latin America’s PropTech ecosystem.
✅ What Cristian would say to an investor worried about sociopolitical risk in Latin America.
✅ How Cristian leverages his geographic location in San Francisco to invest in Latin America.
✅ Why you can’t build a tech ecosystem without support from government and universities.
and much, much more!
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Host: Trip Gorman, Twitter @GormanTrip, Linkedin: Tripg.me
This is the first edition of a new series called Semilla.VC Rapid Pitch, where founders get a chance to share a demo or abbreviated public slide deck on Semilla.VC, attracting attention from potential investors and telling their story in their own words.
On this episode of Semilla.VC Rapid Pitch, Kigüi Co-Founder and COO Maximiliano Dicranian shared the marketplace they are building to incentivize consumers to buy and save food before it is thrown away. I had the privilege to meet him and CEO & Co-Founder of Kigüi Mauricio Kremer when I was in Mexico City in March and enjoyed hearing about what they were building and I’m excited they now have the opportunity to share that with you.
✅ Kigüi is now fundraising. They are seeking $1 Million to complete their Pre-Seed Round. Their previous investors include Newtopia VC, Caricaco VC, Antom.la, Living on the Edge, and Co-Founder & CEO of Mighty Block, Franco Breciano.
Learn more about Kigüi at Kigui.mx and on Crunchbase at https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/kig%C3%BCi
If you’re interested in sharing what you’re building on Semilla.VC Rapid Pitch, email rapidpitch@Semilla.VC
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Host: Trip Gorman, Twitter @GormanTrip, Linkedin: Tripg.me
On this episode of Semilla.VC, the podcast highlighting the most exciting and revolutionary figures in Latin American Venture Capital, Tech, and Society, Trip Gorman spoke with Alexa Clark Ibarra, Associate at Magma Partners. This episode is part of a new Semilla.VC series titled “Future Partners,” highlighting the insight we can derive from rising stars in the Latin American VC ecosystem. Before joining Magma over three years ago as an Analyst, Alexa worked at Rampa after spending 4 years spearheading development at Hackers/Founders.
In this interview you will learn about:
✅ Magma’s unique media efforts through their podcasts and LatamList.
✅ How Magma does portfolio support differently.
✅ Insight into the differences between what an analyst, senior analyst, and associate do in a LatAm VC fund.
✅ How Magma is betting on underrepresented founders.
and much, much more!
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Host: Trip Gorman, Twitter @GormanTrip, Linkedin: Tripg.me
On episode 35 of Semilla.VC, the podcast highlighting the most exciting and revolutionary figures in Latin American Venture Capital, Tech, and Society, Trip Gorman spoke with Nicolás Malumián, Partner at Malumian & Associates.
Welcome to the second of two episodes of Semilla.VC's Invest in Argentina Series. Despite having the third largest GDP in Latin America, Argentina is often overlooked by international investors…and for good reason.
Argentina has among the world’s highest corporate tax rates, a restrictive foreign currency regime with multiple government-mandated exchange rates, and a weak domestic currency battered by rapid inflation.
Even with these challenges, startups like MercadoLibre, Auth0, and Globant have become unicorns.
Semilla.VC’s Invest in Argentina Series explores what strategies VCs and founders use to negate Argentina’s aforementioned risks and then take advantage of them as competitive advantages.
Among his many legal specialties, Nicolas works with Venture Capitalists and Technology founders to build and invest across Latin America. He is the author of several articles and books in Spanish on tax and legal regulations of investment and financial transactions. He has also written a book in English on “Trusts in Latin America.” He has lectured in more than 130 conferences in Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe, and the US.
In this interview you will learn:
✅ Benefits and disadvantages between a C Corp in the United States, the ETVE regime in Spain, and a Cayman/BVI holding company.
✅ How specific legal strategies navigate around Argentina’s restrictive foreign currency regime and use a favorable exchange rate.
✅ Why SAFE notes aren’t allowed if a company is solely registered in Argentina.
✅ Why building in Argentina and exporting abroad is a phenomenal strategy.
and much, much more!
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Host: Trip Gorman, Twitter @GormanTrip, Linkedin: Tripg.me
On episode 34 of Semilla.VC, the podcast highlighting the most exciting and revolutionary figures in Latin American Venture Capital, Tech, and Society, Trip Gorman spoke with Tomas Braun, General Partner of Kalei Ventures.
Welcome to the first of two episodes of Semilla.VC's Invest in Argentina Series. Despite having the third largest GDP in Latin America, Argentina is often overlooked by international investors…and for good reason.
