International Finance Corporation

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) is a member of The World Bank Group that focuses on fostering sustainable economic growth in developing countries through private sector investment. It provides a range of financial services, including loans, equity investments, quasi-equity products, and advisory services aimed at supporting startups and various stages of company development. IFC invests in sectors such as agribusiness, financial services, health, education, infrastructure, global manufacturing, oil and gas, telecommunications, and tourism, with a particular emphasis on projects that promote food security, digital finance, and affordable healthcare. The organization targets investments ranging from $1 million to $100 million, often seeking minority stakes but may also take a majority position in its portfolio companies. IFC aims to create jobs, generate tax revenues, and enhance corporate governance in emerging markets, thus contributing positively to local communities. Established in 1956 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., IFC operates globally with offices across various regions, focusing its efforts on financing projects that align with its mission of improving lives in developing countries.

Hyung K. Ahn

Principal Investment Officer

Irene Arias

Global Director of Financial Institutions Group and Director of Latin America and the Caribbean

Georgina Baker

Vice President, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Europe and Central Asia

Paulo de Bolle

Global Director

Peter Joseph Cashion

Head of Climate Finance FIG and CIO

Andrea Engel

Senior Country Officer, Principal Country Officer and Principal Country Manager

Rapti Goonesekere

Principal Economist

Christian Grossmann

Director for Climate Change

Mandeep Julka

Associate Investment Officer

Rana Karadsheh

Principal Investment Officer and Country Manager

Kyle Kelhofer

Country Manager for Vietnam

Alzbeta Klein

Global Industries Director and Director of Climate Business

Galina Vsevolodovna Klimenko

Principal Investment Officer of Financial Markets

Toshitake Kurosawa

Director

André Laude

CIO of Climate Finance

Mouayed Makhlouf

Regional Director of Middle East and North Africa

Paolo M. Martelli

Regional Industry Director of Latin America and the Caribbean

Atul Mehta

Senior Director of Telecom, Media and Tech, Venture Investing and Funds

Vivek Pathak

Director of East Asia and Pacific

Mary Porter Peshka

Director of Cross-cutting Advisory Services

Tomasz Telma

Senior Director of Manufacturing, Agri. and Services

Mary Beth Ward

Principal Syndications Officer and Team Leader

Tracy Washington

Principal Investment Officer for Global PE Funds and Regional and Sectoral Lead of SME Ventures Program

Al Murshed, Walid

Principal Country Officer

Past deals in Mexico

Sekura

Private Equity Round in 2021
Sekura is one of the top Mexican insurance, sureties, and affinity brokers, with over 60 years of experience. Working alongside over 550 corporate clients, it provides service to more than 2 million customers every year through groundbreaking programs and insurtech platforms.

Klar

Series B in 2021
Klar is a fintech company providing a mobile app and a debit card that has the benefits of a credit card. Using the Klar card rewards users with cash of up to 4% cash back for each purchase, not points without confusing conversions or expiration dates. Clients can also send and receive payments and collections money instantly to Klar accounts and other banks. The Klar card is linked to an app where users can see all their movements in real-time. Stefan Moller, Daniel Autrique, Jeronimo Riefkohl, and Gianluigi Davassi established the fintech company in Mexico City, Distrito Federal in 2018.

Klar

Series A in 2020
Klar is a fintech company providing a mobile app and a debit card that has the benefits of a credit card. Using the Klar card rewards users with cash of up to 4% cash back for each purchase, not points without confusing conversions or expiration dates. Clients can also send and receive payments and collections money instantly to Klar accounts and other banks. The Klar card is linked to an app where users can see all their movements in real-time. Stefan Moller, Daniel Autrique, Jeronimo Riefkohl, and Gianluigi Davassi established the fintech company in Mexico City, Distrito Federal in 2018.

Clinicas del Azucar

Venture Round in 2018
Clínicas del Azúcar is a chain of clinics dedicated to providing specialized and affordable diabetes care in Mexico, founded in 2011 and headquartered in Guadalupe. The organization aims to serve the 12 million low and middle-income individuals living with diabetes by offering a comprehensive range of prevention and treatment services. Utilizing innovative, evidence-based algorithms and low-cost diagnostics, Clinicas del Azúcar significantly lowers the cost of care from approximately one thousand dollars to just two hundred. The clinics are designed as "one-stop" shops that streamline the diabetes management process, reducing both the time and expense of care by 70%. Through these efforts, Clinicas del Azúcar addresses a critical health need while making diabetes care more accessible to those in need.

