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.
Continue reading “Where are the family offices?”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.
Continue reading “7 ways to maximize your fundraising options”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.
Continue reading “DILA Capital invests in Peru startups”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.
Continue reading “Is Peru ready for a mega seed round?”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.
Continue reading “Acceleration – looking beyond Peru (#3) ”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:
Continue reading “2019 Year in Review”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.
Continue reading “How to build a data room”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.

Startups going mainstream
We are now used to seeing startups win local entrepreneurship awards. There are more and more events in Latin America that highlight the entrepreneurial ecosystem and give exposure to founders.
Now we are starting to see local Peru startups win awards in local mainstream business events and international startup events.
Continue reading “Startups going mainstream”Power to the people
Don’t be fooled by all the upbeat stories about startups. Disruption is uncomfortable for some. Startups represent real threats to inefficient processes, bad actors and powerful incumbents.
A cell phone is now a tool to help address the gaps in society where government and business solutions have proved insufficient. Startups use technology to give power to everyday citizens and help them solve large societal issues.
Continue reading “Power to the people”