Latin Leap Early Stage

Two funds. One thesis.

Latin Leap Early Stage invests in technology startups across Latin America, with a primary focus on Mexico and Colombia. Fund I and Fund II share one copy-cat thesis: adapting business models proven in more advanced markets to the Latin American context.

Thesis
Proven models, adapted to Spanish-speaking LATAM
Focus
Mexico and Colombia first
Committee
Operator-led, with every member invested in the fund

The funds

Fund I

Built the model

  • Copy-cat business models, proven in more advanced markets and adapted to Spanish-speaking LATAM.
  • Co-invested alongside regional and global venture funds.
  • Built relationships with regional and global co-investors.
Fund II

Leads the rounds

  • Lead investor in the rounds we join.
  • Board seats and a say in setting terms.
  • Capital concentrated where the IC has the highest conviction.
  • Deeper governance.

Same thesis. Same operator-led Investment Committee.

Our approach

Proven models

Business models proven in more advanced markets can be adapted to Spanish-speaking LATAM.

Timing

2026 enters at compressed post-correction valuations. The best startups of the last decade were built in 2008–11.

Active partners

We work alongside regional and global co-investors and, in Fund II, step forward as lead investor.

AI as multiplier

AI lowers build costs for execution-heavy markets, favouring local builders over distant incumbents.

Where we invest

Thesis
We replicate and adapt business models already proven in Europe, the US and other international ecosystems to the Latin American context.
Geography
Spanish-speaking LATAM, with a primary focus on expansion to Mexico.
Teams
Strong local execution capabilities and regional scalability potential.
Profile
AI first or AI driven, purpose-driven, product-market fit, ethical.
Sectors
Sector agnostic, with a tendency toward fintech, healthtech, cleantech, mobility, next-gen retail and HRtech.

Team

Investment Committee

Active in every investment decision. Every member is personally invested in the fund.

Stefan Krautwald

IC member

Serial LatAm entrepreneur; co-founder of Dafiti and Farmalisto; former CEO of Cdiscount LATAM.

Full background
  • Founder Latin Leap VC Studio
  • Former CEO Cdiscount Latam
  • Co-Founder & MD Dafiti LATAM
  • Co-Founder Farmalisto, Fluz.app
  • LATAM angel investor and start-up board advisor
  • MSc WHU Otto Beisheim School of Management

Rodrigo Zorrilla

IC Chairman

Chairman, Afore Banamex; former CEO, Institutional Clients Group at Citibanamex; former COO, Citi Asia.

Full background
  • Chairman Afore Citibanamex
  • Former CEO ICG Citibanamex
  • Former CEO Citi Global Markets Japan
  • Former COO Citi Asia
  • MBA ITAM Mexico

David Geisen

IC member

Mexico Country Lead and SVP Hispanics at MercadoLibre; serial LatAm entrepreneur.

Full background
  • Country Lead Mexico & SVP Hispanics MercadoLibre
  • Co-Founder Dafiti México and Clickonero
  • Founder Mexican Ecommerce Association
  • MSc WHU Otto Beisheim School of Management

Paco Ybarra

IC member

Former Global CEO, Citi Institutional Clients Group; Senior Advisor at Citi; Non-Executive Director, MAN Group and dLocal.

Full background
  • Former CEO Citi Institutional Clients Group
  • Former Member of Citi Global Exec Committee
  • MBA IESE
  • Member of Alumni Exec Committee, IESE University
  • Board Member Teach For All and dLocal
  • Non-Executive Director Man Group
jessAI

JessAI

AI IC member, advisory, non-voting

Latin Leap’s in-house AI system. It reviews every deal and gives an independent recommendation to the human IC.

Meet JessAI

IC emeritus

Madeleine Clavijo

Madeleine Clavijo

IC emeritus, Fund I

Co-founder of Kushki Pagos; former President of Colombia Fintech.

Full background
  • Co-Founder Kushki Pagos
  • Former President Colombia Fintech
  • Member of Board of Directors Finsocial
  • Former VP Efecty
  • MSc Universidad La Rioja

Operational GP

Stefan Krautwald

Managing Partner

Serial LatAm entrepreneur; co-founder of Dafiti and Farmalisto; former CEO of Cdiscount LATAM.

