Latin America's tech hubs are leading a wave of transformation, driven by innovation and a surge in global investment. From the fintech powerhouse of São Paulo to Santiago’s strides in clean energy, these cities are shaping the future of technology in the region. For founders seeking to tap into these growing ecosystems, opportunities for funding, talent, and growth are abundant. Discover how these hubs are positioning Latin America as a force in global innovation. Discover VCs investing in LATAM on our Connect investor database.
Related resource: 7 Best Venture Capital Firms in Latin America in 2024
1. São Paulo, Brazil
São Paulo is the largest and most dynamic tech hub in Brazil, serving as the heart of Latin America's innovation ecosystem. With a massive market, supportive infrastructure, and increasing international investment, São Paulo offers a fertile ground for startups and established tech companies alike.
Key Sectors:
- Fintech: São Paulo is a fintech powerhouse, hosting numerous startups that are revolutionizing digital banking, payments, and financial services.
- E-commerce: The city's vast consumer base drives the growth of online retail platforms and logistics innovation.
- Healthtech: Innovations in telemedicine, healthcare access, and medical technology are thriving.
- Agritech: Advanced agricultural technology solutions help optimize Brazil's significant agricultural output.
Notable Startups and Companies:
- Nubank: One of the world's largest digital banks, Nubank has reshaped financial services with its user-friendly banking solutions.
- MercadoLibre: The e-commerce giant dominates online retail in Latin America and continues to expand its fintech services.
- Gympass: A global platform offering corporate wellness solutions, Gympass connects employees to fitness options worldwide.
- Creditas: A leading digital lending platform providing secured loans and financial solutions to consumers.
Top VCs in São Paulo, Brazil:
Check out the full list of VCs located in São Paulo, Brazil.
1. Canary Ventures
About: Canary provides the first venture capital round, seed or Series A, to tech companies that operate in Brazil. We are an entrepreneur-friendly and well-connected partner that will be by your side, helping in impactful matters, as your startup takes off.
2. Valor Capital Group
About: Valor Capital Group is the pioneer cross-border Venture Fund operating at the intersection between innovation & regulation and technology & innovation and bridging the US, Latin American and Global technology markets.
3. Monashees
About: The firm serves entrepreneurs starting with their very first movements, supporting their growth through its expansion funds. With a human-values-first approach, monashees helps founders challenge the status quo and improve people’s lives through technology.
4. Redpoint eVentures
About: Redpoint eventures, the first Silicon Valley fund on the ground in Brazil, focuses on early-stage internet investments.
5. Bossanova Investimentos
About: Bossanova is the most active VC in Latin America ; We invest in startups at the pre-seed stage; B2B or B2B2C companies with scalable and digital business models that are operating and making money.
2. Mexico City, Mexico
Mexico City has solidified its status as a leading tech hub in Latin America, often referred to as the "Silicon Valley of Latin America.". Mexico City stands out as a vibrant tech hub strategically positioned for growth in Latin America. Its large population, expanding middle class, and proximity to the U.S. create a thriving ecosystem for innovation.
Key Sectors:
- Fintech: Mexico City is a leading fintech hub, with over 200 startups securing more than $600 million in venture funding, accounting for over 20% of venture funding in the country.
- E-commerce: The city's vast consumer market has led to the rise of successful e-commerce platforms.
- Software Development: A growing pool of tech talent supports a robust software development industry.
Notable Startups and Companies:
- Kavak: A used-car marketplace that has become one of Mexico's prominent startups.
- Clip: A fintech company simplifying digital payments, contributing significantly to financial inclusion.
- Bitso: A cryptocurrency exchange platform facilitating digital asset transactions in Latin America.
- Albo: A neobank offering digital banking solutions to Mexican consumers.
Top VCs in Mexico City, Mexico:
Check out the full list of VCs located in Mexico City.
1. COMETA
About: COMETA is a venture capital firm that invests in early-stage technology companies targeting Spanish speaking markets.
