We believe we have witnessed the launch of a paradigm-shifting new model for accelerators and incubators. Interestingly, it is NOT based in Silicon Valley or NYC, but rather Miami. It's no secret that city and state governments, consultants & corporate entities all over America are setting up incubators and accelerators at rapid fire rate to attract up and coming tech (and fintech) talent and companies. It's also well known that Miami is considered a gateway to both Latin America & Europe, and a new center for the alternatives industry due to the favorable personal income tax rate in Florida.
What we've NOT seen to date, though, is a model like the one devised by Miami-based financiers Laura González-Estéfani and Clara Bullrich, whom I recently had the opportunity to visit with. The two women have devised an ingenious multi-tiered tech accelerator - TheVentureCity - that functions as a city in the following model:
- Airport (internationalization)
- Laboratory (product & engineering)
- Town Hall (legal & policy)
- Library (data)
- University (C-level education)
- Factory (incubator/accelerator)
- Studio (consultancy)
- Market (monetization)
They currently have 14 partners in the venture (including Facebook) with hubs in Silicon Valley, Miami and Madrid, and plans to expand to the others. There are presently 16 startups in their current portfolio. And while their new offices are in South Beach (as requested by their younger colleagues), they in fact work virtually with tech firms all over the world who are positioned to scale globally.
Another unique point is that their investment model is intentionally fair and generous to the entrepreneurs in their system, and we admit that is indeed unusual and surprising. Their site states that their core values include:
- Fair funding
- Friendly co-founding
- Diversity
- Internationalization, and
- Giving back to the community
We've just witnessed the launch of something very special and our hats off to the two women who envisioned - and then created - this incredibly unique infrastructure. We believe we will be hearing much more from Laura González-Estéfani and Clara Bullrich in the future as TheVentureCity expands their footprint.
(Cindy Taylor/Publisher)
MIAMI, FL – June 9, 2017 – Facebook’s former Director of International Business Development and Mobile Partnerships, Laura González-Estéfani, together with Co-founder Clara Bullrich, today announced the launch of TheVentureCity, an accelerator for the tech ecosystem. International-first, the accelerator introduces a unique, full-stage solution that creates cross-functional bridges between key regions to scale startups on a global level. With headquarters strategically located in Miami, FL, TheVentureCity serves as a bridge between the West Coast, USA, Latin America and Europe.
Inspired by the need for more transparency, diversity and fairness in the industry, TheVentureCity’s full-stage solution offers entrepreneurs access to the resources they need to be successful, as well as support with the development of an executional plan expected to yield scalable growth. TheVentureCity’s network of disruptive growth hubs currently stretches from Miami, FL to Silicon Valley, CA and Madrid, Spain, with plans to expand into a number of cities worldwide by 2020.
González-Estéfani, in partnership with 20-year private banking and asset management veteran, Bullrich, are female trailblazers launching TheVentureCity to challenge the status quo. By combining González-Estéfani’s tech expertise with Bullrich’s financial management mastery, the Hispanic female duo embody two key skillsets demanded in the tech sphere. The Venture “City” is designed to be international first, transparent, diverse and fair advising companies on the how to grow their business, not just on the what they need to do.
“The startup market has expressed a need for something different – something more streamlined and comprehensive such that all their needs can be met in one place allowing for consistent support,” said González-Estéfani. “While others provide entrepreneurs with the initial tools to get them started, TheVentureCity is our response to the need for a solution that offers startups everything from engineering and product optimization to data analysis, guiding them throughout the entire process.”
Setting TheVentureCity apart from industry competitors is its refusal to take equity in advance and its dedicated focus on long-term growth. All of which are provided by a core team of former executives of hyper growth companies like Facebook, Google, eBay, Vodafone and Tigo, including:
• Santiago Canalejo, COO; formerly Booz Allen, Pagnifique
• Victor Servin, CTO; formerly Tigo Millicom
• Patricia de Loro, CPO; formerly Vodafone, eBay
• Borja Zamácola, VP Studio; formerly Entrepreneur, Neck & Neck
• Jimena Zubiria, VP University of Americas; formerly Google, Wildfire