Argentina has among the world’s highest corporate tax rates, a restrictive foreign currency regime with multiple government-mandated exchange rates, and a weak domestic currency battered by rapid inflation.
Even with these challenges, startups like MercadoLibre, Auth0, and Globant have become unicorns.
Semilla.VC’s Invest in Argentina Series explores what strategies VCs and founders use to negate Argentina’s aforementioned risks and then take advantage of them as competitive advantages.
Tomas is a General Partner at Kalei Ventures, a Buenos Aires-based, Latin American-focused venture capital fund that invests in early-stage technology companies that have a commitment to applying innovative solutions in emerging markets. Tomas has held various roles at Banco Galicia as well as LendingFront. Tomas earned a Master of Science in Management from Stanford University. He was the CFO of Enigma.art, an investor in Osana Salud, and is currently on the Board of Advisors of Nilus.
In this interview you will learn:
✅ Why growing tech companies in Argentina don't pay much tax.
✅ Taking advantage of Argentina’s cost-effective workforce.
✅ The growing Venture Capital & Technology community in Punta del Este, Uruguay, where Tomas currently resides.
✅ How multiple government-mandated exchange rates affect Venture Capital and Technology in Argentina
and much, much more!
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Host: Trip Gorman, Twitter @GormanTrip, Linkedin: Tripg.me
On episode 33 of Semilla.VC, the podcast highlighting the most exciting and revolutionary figures in Latin American Venture Capital, Tech, and Society, Trip Gorman spoke with Ivan Montoya, Latin America’s Super Angel. He’s invested in over 50 investments (typically seed and Series A) in Latin America in FinTech, PropTech, as well as Logistics/Commerce, including Jeeves, Foodology, and Treinta, just to name a few. Ivan is also a Visiting Partner at Latitud and an Angel Fellow at On Deck. Ivan earned a BA in Economics from Harvard and an MA in Education as well as an MBA, both from Stanford.
In this interview you will learn:✅ Why VCs should help solve the credit crunch in Latin America.✅ How his rubric for investment and timeline have shifted in the past two years.✅ What it’s like being a Latin American investor living in Silicon Valley.✅ How Ivan attracts such great deal flow.
and much, much more!
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Subscribe to Semilla.VC on Youtube, or wherever you listen to your podcasts!Host: Trip Gorman, Twitter @GormanTrip, Linkedin: Tripg.me
On episode 32 of Semilla.VC, the podcast highlighting the most exciting and revolutionary figures in Latin American Venture Capital, Tech, and Society, Trip Gorman spoke with Dr. Ricardo Ernst. Dr. Ernst is the Baratta Chair in Global Business and Executive Director of the Latin American Leadership Program at Georgetown University. He received his MA degree and Ph.D. in Operations Management from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. He has consulted with several national and international firms, including General Motors, Michelin, Rockwool, Casa Cuervo, FEMSA (Coca-Cola), Wal-Mart, Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), and The World Bank. Through the Latin American Leadership Program at Georgetown, he is training the future leaders of Latin America.
In this hilariously engaging episode of Semilla.VC, Ricardo spoke about:✅ His experiences building future Latin American leaders.✅ Why you should be optimistic and pessimistic about the future of Latin America.✅ Why Latin America is a perfect foundation for technological innovation.✅ Why we should all focus on family in the same way Latin Americans do.
Follow Dr. Ernst on Twitter: @Ernstr_97
and much, much more!
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On episode 31 of Semilla.VC, the podcast highlighting the most exciting and revolutionary figures in Latin American Venture Capital, Tech, and Society, Trip Gorman spoke with Jonathan Whittle, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Quona Capital. Quona invests in fintech innovators that are advancing inclusion across three emerging market regions. Jonathan exclusively focused on Latin American FinTech and other Quona partners are specialists in “Africa & the Middle East” as well as “South & South East Asia.” Jonathan is currently on the Board of 13 Latin American technology companies including Creditas, Konfio, BizCapital, Klar, ADDI, Facily, Monkey Exchange, nocnoc, Finkargo, Destaxa, Neon, Contabilizei, and Kovi.
In this interview you will learn:✅ How Quona leverages their insights learned from other emerging markets in Latin America.✅ The hardest part of raising Quona Capital’s $332 Million Fund III.✅ How Jonathan’s role changes when he is a Board observer vs. a Board member.✅ Jonathan’s experiences living in São Paulo vs. Buenos Aires.
and much, much more!