Thesis: The first fund, VARIV I, which started making investments in 2013, was focused on e-commerce and its enablers, namely, payments and logistics. Over 10 investments were made in those categories expanding the geographic scope from Latin America to Spain. In 2015, the Firm raised a second fund, VARIV II, to capture the emerging opportunities in fintech, marketplaces, and first-generation enterprise businesses founded by local entrepreneurs. Pepe Bolaños, who joined the Firm as Principal in 2014, became Partner in 2017. Throughout the four-year investment period, sixteen companies were added to the firm’s portfolio and the scope broadened to include the US.
2. Jaguar Ventures
About: Jaguar Ventures is a venture capital firm that seeks to invest in firms operating in the technology sector.
Traction metrics requirements: Companies should have at least US$50k in monthly revenues, growing at more than 10% per month.
Thesis: Focused on early stage ventures in Latin America.
3. Hi Ventures
About: Hi Ventures invests in Latin American founders and is an early-stage venture capital fund based in Mexico.
Thesis: Hi’s investment thesis participates deeply and actively in the Fintech, Future of Commerce, Human Capital and Smart Cities sectors, which are all experiencing a strong acceleration shift at a regional level.Across four portfolios, the fund has invested in 40+ innovative and successful companies led by founders who share our vision to democratize access to services and fix large inefficient industries throughout the region.
4. Smart Impact
About: Smart Impact is a launching platform for hardware and circular economy startups that use technology and the internet to create meaningful change.
Thesis: At Smart Impact you will discover, develop, experiment, prototype, test and launch your business.
5. Dalus Capital
About: Investing in the best entrepreneurs developing scalable solutions for significant problems in LATAM.
Sweetspot check size: $ 4M
Traction metrics requirements: We are focused on early-stage financing rounds, in startups that have a validated product and client traction.
Thesis: Dalus Capital invests in tech companies with scalable solutions to address significant problems in Latin America, in four investment themes: Inclusion (Fintech, Edtech, Healthtech, HRtech), Climate Innovation, Business Productivity (SaaS, etc.) and Digital Consumer (D2C, marketplaces).
3. Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires stands as Argentina's premier tech hub, renowned for its rich talent pool, entrepreneurial spirit, and significant investment growth. The city accounts for more than 50% of the country's tech startups, with over 3,000 startups calling Buenos Aires home.
Key Sectors:
- Software Development: Buenos Aires is a major player in the LATAM software development industry, featuring more than 50,000 software developers.
- Agtech: The city is home to numerous startups and investors focusing on agricultural technology, contributing to the sector's growth in Argentina.
- Blockchain: Buenos Aires hosts a vibrant blockchain community, with companies like Ripio leading the way in digital finance platforms.
Notable Startups and Companies:
- Mercado Libre: Founded in Buenos Aires, MercadoLibre is the largest e-commerce platform in Latin America, with 668 million visits per month across 18 countries.
- Ualá: A fintech company based in Buenos Aires, Ualá offers a mobile banking app and has over five million users across Argentina, Mexico, and Colombia.
- Globant: A global IT and software development company headquartered in Buenos Aires, Globant provides services to clients like Google and Spotify.
Top VCs in Buenos Aires:
Check out the full list of VCs located in Buenos Aires.
1. Kaszek Ventures
About: Kaszek is a venture capital firm that partners with exceptional entrepreneurs to build lasting, high-impact technology-based companies whose main focus is Latin America. In addition to capital, Kaszek offers significant strategic guidance, hands-on operational support and access to local and international networks. The firm is industry and stage agnostic, investing mainly in seed, series A and series B.
Thesis: Our core is technology: We are big believers in the fabulous impact that new technologies can have over humankind. Therefore, we invest in any industry where technology and innovation, in any form, offer a chance of significant disruption and value creation.
So far, we have invested in industries such as financial services, education, healthcare, ecommerce, marketplaces, enterprise software, and SaaS, among others.
2. NXTP Ventures
About: NXTP Ventures backs early-stage technology companies led by extraordinary entrepreneurs throughout Latin America.
