"Cut The Check" with Mack Meyer | VC Mx

Summary

In this conversation, Mack Meyer interviews Adriana, a venture capitalist at Clocktower Ventures, discussing her journey from Ecuador to the U.S., her experiences in investment banking, and her transition into venture capital. Adriana shares insights on the importance of education, her passion for financial inclusion, and the unique opportunities in Latin America, particularly in fintech. The discussion also covers the structure and strategy of Clocktower Ventures, the nuances of investing in different regions, and the significance of building strong relationships with founders. Adriana reflects on her investment philosophy, lessons learned, and her pride in supporting innovative companies in Latin America.


Chapters

00:00 Intro
00:47 Path From Ecuador to UPenn
02:25 Early Years
03:47 UPenn & Latam
05:15 Why Venture?
07:11 Digital Payments Team & Chase App
08:25 Value of Incumbent Perspective in Fintech
09:55 Clocktower Ventures: From East Coast to West Coast
11:33 Clocktower Investment Group History
14:32 Clocktower Ventures Inception
15:58 CTV's Latam Fund
16:29 CTV's Portfolio Construction
18:11 "Seed is Really About Who is Making the Decisions"
19:53 Complexities Investing Across Different Stages & Categories
21:42 Why Not Leading Rounds Can Create More Transparency
24:42 Regional Nuances: Brazil vs. Mexico
25:25 Brazil's Capital Markets
27:46 Brazil & Indonesia: Consumer Behavior
28:16 CTV 2024 Investments in Mexico
31:55 Toku & Unique Value Proposition
34:19 Evolution as Venture Investor
35:45 Learnings: Xepelin's Seed Extension
37:39 What Qualities Make a Great Founder?
39:00 Final Thoughts
40:48 Outro

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Cut The Check w/ Mack Meyer is a podcast about venture capital, startups, and entrepreneurship in Latin America and beyond.

New episodes drop every week.

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In this conversation, Mateo Creamer shares his journey from not knowing he wanted to be a founder to establishing Cometa, an education technology company focused on increasing access to quality education in Latin America. He discusses the importance of mentorship, the impact of his experiences at Rapid SOS and Duolingo, and the challenges of building trust with school owners. Mateo emphasizes the significance of community, data sharing, and product simplicity in the education sector. He also touches on the role of WhatsApp in communication, the fundraising process, and his vision for the future of Cometa as an operating system for schools.

Chapters

00:00
Intro

02:45
Career Path: From Banking to Rapid SOS

05:17
The Impact of Rapid SOS on Career Development

08:10
The Journey to Founding Cometa

10:56
Understanding Cometa's Mission and Product

13:39
Challenges in the Education Sector and Market Entry

16:28
Building Trust and Community in Education

19:10
The Importance of Data and Reporting in Education

21:51
Balancing Simplicity and Functionality in Product Development

24:42
Navigating Vertical Integration

27:58
Understanding School Needs

32:04
Monetization Models in Education Tech

36:39
The Impact of the Pandemic on Education

37:54
Leveraging WhatsApp for Communication

39:27
Fundraising Insights and Investor Relations

41:06
The Future of Financial Operations in Education

42:24
Proud Product Features and Success Metrics

43:47
Long-Term Vision for Kometa

44:31
Symbolism Behind the Name Kometa

44:53
Influential Figures in Mateo's Journey

45:46
Outro

Send us Fan Mail

Cut The Check w/ Mack Meyer is a podcast about venture capital, startups, and entrepreneurship in Latin America and beyond.

New episodes drop every week.

Subscribe on Spotify

Stay connected with us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram,

Have a guest suggestion? Email us at [email protected]

In this conversation, Mateo Creamer shares his journey from not knowing he wanted to be a founder to establishing Cometa, an education technology company focused on increasing access to quality education in Latin America. He discusses the importance of mentorship, the impact of his experiences at Rapid SOS and Duolingo, and the challenges of building trust with school owners. Mateo emphasizes the significance of community, data sharing, and product simplicity in the education sector. He also touches on the role of WhatsApp in communication, the fundraising process, and his vision for the future of Cometa as an operating system for schools.

