Angel Ventures Analyst shares his reflections and best practices on working at a LATAM Fund.
Malcolm Grba began working with Angel Ventures as a Fulbright-García Robles Scholar in September 2019. This July, he transitioned into his role as an Investment Analyst, collaborating with startups through each stage of the investment process (initial contact through investment) for Angel Ventures’ Pacific Alliance Fund (AV PAF II), with a focus on process optimization, business model synthesis, emerging market synergies, and research.
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Just over a year ago, during my first month at Angel Ventures, I was tasked with attending my first industry event, the FoodTech Summit and Expo of 2019 at Centro Citibanamex. On the heels of Nestlé’s’ recent investment in our Pacific Alliance fund, my objectives were twofold: (1) to meet with founders in the innovation section of the event, and (2) to document relevant insights and trends from the event’s lineup of speakers. Notepad in hand, and indulging in a few samples on the way, I made a beeline for the table of startups representing distinct Latin American countries.
Four hours later, I had met with all of the events’ startups, and sat in on several events including Mintel’s “the evolution of ‘clean’ in food and drink in Latin America” which underscored the importance of “natural” in addition to nutritional claims in the eye of the consumer. As I walked away from the arena and towards the nearest Ecobici station, countless ideas whirled around my head. Although we continue to face seemingly insurmountable challenges, the optimism and innovation I had just experienced left me inspired. Rather than meeting such difficulties with apathy and inaction, these entrepreneurs and thought leaders were doing something about these challenges.
This inspiration is part of what I love about being a venture capital analyst in Latin America. Every day, I meet and converse with founders throughout the region and world looking to address some of Latin America’s most embedded challenges. From financial inclusion to food security, the founders that we meet with are looking at the how, not the if, of improving and empowering the communities around them.
As an analyst, my role is dynamic. On any given day, I may interview several startups, research specific sectors and geographies, and contribute to a diligence report before signing off. The versatility of this role keeps my intellectual curiosity firmly engaged. While this variation can be difficult at times, our multidisciplinary team is always available to lend a hand.
To complement my day-to-day and stay up to date on different developments in the industry on a regional and global level, I rotate several different podcasts into my diet. This audio-first format gives my eyes some much needed rest and allows me to fully immerse myself in the topic or interview at hand. Below you will find several of my favorite programs, and I sincerely thank all of their creators for having provided such quality content over the past few years.