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On episode 30 of Semilla.VC, the podcast highlighting the most exciting and revolutionary figures in Latin American Venture Capital, Tech, and Society, Trip Gorman spoke with Isaac Matzner & Daniel Pizzaro, Co-Founders of Teddy.
This episode is particularly special because I had the privilege of investing in Teddy’s Pre-Seed round. São Paulo-based Teddy provides benefits and insurance to independent workers because they believe the traditional employer-based benefit scheme is antiquated and doesn’t work for the new economy. Isaac Matzner graduated from McGill and started his career at the World Bank before working in New York for Auerbach Grayson focusing on emerging market equities. Then Isaac earned an MBA from INSEAD, where he met Daniel, and then worked as a consultant for Bain & Company in their Rio de Janeiro office. After two years at Bain, spent 6 years at KoreFusion where they combine strategy consulting and M&A advisory services exclusively for the international fintech, payments, and financial services industries before Co-Founding Teddy.
Daniel Pizzaro graduated from the University of Porto in Portugal, worked as a software engineer at Accenture in Lisbon, and then worked for ING bank in Amsterdam for 6 years in strategy and transformation roles covering banking & insurance. In pursuit of building his business background, Daniel earned an MBA from INSEAD (where he obviously met Isaac.) After INSEAD, Daniel worked for Zurich Insurance company in both Switzerland and São Paulo as Head of Transformation and Operational Excellence. He then worked in an innovation role for HDI Group in Brazil before Co-Founding Teddy.
In this interview you will learn:✅ The importance of focusing on underserved markets.✅ Living in São Paulo vs Rio.✅ Their experiences in the INSEAD MBA program, and what sets it apart.✅ Why some people think insurance doesn’t work in Latin America, but why it absolutely does.
and much, much more!
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On episode 29 of Semilla.VC, the podcast highlighting the most exciting and revolutionary figures in Latin American Venture Capital, Tech, and Society, Trip Gorman spoke with Robert Terenzi, Attorney in the Latin America Group at Wilson Sonsini. While working after college at the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy at Harvard’s Kennedy School he was told by his supervisors to consider living abroad. Shortly after, Rob’s six-week internship in Nicaragua turned into years of living and working in Central America learning about the coffee trade and later building Vega Coffee, a coffee company focused on building a supply chain that benefits coffee-growing communities.
In this interview you will learn:✅ Considerations for founders when registering their international holding and domestic operating companies.✅ How Wilson Sonsini uses fee caps and fee deferrals to help start up founders.✅ How Robert built Vega Coffee in Nicaragua, as well as some funny stories surrounding that incredible experience. ✅ Robert’s scientific analysis on the food safety of street meat vendors in Latin America and why you should just eat it!
and much, much more!
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On episode 28 of Semilla.VC, the podcast highlighting the most exciting and revolutionary figures in Latin American Venture Capital, Tech, and Society, Trip Gorman spoke with Mairon Sandoval, the CEO & Co-Founder of OneCarNow! This episode is particularly special because I am a Pre-Seed Investor in OneCarNow! They offer Car Subscription for Underbanked Gig Workers in Latin America. I invested in OneCarNow! Because there are 10 Million couriers in Latin America and while the average food/grocery courier using only a motorcycle earns only $480 per month, if they had access to a car to be a Uber or Didi driver, their average income would triple to $1,530 per month. But the current process of getting cars as an underbanked gig worker is slow, with low approval rates, slow processes, and high initial costs…so it’s no surprise that Mairon and his team at OneCarNow! are seeing massive growth.
In this interview you will learn: ✅ OneCarNow!’s new partnership with Didi. ✅ How OneCarNow! is solving gig workers’ problems in an unprecedented way. ✅ Why Mairon chose Mexico City to build OneCarNow! ✅ How user feedback has improved OneCarNow!’s offering.
and much, much more!
Thanks for making this happen Ali Jamal, Founding Partner at First Check Ventures!
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On episode 27 of Semilla.VC, the podcast highlighting the most exciting and revolutionary figures in Latin American Venture Capital, Tech, and Society, Trip Gorman spoke with Jimena Pardo, Partner at ALLVP. Prior to joining ALLVP, she was the Co-Founder and CEO of Carrot Carsharing, which actually was ALLVP’s first Investment! Jimena was also previously a Product Growth Manager at Facebook where she led local landings for different Facebook products in different Latin American markets.
