Celebrating Women's Impact in the Fintech World: Women Who Inspired International Women's Day

28.9% of management positions in Mexican Fintechs are held by women, according to the 8th edition of the Finnovista Fintech Radar Mexico. This data reflects a similar trend throughout the Latin American region, where women are playing increasingly prominent roles in the Fintech ecosystem. In Argentina, 32% of management positions are held by women, while in Peru the percentage is 24.4%. In Chile, 31.2% of startup talent is female.

Gender Equity in the Latin American Fintech Ecosystem

In the context of the challenge of diversity and gender equity in the financial industry in Latin America, it is crucial to recognize and celebrate the impact of women who are leading the way to a new era in the Fintech world. Therefore, on the occasion of International Women’s Day, Finnovista launched the challenge “Women who inspire” to highlight the impact of these leaders. Through emotional messages on social networks using the hashtag #8MwithFinnovista, the community paid tribute to these women, highlighting their contribution and promoting diversity in the sector.

This initiative not only celebrates the individual achievements of these professionals, but aims to highlight in general the importance of gender equity in Fintech. By highlighting the work and dedication of these leaders, it seeks to inspire a new generation and foster a more inclusive and collaborative environment in the industry.

Fintech Women Making a Difference

Ximena Aleman, Co-Founder & Co-CEO of Prometeo OpenBanking / @WeFintech Ambassador

Ximena is a leading figure for her pioneering leadership in the implementation of open banking in Latin America. Her strategic vision and determination led her to recently lead the successful Series A investment round of Prometeo, an alumni startup of Startupbootcamp, an acceleration program managed by Finnovista and, therefore, part of our investment portfolio. Ximena has become, through this capital raising milestone, a significant precedent as the first woman to lead a company in which PayPal Ventures decides to invest. Her exemplary track record demonstrates how talent and vision can challenge boundaries and open new horizons in the Fintech industry.

Cinthia Merlos, Co-Founder & COO of Vexi. Tarjeta de crédito

& Gabriela Estrada, CoFounder & CEO of VEXI

Cinthia and Gabriela have been fundamental pillars in the establishment of Vexi, the Mexican neobank that seeks to democratize access to the financial system. In addition, Vexi is an alumni of Startupbootcamp and is also part of our investment portfolio, highlighting their commitment to innovation and equity in the Fintech industry. Her bold vision and unwavering commitment have paved the way for thousands of Mexican women to access the financial sector and achieve economic empowerment, becoming an inspiring reference in the industry.

Cristina Mendoza, Coo & Cofounder of Konsigue (acquired by CapitalTech)

Cristina Mendoza was a pioneer in the democratization of credit for Mexican SMEs through her work at Konsigue, Startupbootcamp’s alumni startup and part of our investment portfolio. With more than a decade of experience in finance and insurance, she has developed a deep knowledge in key areas such as credit, operations, treasury, marketing and product.

In addition, Cristina was Head Of Operations at Konvierte, where she was dedicated to developing innovative solutions to financial challenges, identifying problems and proposing effective solutions that are validated in the market. Her passion for making a positive impact in the financial world drives her to continue innovating and developing significant projects in this area.

María Luz Martínez González, CEO & Founder of Vale Pay

Maria Luz, a prominent Mexican entrepreneur, founded ValePay, a company that is part of Finnovista’s investment portfolio, to address the limited accessibility of workers to exchange their labor vouchers. She detected that debit and credit cards are the most popular payment methods in the digital world, leaving voucher users with few options to use their benefits. With ValePay, it sought to open this technological solution to e-commerce, democratizing payments and processing hybrid digital transactions. ValePay has participated in several entrepreneurship programs, including ImpactAim Global SDG’s Tech PreAcelerator- Seedstars, Startupbootcamp managed by Finnovista, Softlanding Chile and Campamento Nacional POSiBLE. She competed in AT&T Mexico’s “eNovadoras” competition, demonstrating her determination to overcome obstacles and achieve her goals in the world of entrepreneurship.

Tessa Flippin, Co-Founder of La Plataforma & Founder and Managing Partner de Capitalize VC

Tessa has been a driving force in transforming international transfers and investing in diverse entrepreneurs. Currently, as a Managing Partner at Capitalize VC, a Chicago-based venture capital fund, she focuses on investing in pre-seed stage diverse founders in the retail, fintech and consumer brand industries. Previously, she began her venture capital career as an investor at TechNexus, where she specialized in early-stage enterprise SaaS technologies. She then joined Genius Guild Greenhouse Fund as an investment partner, focusing on Fintech, health tech and connectivity. Prior to her foray into venture capital, Tessa founded La Plataforma, a Fintech payments platform that makes international transfers in Latin America. La Plataforma is a Startupbootcamp alumni and part of our investment portfolio. Tessa, a graduate of Stanford University with an MBA from Columbia Business School, also spends her time serving on the boards of BLCK VC Midwest and Chicago:Blend, working to promote diversity in the technology ecosystem.

