Nathan Lustig

Puerto Rico’s Business Climate and Disaster Recovery

Category : Puerto Rico
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Puerto Rico is a US territory, which makes Puerto Ricans US citizens who can live anywhere in the US, but don’t have full rights in Congress and Presidential elections.

Pre Hurricane Maria, you probably knew Puerto Rico from Despacito, the fastest growing video in the history of YouTube, its beautiful beaches and by its crippling debt that has stunted its growth. Entrepreneurs were working against the economic crisis’ backdrop to rebuild the economy even before Maria, but now are also helping in the rebuilding effort.

Home to 3.4 million residents and surprisingly some of the largest and highest grossing retail shops in the world, Puerto Ricans do not let the island’s debt or hurricane recovery define them.  The average monthly wage in San Juan is ~US$2500. However, while Puerto Rico was just getting back on its feet, it was hit with Hurricane Maria, which will take years to fully recover from. Many entrepreneurs hope that Puerto Rico takes these disasters as an opportunity to rethink issues and start from scratch using policies which will hopefully lead to policy changes to help stimulate the economy. One of these projects that Puerto Rico is exploring is leveraging Tesla’s Powerwall and solar energy technology to redo the electricity grid. (more…)

An Entrepreneur’s Guide To Coworking Spaces in Latin America

Category : Latin America Startups and Investing
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Latin America has recently become a booming destination for entrepreneurs and digital nomads looking for fast WiFi, comfortable accommodations, adventure and a lower cost of living. In response, coworking spaces have popped up in every Latin American capital, and even on remote beaches, to attract entrepreneurs and remote professionals to live, collaborate, and work together. Boasting coffee, private Skype rooms, yoga classes, beach access, and open-plan offices, Latin American coworking spaces are encouraging collaboration across the region.

Read on for a list of some of the top coworking spaces in Latin America.

1. La Maquinita – Argentina

La Maquinita is one of Argentina’s most popular coworking spaces, and for good reason. With seven locations across Buenos Aires and in other cities, entrepreneurs are never far from a space to work. Individuals and companies can choose between working in an open-plan room or a private office. On Friday nights, La Maquinita also hosts its famous ‘Fuck Up Nights BA’, where entrepreneurs share their biggest failures, creating a strong community of collaboration and friendship.

Some other notable Argentine coworking spaces include: Urban Station, We Work, AreaTres, Manawa Coworking, and Loop Coworking. More info on Argentina’s business climate. (more…)

Brazil Venture Capital Overview

Category : Brazil
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This post is the fifth in a series about Latin American venture capital ecosystems. Read Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru.

I recently wrote about the growing business opportunities in Brazil, the fifth largest country in the world and home to one of the most tech-savvy populations in Latin America. Despite the recent political turbulence and recession, Brazilian startups are still attracting plenty of attention from investors. New government initiatives and a growing interest from foreign investors are building momentum for Brazil’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

If you’re an investor or seeking funding opportunities for your venture, below is a brief overview of the venture capital ecosystem in Brazil.

Angel Investors

Anjos do Brasil – Anjos do Brasil is a nonprofit founded in 2011 to help further the development of angel investment in Brazil. The organization has over 16 affiliated groups and 350 members across the entire country.

Startup Angels – Startup Angels is an international network that inspires and enables angel investors worldwide, with an office in São Paulo, Brazil’s financial capital. (more…)

Ep 31 Sean Park, How GroupRaise Became The Tastiest Way to Change the World

Category : Chile, Crossing Borders Podcast
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Sometimes the best ideas happen while sharing a meal. In the case of GroupRaise, it’s not just ideas that get shared, but a percentage of the profits as well. GroupRaise is a fundraising organization that partners with restaurants across 50 states to offer time slots where local organizations and international charities can book fundraisers in a few clicks. But most people don’t realize that GroupRaise is one of the most cost effective ways of getting new clients into the restaurant and getting them to come back again. Of 100 people who go to a GroupRaise, 40 are new clients, 82 spend more than average and 96 come back in the future!

On this episode of Crossing Borders, Sean Park, one of the GroupRaise co-founders, joined me at the Magma Partners office in Chile to talk about how he helped start the tastiest way to change the world. This is a great conversation I think you will enjoy!

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