La Frontera: Bridging Startups and VCs Across the Americas

In this episode, we talk to Valentina Valencia, founder and CEO of Vaas, about how she’s unlocking capital markets in LatAm by automating asset-backed private debt transactions. As a Latina founder who started in Silicon Valley, Valen shares why she returned to build in Colombia, how she raised early VC funding from Andreessen with just a vision—no product, no traction—and the lessons she learned along the way. We also dive into how Vaas is making private debt markets more efficient in Mexico and Colombia and get an inside look at Colombia’s thriving startup scene.

You can find show notes, deep dives, and other great content, in our newsletter 👉 ⁠https://www.lafronterapodcast.com

Song is ⁠⁠Me Quema⁠⁠ by The Berger / Sanchez Project⁠

In our very first episode, we sit down with Cristobal Perdomo, co-founder of Wollef VC, to unpack what it takes to build and scale a top VC fund in Latin America. Cristobal shares how he raised his first fund, the key differences between LP bases in Mexico, the U.S., and Brazil, and why foreign investors need strong local partnerships to succeed in the region. We also dive into the challenges of exits in LatAm, the role of IPOs and M&A in creating liquidity, and whether it’s still too early to truly judge the potential for long-term success of VC in the region. 

You can find show notes, deep dives, and other great content, in our newsletter 👉 ⁠https://www.lafronterapodcast.com⁠

Song is ⁠⁠Me Quema⁠⁠ by The Berger / Sanchez Project