Monashees

Monashees Research Investment Thesis Monashees is Latin America's pioneering venture capital firm, founded in 2005. The firm's guiding principle is "The future is human" – backing technology that enhances human potential rather than merely pursuing "fancy tech." For nearly 20 years, Monashees has invested in Latin American technology-based companies, building a unique ecosystem and supporting founders at every stage from inception to IPO. The fund's thesis centers on human-centered technology with positive impact. Monashees backs passionate founders revolutionizing large markets through innovative tech solutions. They focus on sustainable, long-lasting businesses that contribute meaningfully to society while driving economic transformation in Latin America and beyond. Stage Focus Monashees invests across multiple stages: Pre-Seed : Early-stage capital for prototype development and proof-of-concept Seed : $250K-$5M for teams with initial product and traction Series A : Follow-on investments for companies with product-market fit Growth and Later Stages : Selective participation in proven portfolio companies The firm increasingly participates in later rounds for successful portfolio companies, demonstrating belief in long-term partnerships through the entire company lifecycle. Check Size Typical Range : $250,000 - $5,000,000 Pre-Seed : $250K-$500K for prototype/MVP validation Seed : $1M-$3M for companies with early traction Series A and Beyond : Variable based on company maturity and growth trajectory The firm maintains reserves for follow-on investments, signaling strong commitment to portfolio success through multiple funding rounds. Investment Activity Monashees maintains active deployment across all stages. Recent investments include: January 2026 : Pomelo (Series C round) December 2025 : Rivio (healthcare enterprise systems) 2025 : Continued activity across seed and series A rounds The fund demonstrates consistent activity through market cycles, maintaining operations across multiple regional offices in São Paulo, Mexico City, and San Francisco with global reach throughout Latin America, the US, and Europe. Portfolio Highlights Monashees has invested in 300+ companies over 20 years with ~150+ active portfolio companies. Notable exits and unicorns include: Recent Notable Portfolio Companies: Pomelo (Fintech): Leading digital banking and financial services platform Neon (Fintech): Unicorn fintech company bringing financial services into 21st century Clara (Marketplace): E-commerce unicorn MadeiraMadeira (Ecommerce): Unicorn home/building materials marketplace NowPorts (Logistics): Supply chain digitalization platform Uala (Fintech): Unicorn Latin American fintech Slope (B2B Payments): AI-powered wholesale payments platform Music.ai (AI/Entertainment): Music production AI tools Rappi (On-demand delivery): Major Latin American delivery platform Cambly (Edtech): Global English learning platform Pipedrive (Enterprise SaaS): CRM platform (early investment, global expansion) The portfolio spans enterprise software, fintech, marketplace/ecommerce, edtech, SaaS, AI/ML applications, and services with strong emphasis on solving real Latin American economic challenges. Team Leadership: Eric Acher : Co-Founder & Managing Partner (founded firm in 2005) Marcelo Lima : General Partner Caio Bolognesi : General Partner Fabiola Quinzaños : Partner Muriel Kaufmann : Partner and General Counsel William Mimassi Pedroso : Partner, Operations and Investor Relations Aline Esteves : Partner, People Fabio Igel : Co-Founder and Partner Emeritus (founder) Investment Team: Marcelo Gobato : Principal Lindemberg Samuel : Associate Jaime Barrenechea : Associate Operational Leadership: Andres Campero : Head of AI (emerging AI focus) Jan Kishi Diniz : Head of Founder Journey Gustavo Silvano : Head of Finance Marianne Lucilio : Head of Community and Talent Venture Partners: Carlo Dapuzzo, Guto Araujo, Rodrigo Aldrighi, Sullyen Almeida (Scout Partners) Total team: 27 professionals including 6+ partners Decision Process & Timeline Decision Structure: Partnership-based with multiple stakeholders in major decisions Structured investment committee for portfolio decisions Managing partners hold significant decision authority Investment Process: Warm introductions strongly preferred but not always required for exceptional founders Relatively efficient decision timelines typical for seed/series A stage Founder relationship and team assessment critical to decision Geographic Focus & Expansion Primary : Latin America (especially Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Colombia) Secondary : US offices in San Francisco for global connections Tertiary : Selective investments in Europe through Paris/London presence Strategy : "Global Latam" approach - connects LatAm founders to global capital and talent Trilingual firm (Spanish, Portuguese, English) with local presence across major Latin American hubs. Value-Add & Support Monashees emphasizes true partnership through comprehensive founder support: Operational Support: Talent acquisition assistance (extensive global recruitment expertise) Company building and scaling advice (20 years VC experience in LatAm) Leadership development and team structure guidance Compensation design and company culture building Financial Support: Fundraising introductions to global funds Follow-on financing guidance through growth stages Exit strategy support Network Access: Expert network including industry specialists, seasoned founders, and strategic partners Community of 300+ founders (150+ current portfolio companies) for collaboration and peer learning Co-investor relationships for lead introductions Specialized Expertise: Head of AI specifically supporting portfolio in emerging AI applications Founder Journey team dedicated to founder experience and support Local operations teams managing LP relationships and fund administration Lead Tendency Follows and Co-Leads: Typically co-leads or participates in rounds rather than strictly leading Often brings operational expertise and founder relationships rather than capital as primary value Will lead pre-seed and seed rounds for exceptional founders in core thesis areas Flexible approach: leads when fund has conviction, participates when adding specific value Founder Preferences Monashees seeks passionate, mission-driven founders who: Focus on solving real market problems with human impact Demonstrate deep market understanding and domain expertise Show resilience through entrepreneurial challenges and market cycles Embrace long-term vision over short-term hype Value partnership and mentorship from experienced investors The firm explicitly supports female founders and underrepresented entrepreneurs as part of long-term ecosystem building commitment. Notable Track Record Portfolio Exits : 38+ exits including multiple unicorns Hit Rate : Approximately 5% unicorn creation rate from 81 portfolio companies Longevity : 20+ years navigating venture capital cycles since 2005 Scale : 300+ total investments, 150+ current portfolio companies Recent Strategic Focus Emerging area: AI & Emerging Technologies Dedicated AI team lead (Andres Campero, Head of AI) Supporting portfolio companies leveraging AI (e.g., Music.ai, SlopeGPT) Positioning for next wave of AI-driven Latin American innovation Decision Timeline Seed/Series A: Typically 2-4 weeks from term sheet to close Pre-seed: Faster process, 1-2 weeks possible Series B and beyond: Variable, typically 4-8 weeks Warm introductions accelerate process significantly Warm Introduction Requirement Preferred but not absolute requirement. Warm introductions from trusted founders or partners significantly accelerate process and improve odds of partnership. Typical Involvement Board representation : Partial or observer seats depending on round and fund participation percentage Active involvement : Regular check-ins with Head of Founder Journey and relevant partners Follow-on flexibility : Committed reserves for future rounds of strong performers Network access : Immediate introduction to expert network and community of 300+ founders Fund Status Actively Deploying : Fund remains in active investment phase with 2025-2026 investments ongoing Multiple Fund Generations : Monashees has raised multiple funds (Monashees X and beyond) Continuous Innovation : Dedicated AI team reflects ongoing adaptation to market evolution Investment Model Philosophy "True partnership" anchors Monashees' approach with practical operational support, making founders comfortable calling on the firm in good and challenging times.