In this interview you will learn: ✅ Jimena’s experience shifting from being a founder to being an investor. ✅ Her experience co-founding and successfully exiting Carrot Carsharing ✅ How Facebook tailors their products for landings in different Latin American countries. ✅ Why Mexico's domestic tech talent is excellent.
and much, much more!
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On episode 26 of Semilla.VC, the podcast highlighting the most exciting and revolutionary figures in Latin American Venture Capital, Tech, and Society, Trip Gorman spoke with Hernán Fernández, Managing Partner of Angel Ventures Mexico, where he’s worked for the past 14.5 years helping Latin American entrepreneurs flourish.
In this interview you will learn: ✅ The most challenging part of raising his first fund, pitching LPs, and how he caters his LP pitches for different audiences. ✅ What it’s like going to college in Mexico vs. getting an MBA at MIT Sloan. ✅ Where Hernán sees Mexico following Brazil’s growth trajectory and where he sees it deviating. ✅ What most Americans get wrong about Mexican students in the United States.
and much, much more!
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On episode 25 of Semilla.VC, the podcast highlighting the most exciting and revolutionary figures in Latin American Venture Capital, Tech, and Society, Trip Gorman spoke with Goffredo Rossi, Founder and CEO of Aptoclick, a marketplace for distressed real estate in Mexico and a Strategic Advisor to MX Proptech. He was previously the Founder of Wolf of Conversion, a real estate marketing firm. Goffredo previously held a number of marketing roles in Panama.
In this interview you will learn: ✅ Why he moved from Italy to Latin America to work and then found Aptoclick. ✅ The difference between starting a company in Europe vs. Latin America. ✅ How Proptech is different in Latin America vs. the United States. ✅ Goffredo’s experience in Pygma’s accelerator program.
and much, much more!
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On episode 24 of Semilla.VC, the podcast highlighting the most exciting and revolutionary figures in Latin American Venture Capital, Tech, and Society, Trip Gorman spoke with Niklas Anzinger, Founder & General Partner of Infinita Fund, based in Prospera, a startup city with its own government and legal structure based on an island off the coast of mainland Honduras. Niklas is also the host of the Stranded Technologies Podcast.
In this episode you will learn:
✅ What a startup city is and how did Prospera get founded? ✅ What it’s like to live in the startup city of “Prospera” in Honduras as well as the challenges, problems, benefits, and future predictions. ✅ What are Stranded Technologies? ✅ What it’s like being a digital nomad. ✅ Niklas’ process of founding Infinita Fund.
and much, much more!
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On episode 23 of Semilla.VC, the podcast highlighting the most exciting and revolutionary figures in Latin American Venture Capital, Tech, and Society, Trip Gorman spoke with CEO & Founding Partner of InspIR Group, an investor relations strategy firm, with offices in New York, San Francisco, and São Paulo, that enables private and public companies to build and strengthen their capital raising strategies. She’s also an Executive Board Director at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. Monique has previously held executive positions with responsibility for corporate finance and strategic communications, and investor relations, at companies like AOL, Melia Americas, and Sky Latin America.
In this interview you will learn: ✅ Monique’s incredible stories and lessons from her deep experience in Latin America. ✅ What every founder should know about investor relations. ✅ What role Wharton plays in Latin America. ✅ How Latin American Technology has changed in the past few decades since Monique began working in the region.
and much, much more!
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On episode 22 of Semilla.VC, the podcast highlighting the most exciting and revolutionary figures in Latin American Venture Capital, Tech, and Society, Trip Gorman spoke with Ryan Croft, CEO & Co-Founder of Pacto, a Mexico City-based integrated ordering and payments platform for restaurants and bars with a mission to power the cashless economy. Ryan is also an investor in a number of startups and an entrepreneur-in-residence at Georgetown University and was previously the Co-Founder of TransitScreen. He also was a fellow in both the On Deck and Latitud programs. In this episode you will learn: ✅ What it’s like to live in Washington D.C. but travel very frequently to build Pacto in Mexico with his Mexico City-based team. ✅ Why Ryan is bullish on Latin American Technology. ✅ Ryan’s thoughts on Miami and Mexico City as technology hubs. ✅ Ryan’s time as a baseball scout in the Dominican Republic. ✅ What Ryan would tell American founders about founding in Mexico.
and much, much more!