Chapters

00:00
Introduction and Background of Mateo Creamer

02:45
Career Path: From Banking to Rapid SOS

05:17
The Impact of Rapid SOS on Career Development

08:10
The Journey to Founding Cometa

10:56
Understanding Cometa's Mission and Product

13:39
Challenges in the Education Sector and Market Entry

16:28
Building Trust and Community in Education

19:10
The Importance of Data and Reporting in Education

21:51
Balancing Simplicity and Functionality in Product Development

24:42
Navigating Vertical Integration

27:58
Understanding School Needs

32:04
Monetization Models in Education Tech

36:39
The Impact of the Pandemic on Education

37:54
Leveraging WhatsApp for Communication

39:27
Fundraising Insights and Investor Relations

41:06
The Future of Financial Operations in Education

42:24
Proud Product Features and Success Metrics

43:47
Long-Term Vision for Kometa

44:31
Symbolism Behind the Name Kometa

44:53
Influential Figures in Mateo's Journey

45:46
Cut The Check Outro.mp3

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Cut The Check w/ Mack Meyer is a podcast about venture capital, startups, and entrepreneurship in Latin America and beyond.

New episodes drop every week.

Subscribe on Spotify

Stay connected with us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram,

Have a guest suggestion? Email us at [email protected]

Summary

In this conversation, Esteban Reyes shares his entrepreneurial journey, from his early days inspired by his grandfather's story to his experiences in building and scaling companies. He discusses the importance of understanding venture capital as a resource, the challenges of building tech-enabled services, and the investment thesis of Zenda Capital. Esteban also addresses the geopolitical challenges affecting investment opportunities in the Americas and highlights the potential in healthcare technology. He concludes with valuable advice for entrepreneurs on capital efficiency and partner selection.

Chapters

00:00 Intro
01:02 Background
01:30 Coal Miner Story
06:50 Why being VC backed isn't everything
09:48 Novascale & Flexiplan
11:36 The Challenges when Scaling "Service Businesses"
14:18 Zenda Capital's Inception
16:32 Why a Solo GP & Building a Strong Team
18:08 Zenda Capital's Thesis & Check Size
20:19 Portfolio Construction
20:54 Investing Across The America's & Thematic Investing
22:25 "Usually Great Founders Beget Other Great Founders"
23:50 Strength of Portco Founder Relationships
25:09  AI & Long Term Value
28:09  Landing Strategy: Forward Deployment  w/ AI
29:27 Geopolitical Challenges
31:20 Opportunities in Healthtech Across the Americas
33:45 Advice for Founders Looking to Raise Capital
36:02 Final Thoughts
39:15 Outro

Send us Fan Mail

Cut The Check w/ Mack Meyer is a podcast about venture capital, startups, and entrepreneurship in Latin America and beyond.

New episodes drop every week.

Subscribe on Spotify

Stay connected with us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram,

Have a guest suggestion? Email us at [email protected]

In this conversation, Mack Meyer and Jaime Tabachnik discuss the inception and growth of Solvento, a company focused on solving liquidity issues in the freight industry. Jaime shares his background in the logistics sector, the challenges faced in building relationships and securing funding, and the innovative solutions Solvento is implementing to address the fragmented nature of the carrier market in Mexico. They also touch on the importance of team dynamics and the lessons learned throughout the entrepreneurial journey.

Chapters

00:00
Intro

03:46
Inspiration for Solvento

06:49
Navigating Family Business Dynamics

08:03
How a Pitch Competition Launched Solvento

12:45
Has the Vision Changed since that Kellogg Pitch Event?

13:28
Solvento's First Customers

15:42
Challenges in Carrier Liquidity and Underwriting

18:56
The Role of Digitalization in Freight

20:55
The Freight Ecosystem

24:43
Future Growth and Product Development

25:00
Hyper Fragmentation: Freight Carriers in Mexico

26:30
Underwriting Through Carrier's Customer

29:48
Geopolitical Challenges & Domestic Freight Market

32:39
Solvento's Product & Growth Roadmap

34:25
Final Thoughts

38:18
Outro

Send us Fan Mail

Cut The Check w/ Mack Meyer is a podcast about venture capital, startups, and entrepreneurship in Latin America and beyond.

New episodes drop every week.

Subscribe on Spotify

Stay connected with us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram,

Have a guest suggestion? Email us at [email protected]

In this conversation, Julian Roeoes shares his journey from investment banking at Credit Suisse to venture capital at Picus Capital. He discusses the investment strategies employed by Picus, the challenges and opportunities in Latin America, and the evolving landscape of AI and fintech. Julian emphasizes the importance of decisiveness in venture capital, the traits of successful founders, and reflects on his learnings and regrets in the industry.

