Video: The State of Venture Capital and Entrepreneurship in Latin America in 2013

On April 18, 2013 AS/COA and Latin American Venture Capital Association hosted a forum on venture capital and entrepreneurship in Latin America, corresponding with the release of the 2013 LAVCA Scorecard. Distinguished investors, business leaders, and entrepreneurs explored what governments are doing to promote venture capital and offer an update on startup activity and investments in the region—particularly in the booming tech sector. Topics included the growing number of new companies receiving funding in the region, the importance of connections between U.S. investors and Latin American companies, and the challenges to fostering a more sophisticated ecosystem for venture capital in the region. Cate Ambrose, president of LAVCA, cited Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico as the four markets where one finds the most support from governments and development banks, but stressed that it takes decades to build a venture ecosystem and the level of sophistication among companies that is expected by investors. All speakers agreed that regulation presents one of the biggest hurdles to expanding companies across borders.