Sweetspot check size: $ 1M
Thesis: We predominately invest in B2B companies in pre-seed stage and seed-stage companies, usually becoming the first institutional check into the business. We also invest at the Series A stage, although a little less frequently. Our typical check size for Seed rounds ranges from $500k to $3M USD and we like to lead or co-lead rounds. Sometimes, we invest as followers with a lower initial check, but with the optionality to invest more later on. For Series A investments, the typical investment size ranges from $2-5M.
4. Bogotá, Colombia
Bogotá is rapidly establishing itself as a key player in Latin America’s tech ecosystem, driven by a combination of supportive government policies, a thriving startup culture, and a robust educational framework. With initiatives like the Ministry of Information and Communication Technologies (Ministry of ICT) promoting digital transformation and innovation, the city fosters an environment where fintech, healthtech, and edtech startups can flourish. This synergy between public and private sectors, combined with a skilled talent pool and increasing investor interest, positions Bogotá as a hub for technological advancement and entrepreneurship.
Key Sectors:
- Fintech: The city is home to a growing number of fintech startups focusing on financial inclusion and digital banking solutions.
- Healthtech: Innovations in healthcare technology are improving patient care and access to medical services.
- Edtech: Educational technology companies are enhancing learning experiences and accessibility.
Notable Startups and Companies:
- Rappi: A leading on-demand delivery platform that has expanded its services across Latin America.
- Platzi: An online education platform offering courses in technology and business, aiming to upskill the Latin American workforce.
- Laika: An e-commerce platform specializing in pet care products and services, showcasing innovation in niche markets.
Top VCs in Bogotá, Colombia:
Check out the full list of VCs located in Bogotá, Colombia.
1. Polymath Ventures
About: Polymath Ventures is a Digital Venture Group that builds from scratch and scales disruptive tech ventures for Latin America's middle class.
5. Guadalajara, Mexico
Guadalajara has established itself as a leading technology hub through a strong emphasis on innovation, talent development, and international collaborations. The city's transformation into a tech powerhouse has been driven by a combination of government initiatives, educational excellence, and the presence of global tech giants.
Key Sectors:
- Electronics: Guadalajara is a major producer of electronic components, contributing significantly to Mexico's electronics exports. The city hosts manufacturing and R&D facilities for companies like Intel and Jabil.
- Software Development: With a large pool of skilled software developers and engineers, Guadalajara has become a hub for software design and IT services, attracting companies such as IBM and Oracle.
- Internet of Things (IoT): The city fosters innovation in IoT, with startups and established firms developing cutting-edge solutions in this rapidly growing field.
Notable Startups and Companies:
- Kueski: A prominent fintech startup based in Guadalajara, Kueski provides online loans, offering financial services to underserved populations in Mexico.
- Wizeline: A global product development company with a significant presence in Guadalajara, Wizeline partners with businesses to build high-quality software solutions.
- Intel: Maintaining a substantial operation in Guadalajara, Intel focuses on research and development, contributing to the city's status as a tech innovation center.
Top VCs in Guadalajara, Mexico:
Check out the full list of VCs located in Guadalajara, Mexico.
1. Poligono Capital
About: We invest in early-stage startups to develop possibilities for success through technology. Non-bank financial organization that believes in exponential capital growth through portfolio diversification and innovative vision.
2. Redwood Ventures
About: Mexican venture capital fund, industry agnostic, investing in technology-based startups.
Sweetspot check size: $ 200K
Traction metrics requirements: Not a static number but products or services that already have product/market fit defined as a growing user base and revenues
Thesis: Founded in 2017, Redwood Ventures is a venture capital fund, based in Mexico. The firm focuses primarily in seed, early-stage, and Series A investments in high-impact tech companies. The firm seeks to invest in companies that are based in North America
3. Arancia International
About: In addition to our operating companies, we seek to invest in sectors that we consider to have growth potential, technology and those related to our area of interest. For this reason, we have investments in various companies with high potential and international prestige.
6. Santiago, Chile
The Chilean government's proactive approach, exemplified by initiatives like Start-Up Chile, has been instrumental in fostering this environment. Launched in 2010, Start-Up Chile is a seed accelerator that has supported over 3,000 startups from more than 85 countries, providing equity-free funding and a robust support network.