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On episode 21 of Semilla.VC, the podcast highlighting the most exciting and revolutionary figures in Latin American Venture Capital, Tech, and Society, Trip Gorman spoke with Co-Founder & CEO at Crema, a payments solution tailor-made for creators, makers, and independent professionals offering everything you need to operate smoothly and worry-free as a business of one. Christian previously held roles at Vetta, a corporate start-up generator. He was previously Co-Founder at okboy, ultra-fast propane delivery in Mexico and Agave Blanco, an online marketplace for flexible-wholesale of Mexican artisanal products
In this interview you will learn: ✅ How his startup okboy collapsed due to mafias in the Mexican propane delivery market. ✅ Mexico City’s founder and VC ecosystem, including discussing the specific neighborhoods where they live and meet up: like La Roma, Condessa, Polanco, and Del Valle. ✅ Why Christian is betting on Mexico for the long term, while others might not be. ✅ If you can be a VC or startup founder as a non-Spanish speaking English speaker.
and much, much more!
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On episode 20 of Semilla.VC, the podcast highlighting the most exciting and revolutionary figures in Latin American Venture Capital, Tech, and Society, Trip Gorman spoke with Francisco García Osuna, Associate at Melek VC & Host of the Levantando Podcast—where he interviews top VCs in Spanish. He’s also the co-founder of Rising LatAm VCs where he’s building a community around professionals working in the expanding Latin American Venture Capital field. Fran was previously a Senior Investment Analyst at Dux Capital.
In this interview you will learn: ✅The differences in salary & benefits between LatAm-based VCs and US-based VCs, and how the work experience and compensation of Latin American VCs will improve in the next decade. ✅How and why https://youtu.be/I7NrVGFKw9Y have changed over the past year. ✅Why where you went to school matters in the Mexican Venture Capital ecosystem. ✅How Mexico’s Technology and Venture Capital growth compared to Brazil 3-5 years ago, and thus what we should expect to see in Mexico in the coming 3-5 years.
and much, much more!
Subscribe & listen to Fran's Levantando Podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/es/podcast...
Subscribe & listen to Fran's Levantando Podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4mOY983...
Follow Fran on Twitter: https://twitter.com/frangaos
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On episode 19 of Semilla.VC, the podcast highlighting the most exciting and revolutionary figures in Latin American Venture Capital, Tech, and Society, Trip Gorman spoke with Mads Peterson, Co-Founder and CEO of Bogotá-based Hippo.Build. Prior to founding Hippo, Mads worked at Founder Institute, and held a number of roles at startups, accelerators, and venture capital firms in Bogotá including Tul, Marathon Labs, Latin Expansion Group, and Imaginamos.
In this interview you will learn: ✅ How Mads & Hippo got into Y Combinator by disagreeing with a YC partner during their interview. ✅ How he saved $9000 for a customer paying just $25. ✅ Why LatAm isn’t that dangerous.
and much, much more!
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On episode 18 of Semilla.VC, the podcast highlighting the most exciting and revolutionary figures in Latin American Venture Capital, Tech, and Society, Trip Gorman spoke with Ryan Bloomer, Founder and Managing Partner of K50 Ventures, which invests in pre-seed and seed companies in the US and Latin America that have a focus on improving access, affordability, and well-being across the categories of Health, Finance, as well as Work & Learning. Prior to founding K50 Ventures, Ryan was a Founding Partner at Kairos and a Senior Associate at Blumberg Capital.
In this interview you will learn: ✅ How LPs should think about sociopolitical risk in Latin America. ✅ Why Ryan thinks the LatAm Exit/IPO market will be cool for the next 12-18 months, but will roar back in 2023 & 2024. ✅ The culture of Venture Capital in San Francisco vs. New York vs. Miami, and why he founded K50 in NYC. ✅ How Latin America today compares with China in 2013.
and much, much more!
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On episode 17 of Semilla.VC, the podcast highlighting the most exciting and revolutionary figures in Latin American Venture Capital, Tech, and Society, Trip Gorman spoke with Carlos, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Upload Ventures. He’s also a Senior Partner at São Paulo-based Private equity firm CapSur and a Senior Partner at Corton Capital. He previously worked at Avant in Chicago and for 3G Capital where he worked on the Kraft-Heinz Merger.
In this interview you will learn: ✅ Why Carlos decided to move from working in the United States to Brazil to found Upload Ventures. ✅ São Paulo as a Latin American tech & venture capital hub. ✅ Financial risk associated with governmental change in Brazil. ✅ The growth equity industry in Brazil vs. the United States. ✅ Why Carlos believes it’s easy to do business in Latin America.
and much, much more!
