Leonardo Teixeira

Being an investor in the gaming space and a Brazilian tax payer, it's imperative that the industry and government work together to find solutions. Kudos to the central bank for releasing this rarely seen level of detail given their ownership and oversight of the PIX payment system. The numbers released for August are staggering: - R$3bn of Handle wagered by Bolsa Familia (social welfare) beneficiaries - That equates to 20% of total Bolsa Familia $ transferred during the month - 25% of all social beneficiaries placed bets Across the board legalization of online gambling (I would argue that the authors are misguided in just labeling it sports betting) needs to be accompanied by real responsible gaming efforts. Given the PIX system, hopefully the Brazilian gaming regulators can work with government and industry RG leaders to devise new and efficient guardrails. #responsibleGaming #igaming #iCasino #onlineSportsBetting #BraziliGaming

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Congratulations to the entire team of South Africa’s Tyme Group for achieving unicorn status with latest Series D funding round led by Brazil’s Nubank, the world’s largest digital bank (NYSE:NU), and UK M&G plc Investments (London: MNG), among existing investors. Tyme Group is based in Singapore but South African in origin with a tech & product development hub in Vietnam. The new funding will allow Tyme to expand its regional footprint in Southeast Asia beyond the Philippines’ GoTyme Bank. Just as important, it allows Nubank & Tyme to cross-leverage on each other’s analytics, insights and capabilities. However, understanding the local markets well, be it next in Indonesia or Vietnam, will be key - as is finding the right partners. The underbanked & underserved populations and micro-small medium businesses in many emerging economies should have access to convenient & purposeful digital banking services. Today’s technology enables this. And regulators have to strike a good balance between financial inclusion & protecting the financial system. Close collaboration is the best way forward as we embrace the fast evolving fintech landscape. Glad to be a small part of the next banking revolution. https://lnkd.in/gmzaw6TA #Tyme #Gotyme #Digitalbank #Banking #Neobanks #Fintech #SeriesD #FinancialInclusion #Disruption #emergingmarkets TymeX GFTN

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VOX Capital VOX Capital invests in climate finance solutions in Brazil, managing funds targeting energy transition, early-stage ventures, and low-carbon agriculture. https://lnkd.in/dn9GA3kW Please share to let other #Founders know For the ❤️ of Startups #Fusion42 #Startups#Venturecapital

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Interesting paper on the next level of AI ethics. Heterogeneity problem and how could AI help alleviate the issues around informational and behavioral gaps to aid markets to deliver better. Actually, this is similar to 90s when we were discussing how internet would be solving the issue of information gaps and allow markets to function efficiently as per the premise of the (neoliberal) economic models. That failed to deliver and now the hope is AI will be able to address these gaps to enable markets to function efficiently which will benefit all, and not a certain group (human welfare), with help of regulation. Well, one can only hope.

🚀 This one’s for the founders: a masterclass in execution and innovation. This week, I sat down with Adhemar M., founder and CEO of Kovi, a Brazilian company redefining mobility through car subscriptions and connected tech in a market plagued by high costs and limited credit access. Backed by ~$145M in funding from the likes of Valor Capital Group, monashees, MAYA CAPITAL, Globo Ventures, Norte Ventures and Peter Thiel's family office, Kovi is addressing high car costs, tough credit barriers, and insurance gaps in one of the world’s most exciting markets. What we covered 👇🏻 ​🔑 Driving innovation: How Brazil’s mobility challenges are powering market transformation ​🤝 Connect the dots: Building stronger founder/VC partnerships through transparency and market education ⚙️ Complexity doesn’t scale: Lessons in building efficient, scalable operations 🌐 Break down silos: Creating synergy between tech and operations in a startup ​⚡ Clean win: How Brazil’s renewable edge and gig economy lead the EV growth Link in comments—don’t miss this one! 🎧 PS: Thank you Vander Corteze, MD for the intro to Adhemar and for some excellent question suggestions 👏🏻

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Incredible positive leadership by Marcelo Claure and his team; we share his conviction for delivering outsized returns by leveraging diversity. In fact, we believe the time is now because in a world where AI can easily summarize and draw insights from the world’s information, we will increasingly commoditize conventional ideas and will pay a higher premium for non-conventional thinking. This non-conventional thinking will have to come from uncommon entrepreneurs and will be fueled by diversity of thought. This is why diversity in entrepreneurship will be an even more important driver of outsized venture returns.