Full background
  • Founder Latin Leap VC Studio
  • Former CEO Cdiscount Latam
  • Co-Founder & MD Dafiti LATAM
  • Co-Founder Farmalisto, Fluz.app
  • LATAM angel investor and start-up board advisor
  • MSc WHU Otto Beisheim School of Management
Nancy Zapata

Nancy Zapata

Operational GP

Senior Sales Manager at Fintech Tribal; Sales Manager at WeWork Colombia.

Full background
  • Senior Sales Manager Fintech Tribal
  • Sales Manager WeWork Colombia
  • International Management, Universidad Javeriana
  • VC University by University of Berkeley Law

LP Senior Advisor Network

Senior operators and LPs in our funds, standing close to our founders. Advisory to the GP and IC contributing sector expertise, good governance practices, warm introductions to corporates and co-investors, and hands-on founder support.

Philippe Schaus

Consumer, luxury & retail

CEO of Moët Hennessy (LVMH) 2017–2025; former Chairman & CEO of DFS Group and member of LVMH’s Executive Committee.

Full bio

Philippe Schaus is a global leader in luxury and consumer brands. He was CEO of Moët Hennessy, LVMH’s wines and spirits division, from 2017 to 2025, capping more than two decades at LVMH that included serving as Louis Vuitton’s EVP of International Distribution and as Chairman and CEO of Hong Kong-based DFS Group, while sitting on the Executive Committee of LVMH. Today he is an advisor, investor and board member in private companies in the US and Europe.

Manuel Romo

Consumer banking & payments

CEO of Grupo Financiero Banamex until June 2026; led the Banamex / Citi México separation. Former boards: LATAM Visa, LATAM Mastercard.

Full bio

Retired in June 2026 as CEO of Grupo Financiero Banamex (Banco Nacional de México), one of Mexico’s largest and most iconic financial institutions, after a seven-year tenure. He led the separation of Citibanamex into two independent groups, Banamex and Citi México (2024), and the divestiture of Citi’s stake, leaving Banamex IPO-ready and growing above market. His career began at Banamex in 1991, with senior roles in corporate banking, wholesale credit and credit cards, and an EVP role for consumer banking at Banorte. He has served on boards including LATAM Visa, LATAM Mastercard and Mexico’s Credit Bureau. BA in Business Administration and MSc in Economics, ITAM.

Álvaro Fernández

Industrial conglomerate

Chairman & CEO of Grupo Alfa (Sigma, Alpek), one of Mexico’s largest conglomerates; President of Universidad de Monterrey.

Full bio

Chairman and Chief Executive of Grupo Alfa, one of Mexico’s largest industrial conglomerates, whose businesses span Sigma (global refrigerated foods) and Alpek (petrochemicals). He has been with Alfa since 1991 and leads it through its ongoing transformation. He is also President of Universidad de Monterrey (UDEM) and a prominent voice in Mexican business, bringing deep industrial, consumer and capital-markets experience.

Ignacio Caride

Retail & digital commerce

Former CEO of Walmart de México y Centroamérica; 13 years at MercadoLibre incl. GM Mexico; co-founder of AMVO.

Full bio

One of Latin America’s most seasoned digital-commerce operators. He spent 13 years at MercadoLibre as Country Manager for Colombia and Venezuela and then General Manager for Mexico, before becoming CEO of Walmart de México y Centroamérica (Walmex), one of the region’s largest retailers. He co-founded AMVO, Mexico’s online-sales association, and brings deep expertise in e-commerce, payments and omnichannel retail across the region.

David Buenfil

Financial services & insurtech

Former CEO Latin America & Asia, Old Mutual Emerging Markets (Skandia); active fintech and insurtech angel. Wharton MBA.

Full bio

A cross-border financial-services operator who has led businesses across Latin America, Asia, Europe and the US. He was CEO for Latin America and Asia at Old Mutual Emerging Markets (Skandia), having earlier run Skandia in Mexico and Colombia. Today he is an active angel investor across fintech and insurtech. Wharton MBA and Lauder Institute.

Andrés Garza Herrera

Food, industrials & public policy

President of Consejo Nuevo León; CEO of Qualtia (Xignux) 2010–2023; board member of Alpek and Xignux.

