Investors Must Think Like Operators | Building Your Internal Algorithm in VC | Defensibility in Fintech | Carlos Torras, Partner FIntech Collective

In this conversation, Carlos shares his multicultural background and how it has influenced his career in fintech. He discusses his journey from sports to working at JP Morgan and eventually transitioning to Suyo, a company focused on empowering low-income families. Carlos highlights the importance of networking in Latin America and how it led him to discover the venture world. He elaborates on Fintech Collective's investment strategy, emphasizing the intersection of financial services and AI, and the significance of regulatory environments in fintech defensibility. The conversation also touches on portfolio construction, identifying venture-backable founders, and the importance of perseverance in entrepreneurship. Carlos shares insights on Minka, Simetrik, and Strike AI, showcasing their impact in the fintech landscape.CHAPTERS:00:00Intro03:43Early Interests and Hobbies07:10Transition from JP Morgan Trading to Latam Startup09:59Wedge to LATAM Tech Ecosystem11:23Wharton & Path to Fintech Collective13:11FTC Internship16:07Fintech Collective Thesis18:35Nuances between Mature & Emerging Markets19:23Parallels between Latam & India21:40Defensibility in Fintech23:16FTC Portfolio Construction: Less Bets & High Conviction24:41Gaining Conviction: Founding Team25:45"Building a VC backed company is one of the most masochistic exercises someone can do"27:15Navigating Chaos: The Founder’s Journey28:39The Role of the CEO in Startups30:44Identifying Non-Obvious Signals in Founders32:26The Importance of Perseverance33:07Exploring FinTech Collective's Portfolio35:02Minka: Building Payment Infrastructure in Colombia36:11Simetrik: The Power of Team Alignment39:18Strike AI: Addressing Cybersecurity Needs43:06The Importance of Humility in VC45:59Lessons from the FinTech Collective46:41Time Management & Productivity49:10Final Thoughts50:22OutroSend us Fan MailCut The Check w/ Mack Meyer is a podcast about venture capital, startups, and entrepreneurship in Latin America and beyond.New episodes drop every week.Subscribe on SpotifyStay connected with us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram,Have a guest suggestion? Email us at [email protected]