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A rapidly maturing startup ecosystem, heightened due diligence practices, and a steady pipeline of startups gearing up for public markets, India is clearly the promised land for investors and entrepreneurs alike. In a recent interview with Vibhuti Sharma from DealStreetAsia, I delved into how India remains a key focus for RTP Global. We discussed how with our new $1B fund, we are doubling down on the region's potential, backed by our dedicated team in India supporting early-stage entrepreneurs. India is an essential part of RTP Global's long-term vision, and we remain committed to nurturing innovative startups that can scale globally

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The Brazilian CBDC project, #DREX, is progressing. The Banco Central do Brasil recently announced 13 selected #usecases for Phase II, chosen from 42 submissions by 16 consortia. Parallax Ventures portfolio company, Mercado Bitcoin, stands out as the sole #crypto-native firm leading a DREX consortium, with four distinct proposals selected - the highest among all participants. Below is a list of all selected use cases and the consortia driving their development: 1. Assignment of Receivables: ABC and Inter 2. Loans collateralized by Bank Deposits: BB, Bradesco, and Itaú 3. Loans collateralized by Government Bonds: Mercado Bitcoin, ABBC, and ABC 4. International Trade Finance: Inter 5. FX Optimization: XP-Visa, NuBank 6. Public Debt Securities Liquidity Pool: Mercado Bitcoin. ABC, and Inter 7. Bank Credit Notes (CCB) Transactions: ABBC 8. Corporate Bonds (Debentures) Transactions: B3, BTG 9. Agri-backed Securities Transactions: Mercado Bitcoin, TecBan, and XP-Visa 10. Carbon Credit Transactions (CBIO): Santander 11. Automobile Transactions: B3, BV, Santander 12. Real Estate Transactions: BB, Caixa, SFCoop 13. Tokenized Assets Transactions in Public Networks: Mercado Bitcoin #VC #VentureCapital #FintechVC #Fintech #Blockchain #Crypto https://lnkd.in/dmP6VV8S

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One other thing on Nubank. Something you don’t hear enough about is their SME banking product. Micro and small enterprises are an essential (and massive!) part of the Brazilian economy, accounting for 93.7% of all legally constituted companies (20.3 million). Right now, Nubank has 2.6 million SME customers, growing 44% year over year. That leaves a lot of the market untapped and a huge upside potential for them. Watch this segment in quarters to come. If they can replicate their success here as they did with consumers, there's a ton of upside potential.

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𝐒𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐀𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐄𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐲 (𝐒𝐀𝐅𝐄) The Simple Agreement for Future Equity, often referred to as SAFE, is a popular financial instrument used by early-stage startups to raise capital without determining an immediate valuation or issuing equity. Here are the key elements of the SAFE: 1. Future Equity Conversion: The primary purpose of a SAFE is to convert into equity at a future financing round, typically triggered by a qualified financing event such as a priced equity financing or a sale of the company. 2. Investment Amount: Specifies the amount of money the investor is putting into the company in exchange for the SAFE. 3. Discount Rate: Many SAFEs include a discount rate which allows investors to receive shares at a lower price per share than investors in the subsequent priced round. This rewards early investors for taking on more risk. 4. Valuation Cap: A valuation cap is a maximum valuation at which the investment in the SAFE will convert into equity. If the subsequent financing round values the company above the cap, the investor in the SAFE benefits by converting their investment at a lower valuation, effectively receiving more equity for their investment. 5. Conversion Event: Specifies the events or conditions under which the SAFE will convert into equity. 6. Dilution Protection: Some SAFEs may include anti-dilution provisions to protect investors in case the company issues equity at a lower valuation than the SAFE's conversion price in a subsequent financing round. 7. Maturity Date: Although less common, some SAFEs may have a maturity date, after which the investment converts into equity regardless of whether qualified financing has occurred. 8. Termination Events: Events that can terminate the SAFE, such as a change of control or dissolution of the company, may also be specified. 9. Rights and Obligations: Outlines any rights or obligations of the investor and the company, such as information rights or restrictions on the company's ability to incur debt. These elements vary depending on the terms negotiated between the investor and the startup. SAFEs are designed to be simple and streamlined compared to traditional equity financing, making them attractive for early-stage startups and investors seeking flexibility and simplicity in fundraising. Please click this link for a two-minute video on SAFE Basic Elements: https://lnkd.in/gdZCZ4Yk? Follow me on LinkedIn (https://lnkd.in/dUKQjs3u) or contact me at john@channelsherpa.com to learn more about how we can assist you in your Startup journey. #innovation #technology #entrepreneur #venturecapital #startup #digitalmarketing #management #vc #venturecapital #startups #entrepreneurs #entrepreneurship #tech #deeptech #ai #artificialintelligence #future #money #business