Full bio

President of Consejo Nuevo León. He was CEO of Qualtia, the food division of Grupo Xignux, from 2010 to 2023, and joined Xignux in 1990, where he remains a board member and shareholder. A former President of CAINTRA and CONMEXICO, he led the Economic Development Commission of Consejo Nuevo León (2023 to 2025) and serves on the boards of Alpek, Aries Diagnostic Group and PWT Water Technologies. He also chairs Ciudad de los Niños de Monterrey. Mechanical Administration Engineering, ITESM; MBA, University of San Diego.

José Luis Fernández

Tax, corporate & governance

Of Counsel and former Managing Partner of Chévez Ruiz Zamarripa; serves on several boards and audit committees.

Full bio

A pillar of Mexican tax and corporate law. He joined Chévez Ruiz Zamarripa at its founding in 1981, became a partner in 1989 and served as the firm’s Managing Partner from 2007; he is now Of Counsel. His practice spans tax and corporate advisory for companies listed on the Mexican and US stock exchanges, together with tax and wealth planning for individuals and family offices. He has lectured on taxation at ITAM, Universidad Anáhuac and the Universidad Iberoamericana, and serves on several boards and audit committees. Public Accountant (UIA); Yale School of Management corporate-governance program.

Juan Agustín Ferreira

Multinational & cross-border leadership

Managing Executive Officer, Sumitomo Chemical (global crop solutions); 26 years at Monsanto across seven countries.

Full bio

Juan Agustín Ferreira is a senior executive at Sumitomo Chemical, the Japanese chemicals multinational, where, as Managing Executive Officer, he leads the global crop solutions business of the corporation’s Agro Life sector. He joined after 26 years in senior leadership roles at Monsanto across seven countries and every continent, ending as part of the executive team that sold Monsanto to Bayer in 2018. He is also an independent board member of Agricola Cerro Prieto, a world-class producer of blueberries, avocados and asparagus sold mainly in the US and Europe. He brings deep experience in global corporate leadership and cross-border operations around the world.

Andrés Holzer

Real estate, aviation infrastructure & luxury retail

Chairman, Grupo Holzer; former Vice Chairman of Avolta AG.

Full bio

Luis Andrés Holzer Neumann is a prominent Mexican billionaire businessman and executive with a multi-decade career spanning real estate, aviation infrastructure, and global luxury retail. Born and based in Mexico, Holzer is the President and CEO of Grupo Industrial Omega and Holzer y Compañía, a business empire built from a foundational legacy in luxury watchmaking distribution (including luxury Swiss brands).

Beyond retail, Holzer is a powerhouse in Mexican aviation infrastructure and commercial real estate. He served as President of Inmobiliaria Fumisa and Aeroplazas de México, companies heavily integrated into airport commercial spaces. Additionally, he led numerous real estate investment syndicates across Mexico, including Inmobiliaria Coapa Larca and Grupo Domit.

On the global stage, Holzer was an instrumental architect of the world’s largest travel retailer, Avolta (formerly Dufry AG), serving as its Vice Chairman and Board Director for 17 years. He remains highly active in international finance and infrastructure and held a seat on the board of directors for the Spanish multinational construction group OHLA, and is a member of the Mexican Council on Foreign Relations (COMEXI).

Why Latin America

Mexico and Colombia still show low levels of VC funding per capita in international comparison.

~40unicorns in Latin America*
48%of them in Brazil, highlighting growth opportunities for Spanish-speaking LATAM.
21unicorns in Spanish-speaking LATAM, against 19 in Brazil, 127 in Europe, 225 in Asia and 615 in the USA.

Fintech remains the dominant sector, followed by e-commerce and proptech.

*Unicorn: defined as a privately held company valued at more than USD 1bn.

Why now for VC in Latin America?

  • Untapped markets and high growth potential: needs unmet by existing services leave a clear runway to scale.
  • Supportive government policies: startup visa programs, tax incentives and regulatory reforms.
  • Regional success stories such as Rappi, Nubank and MercadoLibre attract new capital.
  • Growing local and international VC presence, from Silicon Valley, Europe and Asia.
  • Fast digital adoption in e-commerce, fintech and edtech.
  • VC as a catalyst: capital plus mentorship, networks and strategic guidance.