Welcome to the 19th edition of the Dealflow LatAm newsletter: a weekly summary of everything that happened in the LatAm startup and investment ecosystem.
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🇦🇷 Credicuotas secures $18.2M in debt financing from BIND Banco and Industrial Valores to lower costs and expand its loan portfolio in 2025.
🇧🇷 Itaú Unibanco invests $15M for a 15% stake in NeoSpace, an AI startup for financial services. The round totaled $18M with participation from Micky Malka (Ribbit), Martin Escobari (General Atlantic), Nigel Morris (QED), and Hans Morris (NYCA).
🇲🇽 Solfium secures funding from Wayra Hispam to expand solar energy in LatAm. The Canadian-Mexican startup has raised $4.2M in its pre-Series A, with backing from Katapult VC, Propulia Capital, RaliCap, Redwood Ventures, and Savia Ventures.
🇧🇷 B4A raises $2.6M to expand partnerships with influencers and media channels. The round was led by 4Equity, with participation from Mercado Bitcoin investors and existing backers. The Brazilian beauty-tech startup aims to strengthen its digital presence and boost brand visibility.
🇧🇷 Cycles Nutrition raises $2.6M from Headline Ventures and XP to develop high-quality nutrition products and launch a health app.
🇲🇽 PuntoPost raises $1.5M to expand its pickup point network in Mexico. The round was led by 4Founders, JME Ventures, Latin Leap, Lanai, and Inclimo, with participation from e-commerce and OOH-focused angels.
🇲🇽 Drivana raises $1M from Grupo Felni, Movtech Capital, Nut VC, Ferter VC, RC Ventures, Arkangeles, and angels to expand its car-sharing platform in LatAm.
🇺🇾 Flipzen raises $1M pre-seed to expand its AI-powered compliance platform. Investors include Tantauco Ventures, IThink VC, Nido Ventures, and Worthit.
🇧🇷🇺🇸 Taxflow, founded by Brazilian entrepreneur Felipe Salinas, raises $750K pre-seed from Platanus Ventures, BFF, and angels to develop AI-powered accounting tools and expand its team.
🇨🇱 Outscape raises $600K to expand its sustainable ecotourism model. The funding, led by SDK's Sustainable Tourism Fund, will help grow its network of 'tiny homes' across Chile and the U.S.
🇦🇷 Kigüi For Business raises $500K to tackle food waste with AI, shifting to a B2B model for supermarkets. The round was led by The Yield Lab Latam.
🇧🇷 Kanastra secures funding from Itaú Unibanco through Kinea Ventures. The fintech, which specializes in structured funds and securitizations, previously raised $22M in its Series A and manages $2.6B in assets.
🇨🇱 Banca.me enters Techstars and closes a $120K round with Genesis Ventures. The fintech, focused on microcredit and financial inclusion, continues expanding rapidly, now with 800 clients and a dedicated sales team.
🇿🇦🤝🇧🇷 Moove, an Africa-based fintech backed by Uber, acquires Kovi to expand into LatAm and grow its fleet to 36K+ vehicles. The deal, pending regulatory approval, could push Moove’s revenue past $275M.
🇧🇷 Leste acquires a minority stake in Billor and provides a $335M credit line to fuel its fleet management fintech. Founded by a Brazilian, Billor is preparing for a future IPO in the U.S.
🇧🇷 Braskem shuts down Oxygea, its $150M CVC fund launched in 2022, to refocus capital allocation and cash generation.
🇧🇷 PIPE Ventures opens a $300K crowdfunding round on Captable to support operations and cash flow. Investors gain indirect exposure to PIPE’s portfolio and potential dividend payouts.
🇧🇷 Oria Capital resolves shareholder dispute and raises a new fund to continue investing in SaaS startups.
🇧🇷 Est.31, founded by Arthur Lobão and Diego Franco, partners with startups through a venture creativity model. The studio has worked with Nubank México, Hotmart, and Justos and aims to expand across LatAm in 2025.
🌎 Core Foundation launches a $5M fund to boost blockchain solutions in LatAm. The Core Latin America Ecosystem Fund will support projects in remittances, stablecoins, DeFi lending, supply chains, healthcare, gaming, and AgTech, providing grants, sponsorships, and Web3 development programs.
🇦🇷🤝🇨🇱 Mercado Libre and Fundación Luksic partner to train Chilean entrepreneurs. 50 SMEs participated in the program, which included courses on e-commerce and advanced digital tools. The initiative aims to strengthen small businesses and boost their digital presence.
🇨🇱 OpenSeniors, an accelerator by Universidad de Chile, selects 18 startups to enhance senior well-being. With BID Lab backing, the program provides mentorship, funding, and investor access.
🇨🇱 A New Bridges launches to help professionals over 45 revalue their talent and find new work opportunities. Founded by María Alejandra Rojas Cruzat and Roberto Moore Castro, the platform offers benefits like health insurance and career workshops.
🇨🇱 Corfo and the Startup and Digital Economy Caucus meet in Congress to promote innovation and tech entrepreneurship in Chile, focusing on supportive regulations for startups.
🇲🇽 FemTech MX launches to accelerate innovation in women’s health across LatAm. Founded by Mayra Hurtado and Jazna Stannard, the initiative connects startups, investors, and experts to drive solutions in reproductive health, menopause, and digital wellness.
🇨🇴 Fundación Bolívar Davivienda expands Emprende País, offering mentorship and strategic training to help Colombian SMEs scale. The program provides access to high-level executives and networking opportunities.