Key Sectors:
- The Chilean fintech ecosystem comprises approximately 179 startups, representing a 60% increase since 2019, driven by government efforts to position the country as a fintech hub.
- Agritech: Agriculture remains a cornerstone of Chile's economy, and Santiago hosts numerous agritech startups innovating to improve yields and combat climate change. Technologies such as drones, artificial intelligence, and nanobubbles are being utilized to revolutionize the agricultural sector.
- Clean Energy: Chile's commitment to renewable energy is evident, with 45% of the country's electricity generation coming from renewable sources, including over 19% from solar photovoltaic. This focus on clean energy has spurred the growth of related technologies and startups in Santiago.
Notable Startups and Companies:
- Betterfly: A prominent fintech startup offering a platform that combines insurance, wellness, and social impact, incentivizing healthy habits among users.
- Instacrops: An agritech company providing a virtual assistant that allows farmers to monitor their fields in real-time, optimizing water usage, fertilizers, and detecting pests, thereby enhancing crop yields.
- INTI-TECH: A clean energy startup specializing in autonomous, water-free cleaning solutions for photovoltaic plants, improving the efficiency and maintenance of solar panels.
Top VCs in Santiago, Chile:
Check out the full list of VCs located in Santiago, Chile.
1. Taram Capital
About: We invest in teams that are transforming their industries with B2B technological solutions for SMEs and large companies, with an emphasis on SaaS and the eCommerce, Fintech, Data Driven Solutions and Web3 sectors.
We focus on early-stage companies, investing in Late Seed and Series A, in startups with a presence in Chile and international projections, whose solutions address cross-cutting problems faced by companies around the world.
Thesis: We invest in founders from the Andean Region (Chile, Peru, Colombia & Ecuador) leading early-stage B2B recurrent revenue companies with $0.5M - $4M ARR, primarily vertical SaaS implementing digitalization, AI and Web3 related applications.
2. Start-Up Chile
About: Start-Up is a public startup accelerator created by the Chilean Government for global entrepreneurs to bootstrap their startups.
3. Impacta VC
About: We help impact startups fulfill their purpose. At Impacta VC we invest in Impact Startups, which with the help of Mentors and our Co-investors grow to raise their next round of capital.
Thesis: We invest in impact startups in Latin America. Impacta VC launched a U$10MM Seed Fund in the US to fund tech companies aligned with the SDGs across LATAM that leverage the partner’s network of top regional founders and VCs to achieve future financing rounds in the impact space.
7. Lima, Peru
Lima's tech ecosystem is experiencing significant growth, characterized by a strong entrepreneurial spirit and expanding infrastructure that supports innovation. The city's startup scene is thriving, attracting investors and talent from across the region.
Key Sectors:
- Edtech: Lima has become a hub for educational technology, with startups like Crehana offering online courses to upskill the Latin American workforce.
- Fintech: The fintech sector is leading the way in investment, accounting for 58% of total investments in 2025. Startups such as Rextie provide secure and convenient currency exchange services.
- Logistics Technology: Startups like Chazki are developing innovative solutions to improve logistics and delivery services in the region.
Notable Startups and Companies:
- Crehana: An online education platform offering courses to upskill the Latin American workforce.
- Rextie: A fintech company providing secure and convenient currency exchange services.
- Chazki: A logistics startup optimizing delivery services with efficient technology solutions.
8. Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Santo Domingo is rapidly emerging as a significant tech hub in the Caribbean, leveraging its strategic location and a strong emphasis on digital transformation. The city's proximity to major markets and its commitment to technological advancement have fostered a conducive environment for innovation and entrepreneurship.
Key Sectors:
- Fintech: The Dominican Republic's fintech sector has experienced significant growth, with the number of fintech companies increasing from 6 in 2018 to 65 by 2024. This expansion positions the country as the eighth largest fintech ecosystem in Latin America and the leader in Central America and the Caribbean.