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This piece from Sonnet Frisbie underscores the interconnectedness of tech regulation, geopolitics, and the challenges of operating in politically divided markets. I expect the Trump administration to favor light-touch regulation and oppose foreign rules on U.S. tech firms. However, domestic and international antitrust debates will influence U.S. and foreign approaches to regulating big tech. Policy paralysis has left the U.S. behind as the EU's Digital Markets Act shapes global standards, affecting countries like Brazil. Social media companies face growing scrutiny, with political factions worldwide using these platforms to advance agendas. Tech firms must navigate these challenges while addressing accusations of censorship and partisanship. #geopolitics #bigtech #socialmedia #politicaleconomy

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I have a unique list of places to visit, ranging from natural landscapes to tech centers and research facilities. One place at the top of my list was the Sirius synchrotron light source in Campinas, Brazil, the second brightest in the world. I recommend you read this recent piece (https://lnkd.in/dcfucTcr) about Sirius, on how AI turbocharges the particle accelerator and green hydrogen in the capital of science. Reading the piece about Campinas, a city 100 km from São Paulo, reminded me of its remarkable tech-oriented and science-dense economy. Home to one of Brazil's top universities and numerous deep-tech companies with global ambitions, Campinas offers a unique blend of globally-minded tech entrepreneurship and world-class science. Big science projects like Sirius are essential for advancing knowledge and driving innovation. At the GFCC | The Global Federation of Competitiveness Councils, we highlighted this in the "Leveraging Extreme Innovation" report (https://bit.ly/3Wes9a5), analyzing 17 transformational tech projects worldwide, including Sirius. These projects push the boundaries of science, technology, and business, leading to market innovations. Sirius is part of the Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), a major science infrastructure with global relevance. Notably, CNPEM operates as a private non-profit, showcasing the importance of institutional innovation. Innovation in institutions is crucial for emerging nations, especially in Latin America. Hugo Resende, a favorite author of mine on LinkedIn, shares valuable insights on innovation. We agree on three key points (right, Hugo?) innovation is poorly understood in Brazil, it's primarily about business and the economy, not just science and technology, and Brazil needs to improve its business environment and modernize its institutions to foster innovation. Even operating under the Brazilian business environment and institutional constraints, CNPEM’s innovative model provides a template for what is possible to do in the country regarding science and technology, and even innovation. But real change will only happen when Brazil trains and empowers a globally-minded generation of Brazilians at scale. Universidade Estadual de Campinas (Unicamp), a key player in training talent, has produced companies like the Nasdaq-listed CI&T showcasing successful examples of research-industry partnerships. Interestingly, CNPEM harbors ILUM (https://ilum.cnpem.br/), a highly innovative, project-based higher education program. Federal universities in Brazil need reinvention, and ILUM's innovative setup could serve as an inspiration. It reminds me of what my friend João Jornada achieved during his tenure at Inmetro, combining cutting-edge research with education, creating the opportunity for students to work with cutting-edge science tools, in globally relevant projects. Any thoughts BR colleagues? If you are not Brazilian: to these points resonate with your reality? Comments?