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On episode 16 of Semilla.VC, the podcast highlighting the most exciting and revolutionary figures in Latin American Venture Capital, Tech, and Society, Trip Gorman spoke with Derek Brooks, Head of Venture at Flat World Partners. Derek has a wealth of international experience including a Fulbright in Austria, a Journalist for Reuters, worked at the Treasury Department, and also in Private Equity at Abraaj Group where he worked specifically on the private markets of emerging markets before joining Flat World Partners.
In this interview you will learn about: ✅ His investment in Fazenda Futuro, a Brazilian-based company that develops plant-based substitutes for meat products for a fraction of the price of Impossible or Beyond. ✅ How Flat World Partners build’s their fund of funds. ✅ What Flat World Partners looks for in a First Time Fund Manager.
and much, much more!
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On episode 15 of Semilla.VC, the podcast highlighting the most exciting and revolutionary figures in Latin American Venture Capital, Tech, and Society, Trip Gorman spoke with Patricio Brito, Co-Founder of Fitzer, Mexico’s first hard Seltzer. Prior to founding Fitzer, Patricio held roles for Lime in France, Spain, and Switzerland. Before Lime, he was Uber’s Lead Operations and Logistics Manager for the Caribbean out of their Mexico City office. Patricio earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Yale University and an MBA from Wharton.
In this interview you will learn: ✅ How taxi unions exert influence (politically and through physical violence) to ensure Uber does not enter their markets. ✅ Why so many Wharton MBAs work in Latin America. ✅ How Fitzer entered the Mexican alcohol oligopoly and competed for market share (and scarce resources!) ✅ Why Patricio lives and founded Fitzer in Monterrey, Mexico.
and much, much more!
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On episode 14 of Semilla.VC, the podcast highlighting the most exciting and revolutionary figures in Latin American Venture Capital, Tech, and Society, Trip Gorman spoke with Daniel Ospina, Co-Founder & CVO of Pygma, where he’s developing the venture capital arm of their accelerator. He’s a founding member of Farfala, a Latin American investor ecosystem with the goal of sharing deal flow and building community around Latin American startups. He’s also an angel investor and previously held roles at Scala and Endeavor Colombia.
In this interview you will learn: ✅ Pygma’s accelerator process and structure ✅ How Miami is neutral ground for all communities within the broader umbrella of Latin American Venture Capital and Technology. ✅ Bogotá as a tech city and how it’s grown in the past five years. ✅ Why Daniel is NOT a fan of building in stealth mode.
and much, much more!
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On episode 13 of Semilla.VC, the podcast highlighting the most exciting and revolutionary figures in Latin American Venture Capital, Tech, and Society, Trip Gorman spoke with Matthew Meehan, Co-Founder & CEO of Mexico City-based Kontempo, a Buy Now Pay Later solution for B2B in Latin America. He previously founded Centeo, a tech-driven lender in Mexico, and Dvdendo, a VC-backed automated investment advisor focused on the Latin American market. He has also worked in a number of Latin America-focused finance roles at Merril Lynch, Lehman Brothers, Clovepoint, and Nomura (as well a European-focused role at Morgan Stanley.)
In this interview you will learn: ✅ What it’s like being a founder in Mexico City in 2022. ✅ Why Matthew joined the Latitud Fellowship program. ✅ Matthew’s thoughts in Private Equity in emerging markets. ✅ The importance of getting startups to market quickly.
and much, much more!
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On episode 12 of Semilla.VC, the podcast highlighting the most exciting and revolutionary figures in Latin American Venture Capital, Tech, and Society, Trip Gorman spoke with Melissa Toledo; Sales Manager for LATAM & Caribbean at Twilio. She’s on the LatinX ERG Board at Twilio and led similar initiatives in her previous role at Salesforce. She’s also worked at CallidusCloud, an SAP company, as well and Pro-Mexico; the division of the Mexican Government that promotes international trade and investment.
In this interview you will learn: ✅ The differences between selling B2B in to Latin America and the United States. ✅ The Latin American business travel that is associated with her role at Twilio. ✅ How her team, that’s focused on Latin America AND the Caribbean splits their time between the two regions. ✅ Why she moved from working in tech in Miami to tech in Atlanta.
and much, much more!
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On episode 11 of Semilla.VC, the podcast highlighting the most exciting and revolutionary figures in Latin American Venture Capital, Tech, and Society, Trip Gorman spoke with Gil Herrera, who was previously product growth manager at Glitzi (YC W'21) and product growth at Bitso (Coinbase of Latin America), both in Mexico City, before moving to São Paulo to found a new startup that he is building in stealth.
