Ruta Startup

Good governance

Good things happen when you put the right people in change. This is true of the public sector leadership of the innovation ecosystem in Peru.

Major progams require broad support and coordination across government entities. Ministries of finance decide the flow of goverment funds, development banks are entrusted achieve a return on investment, and program managers ensure sound implemention with capacity building.

This collaboration was key to the recent launch of a $20 million fund of funds to allocate capital towards startups in Peru.

50 female founders you need to know

The Peru startup ecosystem has consistently seen women hold critical leadership roles. Most importantly, they are leading top performing technology startups. A few have recognized internationally and others have raising venture capital.

Below is a list of (more than 50!) founders with the names of the startup each founded and other notable recognitions, programs, and investors. This list is in alphabetical order by last name. Of the founders below, Oriana Fuentes, Courtney McColgan, Paola Mego, Ivonne Quiñones, Sully Siucho, and Maria Velez have previously written for Ruta Startup.

Where are the family offices?

Family offices, a principal actor in the Peruvian asset management industry, have largely been absent from the Lima startup ecosystem. The local startup movement has seen significant investment from the government, angel investors, and regional venture capital funds – local family offices represent the next rung on the ladder.

7 ways to maximize your fundraising options

Raising money for startups is hard. Harder still if you start in Latin America where there are still only a limited number of funding options. This effects how founders should consider the fundraising process.

Founders can focus on optimizing resources of talent, support, advice, contacts and money, in order to maximize future options. You will eventually reach the milestone you seek, but probably not in the way you thought when you first set out.

DILA Capital invests in Peru startups

Mexico-based venture capital fund DILA Capital is currently investing out of its third fund, DILA III. Out of twenty fund investments, two, or 10%, are startups led by Peruvians.

Is Peru ready for a mega seed round?

Something new has arrived to Spanish-speaking Latin America’s startup ecosystem – the mega seed round. In November, Colombian startup Habi announced a $5.5 million seed round led by Tiger Global only a day after Mexican startup Justo announced a $10 million round led by Foundation Capital.

The size of these seed rounds is closer to what is expected for a US-based startup, and a significant multiple of what has been typical in Latin America, outside of Brazil.

Acceleration – looking beyond Peru (#3)

International expansion has been a major theme of Peru startup ecosystem in 2019. Just a month ago, I posted Acceleration – looking beyond Peru (#2). This month, three more startups stand out for their selection to international programs.

2019 Year in Review

We are coming to the end of a banner year for the Peru startup community. The social movement, which began only this decade, has established a firm presence in the country and the region.

Here are the highlights from 2019:

How to build a data room

When preparing to raise and investment round from venture capital funds it is helpful to prepare materiales ahead of time. Many funds have similar due diligence processes and being organized is a clear signal that you are ready to take on capital. Investors rarely see how founders run the day-to-day operations so how they manage the fundraising process is usually investors only window into how founders execute.

A data room, or shared folders, is a common practice for running a financial transactions to share information. You can control who sees what and when they see it, while at the same time being transparent and efficient.

Startup holiday gift guide

We are into the holiday season and the rush for gift giving is beginning. Purchasing from startups is a way to give a thoughtful gift to a friend or loved one without leaving your house.