Konfio

Series C in 2018
Konfio is a financial technology company based in Mexico City that focuses on providing online financial solutions for micro entrepreneurs and small to mid-sized enterprises. Founded in 2013, it offers a range of services including fixed-rate loans, short-term business credits, working capital loans, and online payment solutions. Additionally, Konfio provides a corporate credit card, a loyalty program, and business productivity software tools to enhance growth and operational efficiency. The company aims to support the financial needs of its clients through innovative digital banking solutions and has established itself as a key player in the Mexican fintech landscape.

Konfio

Debt Financing in 2018
Konfio is a financial technology company based in Mexico City that focuses on providing online financial solutions for micro entrepreneurs and small to mid-sized enterprises. Founded in 2013, it offers a range of services including fixed-rate loans, short-term business credits, working capital loans, and online payment solutions. Additionally, Konfio provides a corporate credit card, a loyalty program, and business productivity software tools to enhance growth and operational efficiency. The company aims to support the financial needs of its clients through innovative digital banking solutions and has established itself as a key player in the Mexican fintech landscape.

eFactorNetwork

Venture Round in 2018
It operates the most important electronic factoring marketplace in Mexico.

Branch International

Series B in 2018
Branch International Inc. is a digital lending company founded in 2015 and headquartered in San Francisco, California, with additional offices in Mumbai, Nairobi, Mexico City, and Lagos. The company leverages smartphone data to assess creditworthiness, allowing consumers in emerging markets to access personal loans through its Android application. By utilizing data science, Branch aims to reduce the cost of financial services and provide fair access to banking options, particularly for the growing middle class. The platform offers a quick approval process for loans, enabling users to build credit irrespective of their banking history and navigate the barriers posed by traditional financial institutions. Branch is committed to driving meaningful growth in rapidly evolving markets and has raised over $100 million in funding from notable investors in Silicon Valley.

Creditas

Series C in 2017
Creditas is a financial technology company based in São Paulo, Brazil, specializing in secured consumer loans. Founded by Sergio Furio, the company operates a digital platform that leverages credit scoring and borrower assets, such as homes and automobiles, as collateral to provide loans. This approach allows Creditas to offer affordable lending solutions by partnering with traditional financial institutions and utilizing investor-backed resources. The platform is designed to enable borrowers to repay their loans in manageable installments, thereby making financing more accessible.

Konfio

Series B in 2017
Konfio is a financial technology company based in Mexico City that focuses on providing online financial solutions for micro entrepreneurs and small to mid-sized enterprises. Founded in 2013, it offers a range of services including fixed-rate loans, short-term business credits, working capital loans, and online payment solutions. Additionally, Konfio provides a corporate credit card, a loyalty program, and business productivity software tools to enhance growth and operational efficiency. The company aims to support the financial needs of its clients through innovative digital banking solutions and has established itself as a key player in the Mexican fintech landscape.

Creditas

Series B in 2017
Creditas is a financial technology company based in São Paulo, Brazil, specializing in secured consumer loans. Founded by Sergio Furio, the company operates a digital platform that leverages credit scoring and borrower assets, such as homes and automobiles, as collateral to provide loans. This approach allows Creditas to offer affordable lending solutions by partnering with traditional financial institutions and utilizing investor-backed resources. The platform is designed to enable borrowers to repay their loans in manageable installments, thereby making financing more accessible.

Airtm

Seed Round in 2017
Airtm is an online platform that facilitates monetary transactions, allowing individuals to send, receive, or save money in a USD-denominated account. Founded in 2015, the company aims to help users, particularly in developing regions, manage currency devaluation and access financial services. Airtm connects clients with certified cashiers, who assist in depositing or withdrawing funds, earning a commission for their services. The platform operates as an e-wallet integrated with over 300 bank and e-money systems through a peer-to-peer network, enabling users to hold their funds in either dollars or cryptocurrency and conduct transactions both domestically and internationally. With headquarters in Mexico City and San Francisco, Airtm is a registered money service business in the United States.

