Allen Taylor VP of Global Network,Endeavor @aktaylor

1. The Global VC: How Emerging Markets Can
Shortcut to Success...By Learning from Each Other
Allen Taylor • VP, Endeavor Global
Managing Director, Endeavor Catalyst

2. The Global VC: 23 countries; 46 cities; 350+ staff
Since 1997: 45,000+ entrepreneurs screened  ~ 1,000 selected

4. Why VC is a “local game” AND a “global game”
VC is a “local game” because…
• Being physically closer is an advantage; proximity helps
• Shared local culture is a diligence “hack” (of sorts)
• Obvious, direct value-add tends to be higher
BUT….
VC is a “global game” because…
• These markets & consumers have a ton in common
• Emerging (or “incomplete”) financing ecosystems need
international actors to fill in the gaps
• Pattern recognition is powerful…and serendipity is real

5. Starting is easy…scaling is hard
• E-commerce is awesome, until you realize things don’t
work the same way outside the US (See: Brazil, Turkey)
• Payments are a pain…start there (See: Mexico, Indonesia)
• Logistics are lousy…start there too (See: Most places)
• Macro-economics matter (See: Argentina, Brazil)
• But “role models” matter too (See: Argentina)
• What to do when everyone is “playing,” but no one is
paying….yet (See: Indonesia, really all of SE Asia)
• Being an angel is fun…for your first 3 deals, but then what?
(See: everywhere)
What other markets can teach…and where to go to learn

6. What matters most
1. “Mentor” Capital – Think of yourself as a
mentor first and an investor second
2. Trust – It’s a people business, and people do
business with people they trust
3. Staged Financing – Building a VC-backed
company requires “stages” of growth;
emerging/ or “incomplete” investment
ecosystems need international actors -- both
to learn from and to actively participate
Mentorship, Trust, and Staged Financing

7. 3

8. Beyond Silicon Valley
In Latin America
• São Paulo
• Buenos Aires
• Bogota
• Mexico City
• Medellin, Colombia
• Monterrey, Mexico
And Beyond:
• Istanbul
• Jakarta
• Cape Town
• Amman
10 cities where you can go learn things right now

9. Where do we go from here?
• Are you seriously telling me that I can learn stuff in São
Paulo or Istanbul that would be relevant for Miami?
YES.
• There are vibrant clusters of entrepreneurs & investors all
over the place – GO SEE THEM!
• When you go, don’t just be a tourist. Learn by doing:
Meet with Entrepreneurs  Be a MENTOR!
Talk to local Angels & VCs  Be a CO-INVESTOR!
Map the local VC world & back someone  Be an LP!

10. www.endeavor.org
facebook.com/endeavorglobal @endeavor_global youtube.com/endeavorglobal
@aktaylor
allen.taylor@endeavor.org