European investors are playing an increasingly active role in financing Latin American startups, co-investing alongside local and global investors across a range of stages and sectors, with a tendency towards fintech and edtech deals.
Atomico, Bamboo Finance, Global Founders Capital and Vostok Emerging finance have been most active since 2013 in terms of deal count. Vostok Emerging Finance is concentrating its investments in Brazilian fintechs (Creditas, GuiaBolso and Nibo), syndicating deals with local investors Redpoint eventures, KaszeK Ventures, e.Bricks, and international funds Valor Capital and QED Investors, among others.
Seaya Ventures, Core Ventures Group and Bamboo Finance are making early-stage investments in Mexican fintechs (ComparaGuru, Kueski, kubo.financiero).
Also notable are several edtech transactions, including Seaya Ventures’ US$6.6m Series A in Yogome, a Mexican edtech startup that makes kids games for the iPad, with participation from Variv Capital and Endeavor Catalyst; and Amadeus Capital’s US$7m Series C investment in Brazilian edtech Descomplica.
HIGHLIGHTED EUROPEAN INVESTMENTS IN LATAM STARTUPS (2013-2017)
| Startup | Startup HQ | Sector | Stage* | Investor(s) |
| ComparaGuru | Mexico | Fintech | Early | Nova Founders Capital; Seaya Ventures |
| Creditas | Brazil | Fintech | Expansion | Vostok Emerging Finance |
| Descomplica | Brazil | Edtech | Expansion | Amadeus Capital |
| GuiaBolso | Brazil | Fintech | Growth | Vostok Emerging Finance |
| Gympass | Brazil | Marketplace | Expansion | Atomico |
| InstaCarro | Brazil | Marketplace | Early | Global Founders Capital; Hummingbird Ventures |
| Jampp | Argentina | Adtech & Marketing | Early | Highland Europe |
| Kubo Financiero | Mexico | Fintech | Early | Bamboo Finance |
| Kueski | Mexico | Fintech | Early | Core Ventures Group |
| MovileRed | Colombia | Financial Services | Growth | Bamboo Finance |
| Nibo | Brazil | Fintech | Early | Vostok Emerging Finance |
| Trocafone | Brazil | e-commerce | Expansion | Sallfort Privatbank |
| Yogome | Mexico | Edtech | Early | Seaya Ventures |
Investments took place during the period 2013-2017 and include verified LAVCA Industry Data on fund manager transactions, as well as other investor types from public sources.
This information has been gathered from sources believed to be reliable and from secondary sources that were checked whenever possible, but its accuracy and completeness are not guaranteed. LAVCA shall not be responsible for any inaccuracy unintentionally included in this publication. Readers should consult and rely solely on their own advisers regarding all pertinent information, legal, and accounting issues.
*Investments include the following stages:
- Seed/Incubator: Startup capital for companies to incubate an idea into a company or product.
- Early Stage: Startup capital for companies.
- Expansion Stage: Capital for companies that have reached a sustainable level of development and may be shipping products.
- Growth Financing: Non-control equity investment in an existing company to finance growth strategy.
