Two Liquidity Events | Ep. 121
Plus, Aviva $4 million New Financing, Yuno Expanding to the Middle East, and more!
Your weekly newsletter on technology, VCs, and startups in Spanish-speaking Latin America.
After an exciting week in Mérida for my second FLII event, followed by a busy week catching-up on work, I’m back to writing Scenius LATAM’s newsletter while sipping a cappuccino from one of my favorite coffee spots in Mexico City.
Many great things happened during the last two weeks in the startup world, but I want to highlight two notable acquisition of Latin American startups by international companies: Evertec's acquisition of Nubity and WiseTech Global's acquisition of Opentecnología.
Both are valuable liquidity events for their early backers and a positive development for the region as a whole!
Follow The Money
🇲🇽 Aviva Secures US$4 million New Financing
Mexican Fintech Aviva has secured US$4 million in credit to accelerate its expansion and financial inclusion efforts across Latin America. Operating in 42 cities with low financial penetration, Aviva plans to expand to over 150 locations by the end of the year. The startup uses a phygital model, integrating digital technology with physical kiosks where customers can access loans of up to 1150 dollars through a seven-minute video call. By leveraging AI-powered credit evaluations, Aviva eliminates traditional barriers to credit, reaching underserved populations who lack access to formal financial services. This funding follows a US$5.5 million Seed round in 2024 and will help Aviva triple its customer base and drive profitability by 2025.
Sector: FinTech
Founders: Filiberto Castro, David Hernández, Amran Frey, Israel García
Investors: Addem Capital, Banco Covalto
🇨🇱 Maxxa Secured a US$10.6 Million Financing
Maxxa is a Chilean Fintech focused on supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This deal will allow Maxxa to offer long-term loans of up to three years, providing SMEs with more financial stability to invest in growth without short-term repayment pressures. The startup is also driving digital transformation through an advanced credit evaluation platform that enables SMEs to access financing in minutes, eliminating the bureaucratic hurdles of traditional banking.
Sector: FinTech
Founders: Cristian Sauterel Durán, Francisco Larrain
Investors: Symbiotics, Delphos
🇨🇴 Sytrex Raises US$1.1 Million New Financing
Colombian startup Sytrex raised US$1.1 million to expand its AI-driven automation platform for the financial sector in the U.S. The startup uses LLMs like Claude and OpenAI to streamline processes in reinsurance and financing, reducing manual work for underwriters and financial institutions. Its AI-powered platform automates tasks such as policy placement, document analysis, income verification, and data-driven recommendations. Sytrex plans to invest the new capital in improving its technology, strengthening cybersecurity, and expanding in key markets like New York, Texas, and San Francisco.
Sector: FinTech
Founders: Carlos Chávez, Daniel Palacios, Andrés Gutiérrez
Investors: Broom Ventures, Aito Capital, Kuiper Ventures, AAC Capital
🇲🇽 Yavendió US$850K Pre-Seed Round
Mexican startup Yavendió raised an US$850K pre-seed round to enhance its AI-powered WhatsApp sales automation platform. The startup’s technology streamlines e-commerce by handling customer interactions, product recommendations, payments, and deliveries without human intervention. Founded in 2023, Yavendió has helped over 100 brands in Mexico and Peru boost sales by 30% while reducing operational costs by 80%.
Sector: E-commerce
Founders: Sebastian Gonzalez, Terry Cruz Melo, David Tafur
Investors: Magma Partners, iThink VC, Semilla Ventures
Startups News
InDrive Expands its Services in Clombia
InDrive closed 2024 with strong growth in Colombia, expanding its services beyond ride-hailing to intercity travel, parcel delivery, and financial solutions. The platform saw an 8% increase in trips and new users, reinforcing its position in the market. A key development was the launch of InDrive Money, which issued over 16,000 microloans in partnership with fintech R2, offering financial support to drivers and users. In 2025, the company plans to expand its presence in 34 operating cities.
🇨🇱 Reversso Partners with Uber Direct
Chilean startup Reversso has partnered with Uber Direct and Blue Express to launch an on-demand return service for e-commerce in Chile. Available in over 25 cities, the service allows customers to request returns through Reversso’s portal, with Uber drivers collecting packages within 20 minutes and delivering them to the nearest Blue Express location. This collaboration aims to streamline logistics, reduces carbon emissions, and enhances convenience for consumers. Currently in a pilot phase in Chile, the initiative aims to expand across Latin America.
VC - M&A News
🇲🇽-🇨🇱 Impact Ventures PSM Seed New US$5 M Fund
Impact Ventures PSM and Impacta VC have launched Impact Ventures PSM Seed, a US$5 million pre-seed and seed fund to support up to 20 early-stage impact startups in Latin America. Targeting sectors like education, health, financial inclusion, and climate tech, the fund will offer investments between US$100,000 and US$300,000, prioritizing scalable tech-driven businesses. With strong track records in impact investing, both organizations aim to bridge the early-stage funding gap by providing capital, mentorship, and strategic connections to help startups grow and drive sustainable change in the region.
Evertec Acquired Cloud Technology Firm Nubity
Evertec, a publicly traded NYSE financial technology company, has acquired cloud technology startup Nubity, which serves over 100 clients in 12 countries. This acquisition strengthens Evertec’s cloud service offerings, enhances its regional reach, and expands its value proposition for businesses undergoing digital transformation. Nubity’s team sees this move as an opportunity to accelerate its growth and expand into new markets while maintaining its commitment to improving technological efficiency for businesses. This acquisition offers a much appreciated liquidity event to its early-backers, including 500 LatAm.
🇦🇺 WiseTech Global Acquired 🇨🇴 Opentecnología
WiseTech Global, the developer behind CargoWise, has acquired Colombian logistics and customs technology company Opentecnología to expand its presence in Latin America. The acquisition strengthens CargoWise’s global customs operations and enhances its capabilities in Colombia, a key nearshoring destination for U.S. trade. Opentecnología, founded in 2004, provides digital solutions for customs compliance, invoicing, and logistics management, serving major logistics operators and exporters in the region. Under WiseTech, the company will continue operating with its existing leadership while integrating CargoWise’s solutions.
Economy
Colombia Secures World Bank Loan
The World Bank has approved a US$700 million loan for Colombia to enhance social programs for vulnerable groups and promote green investments. This marks the second and final part of a broader initiative supporting inclusive, sustainable, and climate-resilient development. Previously, the bank provided US$750 million for climate-related projects, including wind and green hydrogen initiatives.
Expansion Plans
🇨🇴 Yuno is Expanding to the Middle East
Colombian payments orchestration platform Yuno is expanding to the Middle East by establishing its regional headquarters in Qatar. Partnering with Invest Qatar, the company will develop localized payment solutions and tap into the region’s rapidly growing e-commerce market. The move aligns with Qatar’s national strategy to diversify its economy through fintech innovation. Yuno, founded in 2022 by former Rappi employees, enables businesses to access over 1,000 payment methods through a single integration and operates in more than 50 countries.
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Abrazo,
Arnaud
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