CHAPTERS

00:00
Intro

04:24
In venture, "You want to say the right yes"

08:10
Picus Capital's Investment Thesis

10:00
Team Structure for Global Agnostic VC

12:13
Real Time Payments & Emerging Markets

13:10
Technology Leap Fogging in Emerging Markets

14:53
Evaluating Following On Opportunities

16:45
Niko Energy

19:12
Opportunities in LATAM

20:44
Generative AI & Long Term Value

23:32
Evaluating Enterprise vs. SME Investment Opportunities

25:33
Competitive Advantages for Founders in Latam

28:18
Key Traits of Successful Founders: Reflective Obsession

29:50
Lessons Learned as a Venture Investor

31:25
"In Person Actually Matters"

37:50
Outro

Send us Fan Mail

Cut The Check w/ Mack Meyer is a podcast about venture capital, startups, and entrepreneurship in Latin America and beyond.

New episodes drop every week.

Subscribe on Spotify

Stay connected with us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram,

Have a guest suggestion? Email us at [email protected]

In this conversation, Carlos shares his multicultural background and how it has influenced his career in fintech. He discusses his journey from sports to working at JP Morgan and eventually transitioning to Suyo, a company focused on empowering low-income families. Carlos highlights the importance of networking in Latin America and how it led him to discover the venture world. He elaborates on Fintech Collective's investment strategy, emphasizing the intersection of financial services and AI, and the significance of regulatory environments in fintech defensibility. The conversation also touches on portfolio construction, identifying venture-backable founders, and the importance of perseverance in entrepreneurship. Carlos shares insights on Minka, Simetrik, and Strike AI, showcasing their impact in the fintech landscape.

CHAPTERS:

00:00
Intro

03:43
Early Interests and Hobbies

07:10
Transition from JP Morgan Trading to Latam Startup

09:59
Wedge to LATAM Tech Ecosystem

11:23
Wharton & Path to Fintech Collective

13:11
FTC Internship

16:07
Fintech Collective Thesis

18:35
Nuances between Mature & Emerging Markets

19:23
Parallels between Latam & India

21:40
Defensibility in Fintech

23:16
FTC Portfolio Construction: Less Bets & High Conviction

24:41
Gaining Conviction: Founding Team

25:45
"Building a VC backed company is one of the most masochistic exercises someone can do"

27:15
Navigating Chaos: The Founder’s Journey

28:39
The Role of the CEO in Startups

30:44
Identifying Non-Obvious Signals in Founders

32:26
The Importance of Perseverance

33:07
Exploring FinTech Collective's Portfolio

35:02
Minka: Building Payment Infrastructure in Colombia

36:11
Simetrik: The Power of Team Alignment

39:18
Strike AI: Addressing Cybersecurity Needs

43:06
The Importance of Humility in VC

45:59
Lessons from the FinTech Collective

46:41
Time Management & Productivity

49:10
Final Thoughts

50:22
Outro

Send us Fan Mail

Cut The Check w/ Mack Meyer is a podcast about venture capital, startups, and entrepreneurship in Latin America and beyond.

New episodes drop every week.

Subscribe on Spotify

Stay connected with us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram,

Have a guest suggestion? Email us at [email protected]

Summary

In this conversation, Eric Schwartz shares his journey from growing up in New York City to establishing a career in the credit and debt space in Mexico. He discusses his educational background, experiences in the U.S. Embassy, and his transition to Payoneer, where he played a key role in building credit solutions for global SMBs. Eric reflects on his time at Covalto, a leading SME lending company in Mexico, and the unique challenges and opportunities in the Latin American market. He also delves into his foray into angel investing, emphasizing the importance of relationships and the evolving landscape of fintech in the region.

Chapters

00:00 Journey: From NYC to Mexico
04:04 Academic Pursuits: Philosophy, Politics, and Economics
06:50 Diplomatic Aspirations: Interning at the U.S. Embassy
08:46 Disparity in Nations: Relational vs. Formal Frameworks
09:49 Career Transition: From Diplomacy to Business
12:54 Payoneer Experience: Building a Global Credit Business
15:08 Early Days: Building Product at Payoneer
17:44 Team Building: Payoneer's Credit Team 
18:48 Lessons Learned: Organizational Design and Strategy
22:02 Covalto: A New Opportunity in SME Lending
24:57 Understanding the Mexican Banking Landscape
25:38 Covalto's Product Offering & Customer Profile
28:11 Cavalto's Market Position and Competitive Landscape
28:37 The Journey to Mexico: Inspiration and Opportunity
31:04 Embracing Angel Investing in Latin America
31:39 Careers for Curiosity: VC & Consulting
33:52 Building Networks: The Importance of Relationships
34:15 Experience as LP with Gilgamesh Ventures
35:34 Building Deal Flow & Relationships across LATAM
38:12 Evolving Investment Thesis: Lessons Learned
41:41 Opportunities in Emerging Markets vs. Established Markets
55:05 Cut The Check Outro.mp3

