Tech is becoming big business in the LatAm region, with new tech startups popping up at what almost seems like a daily basis. Hubs like Guadalajara have been dubbed the Silicon Valley of Mexico and it’s not hard to see why. With that in mind, lets take a look at some of the best tech startups that Latin America has to offer.
Sontra
Cargo is an opportunity for big business in South America. It’s notoriously inefficient, especially in Brazil, where trucks are only full around 60% of the time. Enter Sontra. Kind of like an Uber for Cargo, it allows businesses to connect with lorry drivers who have space on their vehicle to transport goods. It’s all done through their handy app
Rappi
Rappi is a Columbian-based food delivery application similar to UberEats. What’s great about them is that not only do they deliver all the fast food you can think of, they have relationships with grocery stores too so you can get all your regular food delivered to your door too. Food delivery is by no means a new concept, but Rappi are endeavoring to be the one-stop-shop for all which is why they are merging the ideas of what separate companies do in the US. Just like with Uber, they rely on contractors to fulfill their orders which is a great opportunity for part-time workers and students wanting to boost their income. They now operate in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru and Uruguay as well and have over a billion dollars in equity funding.
Nubank
A spokesperson from MONEDEROsmart recommends keeping an eye on the fintech industry. It’s notoriously far more difficult for people living in Latin America to open a bank account. Something we can do so simply in the US can be a bit of a challenge which means that there’s increased need for Neo (online only) banks. One of these banks who is doing particularly well in Brazil and now Mexico is Nubank. It can be accessed directly from your phone and you can even receive a free mobile credit card upon application. They even have a loyalty scheme.
S4
AgTech is a bit of an emerging market in Latin America as well as across the globe and is taking what was likely once considered a very traditional industry to the 21st century. S4 is an analytics and insurance provider for farmers across the globe, not just LatAm. They provide both hardware and software solutions for dealing with issues such as flooding which can completely destroy a harvest and can either offer crop monitoring from satellites offering accurate estimates of yields in any particular period.
