Over the last few months, we have been reviewing a group of tech startups. It is a new field for me -although not new at all for an investment group we are working with-, so there’s a lot for me to learn. So it is back to studying, many hours of reading coming my way.
While in California in early March, I did quite a bit of research, spoke to local people and eventually run into this book at a Barnes & Noble bookstore in Santa Monica. I wasn’t looking for anything in particular -I do that a lot with books- because that’s how I usually discover gems like this, The New New Thing. Funny thing is, right before I moved to Australia and shifted my career to focus on Mining Finance, I stumbled upon another book by the same author –Liar’s Poker-, exactly the same way. So I suppose it is very fitting that as I add a new layer to what I do, Michael Lewis comes with me once again. Loving the book so far, I highly recommend it.
I am once again, looking for something new. As the daughter of an exploration geologist, and eternal optimist, I’m quite sure it will be an exciting journey.
Now, in terms of international business, I am expecting lots of investment flows between Latin America and Australia for the rest of 2017, and in particular, to/from Argentina. One very recent example is Flight Centre‘s acquisition of 24.1% of Argentinian travel group Bibam for USD 7 million; it is not a technology venture per se -although very reliant on it to operate, of course- but it does sit in the same sector as one of the technology companies we’ve been looking at, travel. Tourism is high on the priorities for both countries so there may be further developments in that sector.
More directly linked to tech is SproutX’s deal with NXTP Labs, an early-stage fund for tech companies with operations in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Uruguay. This milestone was announced last month during a state headed by Argentina’s vice president, Ms. Gabriela Michetti.
I think we will see many Latin American start-ups listing on ASX too.
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