In this interview you will learn: ✅ Why Gil moved from working in Tech in Mexico City to São Paulo ✅ Why Brazil is far more "banked" than Mexico ✅ Why there is a lack of Web 3 regulation in Latin America
and much, much more!
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On episode 10 of Semilla.VC, the podcast highlighting the most exciting and revolutionary figures in Latin American Venture Capital, Tech, and Society, Trip Gorman spoke with Jaime Matus, Co-Founder at Cacao Capital/Venture Partner at Invariantes Fund and also Co-Founder of a stealth startup solving a problem for Latin American Venture Capitalists and start-up founders.
In this interview you will learn:
✅ Why Jaime made investments in Favik, GoApp.pet, and Siembro
✅ Why Jaime founded his startup in stealth and how he seeks to help Latin ✅ American Venture Capitalists and start-up founders with it.
✅ Why the 50 million people in Guatemala and Central America are a rising force in Latin American Venture Capital.
✅ Why Latin America is an easier market to expand in as a B2C company than as a B2B company, especially one with a hard product.
and much, much more!
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On episode 8 of Semilla.VC, the podcast highlighting the most exciting and revolutionary figures in Latin American Venture Capital, Tech, and Society, Trip Gorman spoke with Greg Mitchell, Managing Partner at AVP Ventures based in Lima, Peru. Greg got his MBA at Wharton while also getting a degree in Latin American & Spanish Language from the University of Pennsylvania. He’s worked in private equity, at the International Finance Corporation, as well as for the Peace Corps. He’s now on the board of a number of breakout Latin American startups through his role as Managing Director at AVP Ventures.
In this interview you will learn:
✅ What Greg would tell American VCs who are taking on board positions at Latin American companies.
✅ Why Greg believes Peru is fertile ground for Venture Capital and future Latin American unicorns.
✅ How Chinese foreign direct investment is now competing with American & European capital in Latin America.
✅ And what he would tell an American who is seeking to move to Latin America to live full time as he did.
and much, much more!
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On episode 8 of Semilla.VC, the podcast highlighting the most exciting and revolutionary figures in Latin American Venture Capital, Tech, and Society, Trip Gorman spoke with Antonio Gómez, Co-Founder of Mexico City-Based medical and recreational marijuana start-up Tryp. Antonio started as just the 4th member of Uber’s operations team in Mexico City back in 2014 and spent almost 5 years at Uber in both Mexico City and San Francisco, rising up to be their Head of Marketplace Operations for Latin America. He then moved to London to work at the Softbank/Index/Tiger Global-Backed financial super app Revolut. After Revolut, he spent almost a year as Chief Operating Officer of Mexico City-Based Hola Cash before co-founding Tryp to capitalize on the wave of medical and recreational marijuana in Latin America.
In this episode you will learn:
✅ The current regulatory environment of medical and recreational marijuana in Latin America.
✅ How Antonio attracted early Uber drivers in Mexico City despite them being attacked by Taxi drivers.
✅ What Antonio would say to a Latin American prior to assimilating to a work environment in San Francisco/the US for the first time.
✅ Tryp’s fight for access to advertising platforms and financial services, and how their bank accounts and assets are being temporarily frozen.
and much, much more!
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On episode 7 of Semilla.VC, the podcast highlighting the most exciting and revolutionary figures in Latin American Venture Capital, Tech, and Society, Trip Gorman spoke with Cristobal Perdomo, Co-Founder and General Partner of Wollef Ventures. Cristobal is also a board member of many breakout tech Latin American technology companies including Zolvers, Bandtrack, Liftit, and observed the board at Castia.
In this episode you will learn:
✅ How the current tech downturn has affected Wollef's investment decisions and processes.
✅ The differences between raising Wollef's first, second, and third funds.
✅ We talked about the meaning behind some of his interesting tweets (follow him on twitter at @CristobaPerdomo.)
✅ He also mentioned what US-Based VCs should know about investing in Latin America.
and much, much more!
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On episode 6 of Semilla.VC, the podcast highlighting the most exciting and revolutionary figures in Latin American Venture Capital, Tech, and Society, Trip Gorman spoke with Piero Nunez del Risco, who is the founder of Pana (https://joinpana.com/); a neobank where he is seeking to revolutionize personal finance and remittance sending for the United State's 62 Million Latinos.