Mariana Garza Villalobos, CEO & Founder of Inverkids

Mariana is a dedicated educator who guides new generations in their first financial steps. Passionate about Personal Finance, her mission is to raise awareness among adults, children and young people about the importance of paying themselves first and managing their resources properly. Inverkids, also an alumni of Startupbootcamp and startups invested by Finnovista, represents a testament to Mariana’s commitment to financial education and the economic empowerment of future generations.

Giovanna Muñoz Milián, CEO & Co-fundador of Flotify e Innovación en Coppel S.A. de C.V.

Giovanna Muñoz Milián, the mind behind Flotify, revolutionized fleet insurance management in Mexico with her innovative approach! Flotify, which also went through our Startupbootcamp acceleration program and is part of our portfolio, represents an efficient and digitized solution for companies and insurers. Giovanna has demonstrated her ability to transform traditional industries through the application of innovative technology and is an outstanding example of entrepreneurship in the fintech sector.

Josefa Marzo Pons – Portfolio Director at Kalonia

Josefa has a distinguished career spanning over 20 years, where she has cultivated a strong expertise in Fintech and a fervent passion for backing innovative startups that revolutionize the financial sector. At Kalonia Venture Partners, a European venture capital firm, he leads the investment strategy, portfolio management and value creation of early stage B2B technology companies, especially in the Fintech, Insurtech and Proptech sectors. From Spain, its commitment lies in empowering Latin American entrepreneurs with capital, networking and knowledge, while promoting an inclusive and diverse innovation and collaboration ecosystem.

Natalia Cueto Salinas, Chief Executive Officer de Vadi Exchange

Natalia stands out as an influential figure in the field of blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies. With a track record of over 22 years in the financial industry, corporate finance and market analysis in Mexico and Latin America, she has excelled as a serial entrepreneur and digital transformation strategist. Her passion for cryptocurrency trading, blockchain technology, artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things (IoT) has made her a pioneer and early adopter enthusiast of these technologies. Her female presence in this field is a testament to the transformative potential and diversity that enriches our industry.

Rocio H. Robles, Partner at Tenet Consultores S.C.

Rocío is a leading expert in financial, securities, commercial and tax law. As a partner at Tenet Consultores, S.C., she has played a key role in advising on the obtaining of 24 definitive authorizations for Financial Technology Institutions and a Sociedad Financiera Popular. Her trajectory includes an outstanding performance at the National Banking and Securities Commission, where she led the design, development and implementation of the FinTech Law. In addition, she is the author of several reference books in the field, including “Regulation of Crowdfunding in Latin America and the Caribbean” and “Venture Capital: the alternative financing for micro, small and medium enterprises”, as well as compiler and/or author of several collective books, demonstrating her deep commitment to research and dissemination of knowledge in the financial sector. Her outstanding work has earned her awards and distinctions for her academic and professional contributions.

Andrea Betancur Aristizábal, Country Manager de Tasatop

Andrea Betancur, an industrial engineer graduated from the National University of Colombia and with an MBA from ESAN in Peru, stands out as an outstanding figure in Tasatop, also an alumni of Startupbootcamp and part of our portfolio. Her commitment and enthusiasm for innovation have left a significant mark in the advancement of the fintech sector, making her an inspiring example for other women entrepreneurs in the region.

Elena Cruz Lorenzo, Digital Innovation Manager at Banco Azteca

Elena is a leading figure in Mexico’s Fintech sector, having shown a deep commitment to financial innovation and talent development. Her passion for making a positive impact in the world and promoting collaboration has been instrumental in driving entrepreneurship and transforming economies.

After graduating from UNAM’s School of Economics, Elena immersed herself in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. For 3 years, she worked as Business Manager at Wayra Mexico, collaborating with more than 40 technology startups in acceleration services and establishing connections with the public and private sector. Her experience includes participation in venture capital events, operational management and entrepreneurship.

Between 2017 and 2019, Elena managed 6 acceleration programs at Startupbootcamp, our acceleration and scaling program in Mexico, boosting the Fintech sector in the region and backing more than 45 startups in its portfolio.

In addition, she was our COO, where she collaborated in the development of innovation programs for corporates, leveraging the Fintech and Insurtech ecosystem to achieve business results and foster new organizational capabilities.

The startup Tu Identidad, also a Startupbootcamp alumni project and part of our portfolio, highlighted the work of these outstanding women on LinkedIn:

This project arises from a talented team convinced of its ability to generate a transformative impact on the market. Founded in 2017 in Mexico City by a group of specialists with extensive experience in the financial, regulatory and technological sector, it seeks to create a new ecosystem in identity validation that is useful for companies, customers and users, offering an innovative way of doing business.

Empowering the Future: Women Transforming the Fintech World

These are just a few of the many inspiring women who are making their mark in the Fintech world. At Finnosummit we are committed to supporting and celebrating female talent in all its forms, and we look forward to continuing to see how these women – and many more from new generations – continue to transform the financial landscape in Latin America and beyond.

If you were left wanting more, we invite you to watch this touching video we recorded at FINNOSUMMIT Connect 2024 in Cancun, where several attendees shared their stories and mentioned those women who have left an indelible mark on their lives and careers.