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Imagine speaking without saying a word! Sci-fi? Not Anymore 🧠🗣️ Rubén Domínguez Ibar and I had the chance of interviewing Vasco Pedro, the CEO & Co-Founder of Unbabel, who demoed their mind-blowing product, Halo Halo is a revolutionary technology that combines hardware, software Gen AI and a non invasive neural interface to translate brain signals into words hence - "speaking without saying a word" 🤯 Early usage is transforming the lives of ALS patients who haven't been able to speak in years. Seeing it in action is absolutely jaw-dropping 📽️ You've got to see the demo in the interview below 👇 AI For Good 🤖💖 - It's here ✅

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Backed by a16z and QED, Brazilian startup Carecode puts AI agents to work on healthcare (HIHUB.TECH🌎Health Innovation♾️Leaders🧬NEWS) Brazilian startup Carecode is among these AI believers. It’s coming out of stealth with an ambition to reduce healthcare costs and improve medical outcomes by developing AI agents that focus on tasks that happen before and after a medical appointment — and would typically be run by a call center. “We tend to think that only the moment with the doctor is what matters, but after having spent 10 years in healthcare I realized that those moments [around the appointment] are as important as the medical encounter,” CEO Thomaz Srougi (pictured right in the above image) told TechCrunch. Srougi comes from a family of doctors, but he’s not one himself; his firsthand knowledge of healthcare comes from founding dr.consulta, a private medical service provider scaleup that’s raised some $168 million in funding, and where he remains chairman. Carecode is still early in its fundraising journey, but already has an impressive cap table: Its $4.3 million pre-seed round was mostly funded by a16z and QED, with participation from Endeavor Catalyst, KDX Ventures , K50 Ventures, and Latitud Ventures, as well as high-profile figures from Brazil’s tech scene, including Nubank founder David Vélez. Venture capital in Latin America is still going through a “startup winter,” but — as this pre-seed raise underscores — there is still funding for entrepreneurs with track records like Srougi and his co-founder, Pedro Magalhães, a former CTO at several other startups, including BEES Bank Brasil and Zé Delivery. Be a Member✨HIHUB.TECH🌎Health Innovation♾️Leaders🧬 https://hihub.in/HIHUBTECH From: Anna Heim, TechCrunch,30/12/24 https://lnkd.in/dtsKzA6f

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If you are curious to learn about angel funds, their difference to other angel investing models and how it reduces the risk of investing in startups, come listen to this episode of VC10X podcast. Here, Prashant Choubey and I talk about this and much more. Thank you Prashant for this conversation! #angelinvesting #startups #innovation #angels #angelfunds #coreangels

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Tucano completes the sale of all of its shares in Sundwiger Messingwerk to KME Acquired in November 2020 as a corporate carve-out, Sundwiger Messingwerk’s EBITDA increased more than sevenfold under Tucano’s ownership. Founded in Hemer, Sundwiger Messingwerk, with over 350 employees, generates annual revenues exceeding EUR 200 million. Its products, widely used across industries including automotive, electrical, and telecommunications, have established the company as a leader in copper alloy manufacturing. Acquired by Tucano and fellow investors in November 2020 via a carve-out from the Diehl Group, Sundwiger Messingwerk was transformed into a highly profitable enterprise under Tucano’s ownership. Effective January 6th 2025, Tucano announces the successful sale of all of its shares in Sundwiger Messingwerk, a leading German manufacturer of high-quality copper alloys, to KME Group, one of the world’s largest producers of copper and copper alloy products. Special thanks go to the management that has relentlessly and passionately driven the transformation of Sundwiger Messingwerk over the past years!

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‌I recently returned from spending a week in São Paulo, where I had the pleasure of visiting friends and loved ones. In addition to reconnecting, I engaged in productive discussions with founders, fellow venture capitalists, and other asset allocators. ✈ 👨‍💻 👊 The trip was filled with great meetings, offering valuable insights and market perspectives on early-stage venture capital and the fintech ecosystem in Brazil. 🎯 🌎 💡 #VCs #earlystage #investments #networking

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This is a very interesting read and perspective on the global policy arena and how the strategy Meta is using here in the US impacts a global effort to protect kids online. #kosa #meta #onlinechildsafety #dutyofcare #CDA230 #CDA230reform

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Strong day in the coffee market. Today, the market is up 4.50% following reports of frosts in Brazil. 🌱☕ For a detailed analysis and on-the-ground insights, check out Demetrio's opinion in the article below: https://lnkd.in/eN_X5pDu #CoffeeMarket #MarketAnalysis #BrazilFrosts #Insights EklipX Research Demétrio Godinho da Silva

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