Week 48, 2023 - Latin America

Newsletter
The recently published "LatAm Tech Report 2023" by Latitud provides valuable insights into the technology and startup landscape in the region.The report highlights the Latin American economic growth and startups resilience. The GDP of LatAm has has surpassed US$ 6 trillion, with a population nearing 700 million. The region's startup...
Published on
March 22, 2024

"One must live as one thinks, otherwise, one ends up thinking as one has lived." - Yolanda Oreamuno

MARKETS

November 30, End Of Day

TECH

Fundraising picks of the week

Tani: Tani is redefining healthcare delivery in Latin America as a virtual clinic for medical procedures. With over 700 surgeries performed and a 97% Net Promoter Score, Tani demonstrates exceptional patient satisfaction. They achieve 20-30% margins through volume pricing from clinics and provide 50-90% of the demand for surgeons. Tani has established itself as a trusted brand, focusing on efficient resource allocation and bringing cost transparency to patients. Dive deeper into the case here.

Cuadds: Productivity tool designed with Lego-like elements, offering flexibility and power in managing tasks, projects, files, and messaging all-in-one unified platform. This all-encompassing tool solves the challenges of fragmentation and dependency on multiple tools, catering to various collaborations, from large corporations to remote teams or casual friend groups. Get to know the case here.

Pura Mente: Pura Mente is a leading wellness and meditation platform tailored for the Hispanic world, driven by a strong sense of community. With consistent growth traction (25% QoQ), over 30k paying users, and more than 2 million downloads, Pura Mente is rapidly becoming a dominant player in the Spanish-speaking mental health market. Their success is marked by capturing 47% of August downloads in this sector, outpacing competitors. Pura Mente's focus on building a local ecosystem and community has not only fostered a trusted brand but also cracked the code on user acquisition, achieving an impressive LTV/CAC ratio and a quick payback period. Dive deeper into the case here.

Dive deeper into other fundraising firms in latam here.

More in tech - LatAm Tech Report, 2023

The recently published "LatAm Tech Report 2023" by Latitud provides valuable insights into the technology and startup landscape in the region.

The report highlights the Latin American economic growth and startups resilience. The GDP of LatAm has has surpassed US$ 6 trillion, with a population nearing 700 million. The region's startup founders have shown resilience, transforming significant challenges into opportunities, even during difficult times. Yet, report also notes how fundraising is the biggest challenge for nearly 40% of early-stage founders. Here some key takeaways from 7 sectors:

  1. Fintech: The region has over 600 venture-backed fintech companies, showing robust growth every year from 2015 to 2022, although 2023 witnessed a return to pre-pandemic levels.
  2. Proptech: As of Q3 2023, Latin America's proptech sector showed a notable presence with 113 venture-backed companies, marking an increase in the number of VC-backed proptech startups. Although the rate of new additions in 2023 was lower compared to the previous year, the sector continued to demonstrate growth.
  3. Edtech: The edtech sector experienced a significant fundraising slowdown in 2022 and 2023, contrasting with a 212% growth in capital investment in 2020 and continued growth in 2021. This slowdown marks a notable shift from the initial pandemic-driven surge in investments.
  4. SaaS: The SaaS sector in Latin America experienced a significant increase in funding and venture capital share in 2023, reaching a 5-year record of 7.3% of total invested capital by Q3, up from 1.9% in 2022.
  5. Ecommerce: Nearly 75% of Latin Americans have bought online, a significant increase from previous years. However, after high growth rates in venture capital during the pandemic years (2020 and 2021), ecommerce in LatAm experienced a more pronounced retraction in investment in 2022 and Q3 of 2023 compared to the general market.
  6. Logistics: The number of venture capital-backed logistics startups in Latin America crossed the 100 mark in 2023. The sector's share of total capital invested has been increasing, reaching 6.7% in 2023 YTD, indicating growing importance and interest from venture capitalists in the region.
  7. Healthtech: In 2023, the addition of venture capital-backed healthtech startups in Latin America seems to have receded to pre-pandemic levels. Although there was a decline in venture capital investment, the decrease was not as steep as in the overall startup ecosystem (-46.3% for healthtech vs. -65.2% for the general startup market).

CURRENT AFFAIRS

Mexico: Monterrey, Mexico, is emerging as a hub for nearshoring, attracting global manufacturers due to its proximity to the U.S. and business-friendly environment. Companies, particularly from Asia, are increasingly setting up operations here, leading to a booming industrial real estate sector. This trend is driven by factors like the pandemic, U.S.-China trade tariffs, and geopolitical instability. While this presents significant economic opportunities for Mexico, concerns about infrastructure, planning, and security challenges could limit growth. The government's recent focus on attracting foreign direct investment and economic reforms suggests a positive outlook, despite existing structural problems in the economy.

Bolivia: Bolivia is set to become a full member of the Mercosur trade bloc following the Brazilian Senate's approval of its admission. This decision, eight years in the making, will be formalized at a regional summit on December 7. Bolivia's membership is expected to enhance regional integration and open new markets, particularly for Brazil, due to Bolivia's reserves of natural gas and strategic minerals. However, concerns about Bolivia's deforestation record could impact future EU-Mercosur negotiations.

Argentina: Argentina's President-elect Javier Milei described his meeting with advisors to US President Joe Biden in Washington as "very comfortable." This initial engagement is crucial for Argentina's relationship with the US, especially as Milei prepares to negotiate over Argentina's $43bn IMF loan. The White House stated the meeting covered various topics, including economic issues and human rights. Milei's forthcoming economic policies include halting central bank money printing and introducing "shock therapy" reforms to balance Argentina's budget by 2024. The IMF's managing director had a positive initial engagement with Milei, considering it a promising first step.

FURTHER READING

New episode of the Find The Way Podcast:

🃏 Bet to Win: Calculated Risks in Latin America's Venture Capital!

In the rapidly evolving landscape of Latin American startups, understanding the intricacies of venture capital funds and angel investing is key. This episode dives deep into the minds of two seasoned investors, Alejandra Ríos and Claudio Schlegel, as they unravel the complexities of investing in Mexico and beyond.

Alejandra, CEO of Ambrosía, juggles her role as a Shark 🦈 at Shark Tank Mexico with managing her family-run catering business and her venture capital fund, Meraki Ventures. She shares her journey of managing 22 diverse investments, providing unique insights into the world of active investing and detailed due diligence processes.

Claudio, with a decade-long investment history, shares his strategy of balancing investments in six funds and over 23 companies. His insights into the importance of diversification in investment and the long-term perspective of angel investing are a treasure trove for aspiring investors.

This episode shines a light on the importance of building a personal brand in the investment world, the challenges in the Latin American investment ecosystem, and the potential risks and opportunities that lie ahead. Join us in this insightful journey!

Listen here.

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