Latin America: A Tech Powerhouse?

a16z Podcast

a16z

Science, Innovation, Business, Entrepreneurship, Culture, Disruption, Software Eating The World, Technology

4.4 • 1.1K Ratings

🗓️ 24 August 2024

⏱️ 34 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Latin America is emerging as a tech powerhouse, but it's not a one-size-fits-all market. In this episode, we explore why what works in Argentina won’t necessarily fly in Brazil or Mexico, and how companies are adapting to these unique regional dynamics. Join Dileep Thazhmon CEO of Jeeves; Santiago Suarez, cofounder of Addi; Gabriel Vasquez, a16z investment partner; and Angela Strange, a16z General Partner, as they discuss the future of fintech in LatAm and the unique approach required to succeed in this diverse market. Whether you're interested in the nuances of product development, the complexities of scaling across diverse markets, or the future of fintech in Latin America, this episode offers perspectives from industry leaders deeply invested in the region's tech ecosystem who believe the next big tech giants might just come from Latin America.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	There was 80% smartphone penetration and I think about 20% credit card penetration.
0:05.0	What works in Argentina doesn't work in Brazil, doesn't work in
0:08.0	Colombia doesn't work in Mexico.
0:09.0	Today companies go global increasingly fast from day one but banking is still a country
0:14.8	and currency specific. We're going to see the most valuable companies in the
0:18.9	region being technology companies. There's no way to build in Brazil unless you're in Brazil.
0:24.6	It requires a totally different mindset when it comes to product development.
0:29.4	Hello everyone, welcome back to the A16Z podcast. now if you've been listening over the last few weeks
0:35.6	hopefully you followed our Olympic series so far you've learned how Olympian Ali
0:40.1	Riceman has traversed the transition from gymnast to investor, but also we've
0:44.8	explored how few technologies actually move the needle in athletics, and also we've
0:49.4	dissected the forces behind the ongoing competition for talent across both France and the UK.
0:55.0	Now if you've missed those episodes of course be sure to go back and give them a listen, but
0:59.0	today we cap off the series by turning our attention to Latin America. We'll explore why the region has long
1:04.8	been overlooked despite a highly proficient technical savvy internet-penet-penet-penet-penet-penet-penet-penet-penet-penet-penet-penet-penet-penet population,
1:09.6	plus the role regulation has played as a tailwind, the nuances of recruiting in the region, and much more.
1:16.3	Our guests today are all investing in Latin America in their own way.
1:20.3	First up, delete the husband, founder and CEO of Jeeves, a financial platform for global startups
1:26.1	which operates in over 20 countries, which has recently expanded its presence in Latin America.
1:31.2	Next we have Santiago Suarez, the co-founder and CEO of
1:34.7	Adi, a Colombian buy now pay later FinTech with over 2 million clients. We also
1:40.3	have Gabriel Vasquez, Investment Partner at A16Z, where he's focused on enterprise
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from a16z, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of a16z and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.