🇧🇷 Weme hosts Runway to Web Summit Rio in São Paulo on February 6, 2025, bringing together startups and industry leaders to discuss AI, fintech, and energy innovation.
🇨🇱 UDD Ventures launches Scale Capital Sostenible to support 40 early-stage startups in Chile. The program, funded by CORFO, focuses on sustainability and investment readiness. Applications are open until February 14.
🇲🇽 Bitso Business launches "The Push" accelerator for stablecoin startups in Latin America, offering up to $250K in investment and mentorship. Applications open until March 17.
🇦🇷 Rindegastos opens its fifth office in Argentina, aiming for 60% growth in 2025 and continuing innovation with AI-powered WhatsApp receipt submissions.
🇧🇷 AutoAgroMachines expands to Argentina with AI-driven reforestation tech, planting 1,800 trees per hour.
🇨🇱 Cheaf arrives in Argentina to offer up to 50% off on food close to expiry. The app partners with supermarkets like Jumbo, Disco, and Vea to reduce food waste.
🇧🇷 Jusfy projects $10M+ in revenue for 2025 as it expands its legal automation platform. The São Paulo-based lawtech aims to reach 50K active users with AI-driven tools like JusGPT.
🇧🇷 Bybit launches Bybit Pay in Brazil, enabling crypto and fiat payments via Pix, with instant transactions and blockchain security.
🇧🇷 PagBrasil receives a Payment Institution licence from the Central Bank of Brazil, enabling new products like international Pix payments and cash withdrawals abroad.
🇨🇱 BOTIIA launches IINMAS, a smart, disposable device for real-time monitoring of conveyor belt rollers in mining. The solution detects anomalies early, reducing maintenance costs and improving efficiency.
🇨🇱 Klap launches Checkout Flex, a seamless online payment solution supporting Apple Pay, Google Pay, and major cards. It enables instant payments, installment options, and real-time cancellations.
🇨🇱 Talana partners with Nivelat to integrate AI-driven corporate training into its HR platform, enhancing workforce development across LatAm.
🇨🇴🤝🇺🇸 Yuno partners with PayPal to expand payment options for Colombian merchants. The integration enables over 300 global payment methods, boosting sales and financial inclusion in LatAm.
🇨🇴 Finsocial proposes requiring Colombian pension funds to invest 3% of their assets in fintech credit portfolios. The initiative aims to boost local startups, increase credit access, and support the domestic economy.
🇨🇴🤝🇺🇸 Bancolombia and Visa launch Tap to Add Card to simplify Visa card enrollment in Apple Pay. The feature, available for iOS users, enhances digital payments with added security and convenience.
🇧🇷 Nu surpasses 10M customers in Mexico and plans to expand its product offerings with payroll accounts and new credit options. The neobank, founded in Brazil, is also seeking a banking license to strengthen its local presence.
🇲🇽🤝🇪🇸 Conekta partners with Creditea to integrate Creditea Pay, enabling interest-free biweekly payments for e-commerce. The BNPL solution aims to boost sales and digital commerce in Mexico.
🇨🇱🤝🇲🇽 Fintual launches Fintual Acciones in Mexico, enabling users to invest in U.S. stocks and ETFs commission-free. The product, integrated with Alpaca Markets, is currently in pilot with 6,000 users on the waitlist.
🇵🇪 Food Flow, the first Peruvian AI for healthy food production, is developed by Nataly Rojas and Giuliana Ore. The platform optimizes food formulation, packaging, and compliance, securing $18K in government funding to scale its impact.
🇨🇴 Rappi sees an 85% surge in Peru’s summer deliveries, expanding to Punta Hermosa and boosting Rappi Travel bookings.
🇺🇾 dLocal wins Fintech Americas Platinum Award, pushing its stock to a 9.5-month high.
🇺🇾 Lorenza Vecino, co-founder of Yeda, recognized as one of LatAm’s top 10 entrepreneurs for her AI-driven healthtech startup focused on metabolic disease prevention and treatment.
🇪🇸🤝🇺🇸 Adigital and BID Lab launch IAméricas to promote responsible AI in LatAm, starting in Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, and Uruguay.
🇪🇨🤝🇺🇸 Kamina partners with Mastercard to enhance financial inclusion in LatAm. The fintech will integrate its debt management and financial wellness tools with Mastercard’s ecosystem, starting in Ecuador.
🇺🇸🤝🇦🇷 Coinbase, the largest cryptocurrency exchange in the U.S., expands to Argentina, obtaining a Proveedor de Servicios de Activos Virtuales (VASP) license. The company is led by Matías Alberti, aiming to boost financial autonomy through cryptocurrencies in the region.
🇲🇽 Mexico pushes back against Google Maps renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. President Claudia Sheinbaum announced that Mexico will formally question Google's decision, following the company's statement that it updates names based on official government sources.
🏴 Aggreko invests $100M to expand in LatAm, focusing on Brazil. The Scottish energy company will boost services like generator rentals and solar infrastructure.
🌎 Inicio shared the report “18 Latino Startup Hub Regions,” highlighting 18 regions in the U.S. with growing Latino entrepreneurship. The report discusses how these regions, driven by Latino founders and funders, face challenges such as limited access to startup capital but hold the potential to foster economic growth. Taub calls for collaboration and scaling to empower Latino innovators and build a more inclusive startup ecosystem.
🇲🇽 Pygma discusses the growing role of angel investors in fintechs across Latin America and how this type of funding is crucial for the growth of startups. Andrés Cano and Daniel Ospina, co-founders, highlight how angel investments provide key support and drive the success of early-stage ventures, forecasting its continued importance in 2025.
