ATLalts Interview with Carlos Torres de la Cuba, Managing Partner of AMG Block
In this episode:
Carlos Torres de la Cuba, Managing Partner of AMG Block, a seed stage venture capital firm headquartered in Mexico City focused on investing in the FinTech and blockchain sector in Mexico and Spanish-speaking Latin America, talks to Andres about his journey to starting his venture capital firm, the market and investment dynamics in the LatAm region, how technology can improve financial inclusion for the underbanked and underserved, and what characteristics he looks for in founders.
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Show notes
Personal background
3:21
Educational background
4:27
Transitioning from working with family to a career in banking
6:05
Lessons learned from working in banking
7:39
Diving into the startup and venture landscape
8:55
Working at a FinTech startup
9:50
Hard lessons learned in getting funded, but the beginning of a new opportunity
10:43
Starting a venture capital firm
11:10
Fintech laws and regulation in Mexico
11:36
Living abroad
12:47
Building relationships globally through the MBA program
13:27
The educational gap in FinTech and the VC asset class
15:02
Comparisons between SE Asia and Latin America
16:09
The VC landscape in Peru, Argentina, and Brazil
17:05
The VC landscape in Mexico; Case study in a unicorn born in Mexico/Kavak
17:34
Market dynamics across Mexico and Latin America
18:47
Differences in valuations
19:25
Message to entrepreneurs in Mexico seeking venture backing
20:14
Taking a more human approach to venture investing
20:47
A human approach to investing – going beyond the term sheet
21:11
Advice for founders
22:13
What we look for in founders
23:18
Looking beyond the team and screening investment opportunities
23:45
Business verticals AMG Block is excited about today
25:13
Disrupting the current system and fixing broken processes in banking
27:46
Market expansion across LatAm and to the United States for local startups
29:18
Venture capital solving convenience issues (USA) versus fundamental problems (LatAm)
30:23
Mexico is more than Los Cabos and Cancun
31:54
Rapid Fire Q&A – books, shows, tech tools, work-family dynamics
32:41
Lessons learned from the past year?
34:57
More information on Carlos Torres and AMG Block
37:08
Preview of Episode #2 – Antonio Luck and Adriana Suarez of MatterScale Ventures
37:39
Thank you and engaging with us on social media
38:00