KIRA Emerges From Stealth
Ep. 138: Unblock $13.5 million round, Avista $10 million credit line, and more!
Your weekly newsletter on technology, startups, and VCs in Spanish-speaking Latin America.
Follow The Money
KIRA raises a US$2 million Pre-Seed round
Fintech infrastructure startup KIRA has officially emerged from stealth with US$3 million in revenue and a US$2 million pre-seed round. The startup provides a unified API that lets non-financial companies launch global fintech products like wallets, remittances, payroll, or USD accounts without building backend infrastructure or navigating compliance. KIRA combines AI and stablecoins to deliver programmable wallets, real-time payments in 35+ countries, and automated KYC/KYB onboarding. Its platform is already used by Banco Industrial, Banco N1co, and major retailers, as well as startups like Shield and Borderless. With operations in Mexico and expansion plans in Colombia, KIRA aims to become the infrastructure layer for the next generation of fintech products in Latin America and beyond.
Worth noting: KIRA was founded by Camilo Jiménez, CTO and cofounder of neobank Littio; Edrizio De La Cruz, founder of Arcus (acquired by Mastercard); and José Alberto Díaz, the first product manager at both Clip and Stori. A team with real street cred and deep Fintech know-how in Latin America.
Sector: FinTech
Founders: Edrizio De La Cruz, José Alberto Díaz, Camilo Jiménez
🇦🇷 Unblock raises a US$13.5 million financing round
Unblock, an Argentine energy infrastructure startup, has raised US$13.5 million in total funding to scale its deployment of modular data centers that convert stranded or wasted energy into computing power. The company operates the world’s second-largest computing fleet at oil field sites and plans to double capacity by September. Positioned at the intersection of AI’s rising energy needs and Latin America’s energy bottlenecks, Unblock is betting on flexible infrastructure to unlock untapped power across the region.
Sector: EnergyTech
Founders: Tomas Ocampo
Investors: Goldcrest Capital, Collaborative Fund, FJ Labs, NYDIG, Luxor Technology, Sunna Ventures
🇨🇴 Addi secures a US$35 million credit line
Colombian Fintech Addi has secured a US$35 million credit facility from BBVA Spark to accelerate its growth across Colombia and Mexico. Addi offers "buy now, pay later" that enables consumers to finance purchases without a credit card. The team has already issued over 19 million loans through a network of more than 25,000 merchants. The startup also maintains credit lines with Goldman Sachs, Fasanara Capital, and Victory Park Capital totaling US$270 million.
Sector: FinTech
Founders: Santiago Suarez, Daniel Vallejo, Elmer Ortega
Investors: BBVA Spark
🇨🇴 Avista secures a US$10 million credit line
UK-based asset manager Ninety One has made its first investment in Colombia, backing the Colombian Fintech Avista with a US$10 million private securitization. The deal will enable Avista to expand its pension payroll lending operations, targeting underserved retirees as part of the growing Silver Economy. Founded in 2019, Avista has now raised over US$400 million in funding and originated more than US$450 million in loans across Colombia.
Sector: FinTech
Founders: Martín Restrepo, Gabriel Seinjet
Investors: Ninety One
Startups News
🇨🇴 Bink launches a new Visa card
Colombian Fintech Bink has launched a new Visa card to streamline corporate benefits and incentives, aiming to modernize how companies deliver and manage employee perks. The card allows employers to centralize all benefits into a single smart card, enabling personalized, flexible programs that improve user experience and operational efficiency. Bink plans to reach over 1,000 companies in its first year and expand further across Latin America.
Global66 launches a compensation account in Colombia
Fintech Global66 is investing US$5 million in Colombia to launch a regulated cuenta de compensación (compensation account) for small and mid-sized businesses engaged in international trade. This 100% digital, free platform simplifies foreign exchange operations for importers and exporters, aiming to reduce regulatory barriers and improve access to global markets. With over 90% of Colombia’s exports currently concentrated in fewer than 5% of companies, Global66 targets the long tail of SMEs left out of cross-border trade.
VC - M&A News
New SECO Startup Fund for Latin America
The SECO Startup Fund, backed by the Swiss government and managed by iGravity and Seedstars, will deploy around US$6 million in flexible loans to startups across Latin America. Targeting early and growth-stage companies with ties to Switzerland, the fund supports ventures aligned with global development goals. Loan sizes range from US$380,000 to US$1 million, aimed at businesses lacking access to traditional growth financing. Past beneficiaries include KardiaNuts in Colombia and Choba Choba in Peru.
Propel Venture new US$100 million fund
San Francisco-based Propel Venture Partners has raised US$100 million for its fund V. Backed by long-time partner BBVA, the firm focuses on early-stage fintech infrastructure and enabling technologies, with typical checks between US$1 million and US$4 million. Fund V continues Propel’s thesis of backing startups that solve innovation gaps within legacy financial institutions, particularly across compliance, payments, and operational infrastructure. In its portfolio, Latin America represents a strong focus, with already US$98 million invested in 13 startups across the region.
Expansion Plans
🇪🇸 Bigle opens Bogotá office
Barcelona-based legaltech Bigle, a leader in Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) in Southern Europe, has opened a new office in Bogotá to accelerate its expansion across Latin America. Already active in Colombia, Mexico, and Chile, the company is deepening its regional footprint with local teams and partnerships, aiming to meet rising demand for legal automation. Bigle’s platform integrates CLM tools with its own e-signature and legal AI assistant, serving clients across industries from banking to entertainment.
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