Send us Fan Mail

Cut The Check w/ Mack Meyer is a podcast about venture capital, startups, and entrepreneurship in Latin America and beyond.

New episodes drop every week.

Subscribe on Spotify

Stay connected with us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram,

Have a guest suggestion? Email us at [email protected]

In this conversation, Hernan discusses the evolution of angel investing in Mexico, the growth of the startup ecosystem, and the transition from an angel network to fund management. He shares insights on investment strategies, the importance of relationships in Latin America, and the challenges of scaling businesses across different countries. Hernan also highlights current trends in fintech and the silver economy, while reflecting on the lessons learned throughout his journey in venture capital.

CHAPTERS

00:00 Intro: Hernan Fernandez, Managing Partner of Angel Ventures
00:59 The Evolution of Angel Ventures
01:44 Initial Reception and Challenges in Mexico
02:46 Feedback to a Angel Syndicate in Mexico in 2009
04:06 Value of MIT Network in Early Days
05:35 The Evolution of Mexico's Startup Ecosystem
08:42 "It's a 20 Million Fund Onwards or You're Not On"
09:38 Fund 1 Economics
10:28 Fund 1 Takeaways
12:17 Angel Ventures' Thesis
13:48 Latam's TAMs & Tailwinds
15:10 It's Not a One Size Fits All in Latam
17:04 Why Everything Flows into Mexico 
18:37 Challenges of Expanding to the US
19:56 The Similarities Across The "Global South" Markets
20:45 When LATAM Startups Should Expand to the US?
22:07 Angel Ventures Target Ownership & Macro Challenges
23:32 Ensuring The Business Model is "VC Backable"
25:55 Emerging Trends in FinTech and Beyond
27:07 The Silver Economy: Consumers over 50 years old
27:49 Corporate Partnerships, Agtech, & Heathtech
29:07 How Do You Think of Moats & The Art of VC 
31:15 Building a Supportive Ecosystem
32:39 What's the Role of VC?
33:51 Final Thoughts
38:29 Outro

Send us Fan Mail

Cut The Check w/ Mack Meyer is a podcast about venture capital, startups, and entrepreneurship in Latin America and beyond.

New episodes drop every week.

Subscribe on Spotify

Stay connected with us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram,

Have a guest suggestion? Email us at [email protected]

Summary

In this conversation, Lara Lemann and Samuel Veloso, of Maya Capital, discuss the inception of Maya Capital, their investment thesis, the importance of courage and grit in entrepreneurship, and the challenges they faced during fundraising. The conversation also delves into the differences in startup ecosystems across Latin America, how Lara approaches fundraising as they prepare for Fund 3, why implementing culture is uniquely challenging in VC, and much more.

Chapters

00:00 The Inception of Maya Capital
03:49 Maya's Investment Thesis 
04:52 Value of "Boots on the Ground" & Gaining Conviction on an Investment
06:38 Maya's Mexican Investment Initiatives
07:55 Maya's Slogan: "Courage, Boldness, and True Grit"
09:36 Fundraising: "It's an Opportunity to Sit on the Other Side of the Table"
11:22 Balancing Investments in Brazil & Spanish-speaking Latam
15:26 Female Force: Empowering Women in Venture Capital
17:53 Cultural Differences in Latam's Startup Ecosystems
21:00 Maya's Approach to Portfolio Support
24:45 Maya's Portfolio Construction 
26:13 Preparing for Fund 3
27:13 The Growth of Maya's Team from Inception to Today
28:31 Implementing a Culture is hard in VC
30:12 Emerging Opportunities in Fintech
32:39 Reflections and Future Aspirations
34:24 Outro

Send us Fan Mail

Cut The Check w/ Mack Meyer is a podcast about venture capital, startups, and entrepreneurship in Latin America and beyond.

New episodes drop every week.

Subscribe on Spotify

Stay connected with us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram,

Have a guest suggestion? Email us at [email protected]