He is also a member of Forbes Technology Council. Piero spent 12 years at Dominican Financial Services giant Grupo Universal before joining Scotiabank as head of Digital Banking for the Caribbean, Central America, and Uruguay. He was also previously Vice President of the board at the Dominican Financial Technology Board.
In this episode you will learn:
✅ How Pana got into Y Combinator and the nerve-wracking way Piero found out they were accepted.
✅ How the Dominican Republic's Venture Capital & Technology ecosystem has grown in the past 5-10 years.
✅ How Web3 will play a role in the future of remittances.
✅ Why the Caribbean is often overlooked by VCs, but how it's positioned to take off.
and much, much more!
Follow Piero on Twitter @Piero09 & linkedin.com/in/yanpieronunez
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Host: Trip Gorman, Twitter @GormanTrip, Linkedin: Tripg.me
On episode 5 of Semilla.VC, the podcast highlighting the most exciting and revolutionary figures in Latin American Venture Capital, Tech, and Society, Trip Gorman spoke with Anne Dwane who is the Co-Founder & Partner at Village Global. She's also on the board of Harvard Business Publishing and was previously Chief Business Officer at Chegg.
In this episode you will learn:
✅ How Village Global attracted partners like Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, and Jeff Bezos
✅ Why Village Global invested in Addi, a buy now pay later platform for Latin America
✅ Why Village Global is investing in micro funds through their new fund of funds
✅ If young VCs should think about getting MBAs in 2022 and much, much more!
Subscribe to Semilla.VC on Youtube, or wherever you listen to your podcasts.
Host: Trip Gorman, Twitter @GormanTrip, Linkedin: Tripg.me
On episode 4 of Semilla.VC, the podcast highlighting the most exciting and revolutionary figures in Latin American Venture Capital, Tech, and Society, Trip Gorman spoke with Ali Jamal, Founder of First Check Ventures and Former Head of Performance Marketing at Rappi in Bogotá, Colombia, and Clip in Mexico City.
In this episode you will learn:
✅ How Ali built his AngelList Syndicate Empire to over 100 deals and over 3200 unique limited partners.
✅ What is Performance Marketing and how did Ali lead the division to grow Rappi.
✅ What lessons can we learn from Asia about investing in Latin America?
✅ How Ali would juxtapose living in Bogotá, Mexico City, and now Puerto Rico.
and much, much more!
Host: Trip Gorman, Twitter @GormanTrip, Linkedin: Tripg.me
On episode 3 of Semilla.VC, the podcast highlighting the most exciting and revolutionary figures in Latin American Venture Capital, Tech, and Society, Trip Gorman spoke with Gustavo Costa, Ex-Google/Microsoft/Linkedin LatAm, now Regional Director for Latin America at Insight-Backed, Series C FinTech 'Coda Payments'
In this episode you will learn:
✅ Why Latin America is not as unbanked as you might think in 2022
✅ Differences in doing business in Brazil and Spanish-speaking Latin America.
✅ Additional steps necessary to sell B2B or B2C in emerging markets.
✅ Which Brazilian cities are technology hubs (and why) in 2022.
and much, much more!
Host: Trip Gorman, Twitter @GormanTrip, Linkedin: Tripg.me
On episode 2 of Semilla.VC, the podcast highlighting the most exciting and revolutionary figures in Latin American Venture Capital, Tech, and Society, Trip Gorman spoke with Zach Oschin, Founder and CEO of Elenas: Latin America's largest social e-commerce platform.
In this episode you will learn:
✅ If Colombia's new left-wing president-elect will scare off venture capital.
✅ How Zach Oschin got on Forbes 30 under 30 list.
✅ How Elena's Customer acquisition cost is just $1
✅ Why Zach wanted investments from Asia-based VC funds as part of his rounds.
and much, much more!
Host: Trip Gorman, Linkedin: Tripg.me
On episode 1 of Semilla.VC, the podcast highlighting the most exciting and revolutionary figures in Latin American Venture Capital, Tech, and Society, Trip Gorman spoke with Nick Grassi, Co-CEO/Founder of Finerio Connect.
In this episode you will learn:
- How the Mexican and Latin American VC and tech ecosystem has changed over the past six years.
- How Nick went about finding VC funding for Finerio, and how funding has recently become more available in the region.
- Why it's important to have a domestic co-founder in Latam.
- How to navigate cultural barriers while being an American CEO in Mexico.
- and much, much more!
Host: Trip Gorman, Linkedin: Tripg.me