Citla Energy

Private Equity Round in 2016
Citla Energy, S.A.P.I. de C.V. is an independent exploration and production company based in Mexico City, Mexico, with an additional office in Houston, Texas. The company specializes in acquiring and developing a diverse portfolio of onshore and offshore oil and gas assets in the Continental United States, the Gulf of Mexico, and South America. Citla Energy actively participates in the evolving Mexican oil and gas sector, seeking opportunities to collaborate with other industry players while pursuing its own strategic acquisitions.

YellowPepper

Series C in 2015
YellowPepper is a pioneering company in Latin America specializing in mobile banking and payment solutions. Founded in 2004 and headquartered in Miami, Florida, it operates throughout several countries, including Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, with plans to expand into Brazil. The company develops a digital finance platform that enables banks, mobile network operators, merchants, and consumers to access a comprehensive payment ecosystem. Its offerings include a white-labeled mobile payment platform that supports various operating systems and communication protocols, such as NFC, BLE, and QR codes, facilitating cashless transactions. Additionally, YellowPepper provides an m-banking suite that helps banks adapt to the evolving needs of their clients. Backed by Visa and having received the first equity investment from the International Finance Corporation for a mobile financial company in Latin America, YellowPepper combines extensive market knowledge with advanced payment technology to enhance the purchasing experience across the region.

YellowPepper

Series C in 2013
YellowPepper is a pioneering company in Latin America specializing in mobile banking and payment solutions. Founded in 2004 and headquartered in Miami, Florida, it operates throughout several countries, including Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, with plans to expand into Brazil. The company develops a digital finance platform that enables banks, mobile network operators, merchants, and consumers to access a comprehensive payment ecosystem. Its offerings include a white-labeled mobile payment platform that supports various operating systems and communication protocols, such as NFC, BLE, and QR codes, facilitating cashless transactions. Additionally, YellowPepper provides an m-banking suite that helps banks adapt to the evolving needs of their clients. Backed by Visa and having received the first equity investment from the International Finance Corporation for a mobile financial company in Latin America, YellowPepper combines extensive market knowledge with advanced payment technology to enhance the purchasing experience across the region.

Accion

Venture Round in 2011
Accion is a global nonprofit organization founded in 1961 and headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, focused on enhancing financial inclusion for underserved populations. The organization partners with financial service providers to deliver high-quality, affordable financial solutions that benefit individuals, small businesses, and communities. Accion's initiatives include providing advisory services, targeted coaching, and governance support for startups, particularly in the fintech sector. Through its investment initiative, Venture Lab, Accion invests in early-stage fintech startups that leverage innovative technologies and business models to improve access to financial services. Venture Lab offers both capital and strategic support, helping these startups scale their operations and enhance their impact. Accion's mission is to create a financially inclusive world by challenging industry norms and engaging with leaders and regulators to foster a more equitable financial landscape.

YellowPepper

Series B in 2010
YellowPepper is a pioneering company in Latin America specializing in mobile banking and payment solutions. Founded in 2004 and headquartered in Miami, Florida, it operates throughout several countries, including Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, with plans to expand into Brazil. The company develops a digital finance platform that enables banks, mobile network operators, merchants, and consumers to access a comprehensive payment ecosystem. Its offerings include a white-labeled mobile payment platform that supports various operating systems and communication protocols, such as NFC, BLE, and QR codes, facilitating cashless transactions. Additionally, YellowPepper provides an m-banking suite that helps banks adapt to the evolving needs of their clients. Backed by Visa and having received the first equity investment from the International Finance Corporation for a mobile financial company in Latin America, YellowPepper combines extensive market knowledge with advanced payment technology to enhance the purchasing experience across the region.

Novica United

Series A in 2003
NOVICA United, Inc. is an e-commerce company based in Los Angeles, California, that specializes in providing a wide range of handmade accessories for both men and women. Established in 1998, the company collaborates with artisans from various countries, including Brazil, Peru, Mexico, Ghana, Indonesia, Thailand, India, and Guatemala, to offer over 30,000 unique and limited edition products daily. Their product line includes women's accessories such as shawls, scarves, hats, gloves, and travel accessories, as well as men's items like cufflinks, wallets, and walking sticks. NOVICA aims to empower global artisans, connect consumers with their creations, and preserve traditional artistic practices for future generations.

Convergence Communications

Private Equity Round in 2000
Convergence Communications, Inc. (CCI) is a leading facilities-based provider of managed data network services, high-speed Internet access and broadband solutions to enterprise customers in over 150 cities in Mexico and Central America.