- Tourism Tech: Given the Dominican Republic's robust tourism industry, there is a growing focus on integrating technology to enhance tourist experiences and streamline operations within the sector. Innovations in this area aim to boost the country's appeal as a premier travel destination.
- Software Development: Santo Domingo boasts a growing tech scene with many skilled developers. The city has an impressive number of developers, and, according to the EF EPI Index, their English proficiency ranks 55 out of 113 countries.
Notable Startups and Companies:
- AlterEstate: Provides a comprehensive cloud platform designed to streamline operations for real estate agencies, enhancing sales and property management efficiency.
- TagShelf: Offers an innovative AI platform that automates repetitive tasks, enabling businesses to streamline their operations by intelligently identifying and classifying various document types without human intervention.
- Uepa Pay: Provides an online payment management platform with a versatile API for seamless integration with various e-commerce platforms, simplifying transactions and streamlining operations for businesses.
9. Montevideo, Uruguay
Montevideo has emerged as a leading tech hub in Latin America, renowned for its political stability, innovation-friendly policies, and rapidly expanding technology sector. The city's strategic location and supportive business environment have attracted startups and established tech companies, fostering a vibrant innovation ecosystem.
Key Sectors:
- Fintech: Uruguay's fintech industry has experienced remarkable growth, with the number of fintech companies increasing from 6 in 2018 to 65 by 2024. This expansion positions the country as the eighth-largest fintech ecosystem in Latin America and the leader in Central America and the Caribbean.
- Agtech: Leveraging its strong agricultural heritage, Montevideo has become a hub for agtech innovation, with startups developing solutions that integrate technology into agriculture to enhance productivity and sustainability.
- Gaming: The city's creative industries, including video game development, have gained international recognition, contributing to Montevideo's reputation as a diverse and dynamic tech hub.
Notable Startups and Companies:
- dLocal: A fintech company providing payment solutions for emerging markets, dLocal became Uruguay's first unicorn in 2020 and went public on NASDAQ in 2021, reflecting the country's growing fintech sector.
- Bankingly: Founded in 2015, Bankingly offers digital banking channels for financial institutions, enabling them to improve customer experience and expand their digital services.
- MooveIt: A software engineering company specializing in the design, development, and implementation of technology applications across various sectors, including education, health, fintech, entertainment, and telecommunications.
10. Medellín, Colombia
Medellín has transformed into a prominent tech hub in Latin America, driven by strategic investments in innovation and a commitment to technological advancement. The city's focus on sectors such as healthtech, the Internet of Things (IoT), and artificial intelligence (AI) has been instrumental in this growth.
Key Sectors:
- Healthtech: The healthtech sector in Colombia has experienced significant growth in recent years. As of 2023, Colombia hosts approximately 25 digital health startups, reflecting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.6% from 2019 to 2024.
- Internet of Things (IoT): Medellín hosts a passionate tech community focused on advancing the IoT ecosystem. Organizations like IoT Medellín promote learning, collaboration, and innovation in data-driven technologies.
- Artificial Intelligence (AI): In September 2024, the World Economic Forum announced the establishment of a Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution in Medellín. This center aims to position the city as a leading AI innovation hub, fostering collaboration among business, government, and civil society to develop inclusive and sustainable AI strategies.
Notable Startups and Companies:
- La Haus: An online real estate marketplace that has attracted significant investment, including a US$100 million funding round in 2021, co-led by Acrew Capital and Renegade Partners.
- Tributi: A Y-Combinator-backed fintech company headquartered in Medellín, automating tax filing for individuals in Latin America and offering curated financial services based on user data.
- Sempli: A fintech startup providing financial solutions to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Colombia. In 2022, Sempli secured investment from CAF, reflecting confidence in Medellín's growing fintech ecosystem.
Connect with LATAM Startup Investors with Visible
Latin America's emerging tech hubs are driving innovation across sectors like fintech, healthtech, agritech, and more. Each hub benefits from a dynamic ecosystem supported by government policies, talent pools, and investor interest.
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Related resource: 14 FinTech Startups Shaping the Future of Finance
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