Entrepreneurship in Latin America: Building Bold Futures from the Ground Up
Entrepreneurship is rapidly emerging as a transformative force across Latin America, unlocking new opportunities and reshaping the region’s economic and social landscape. While Latin America has made notable progress—especially in the growth of its tech sector—it continues to lag behind regions like Southeast Asia and the United States in terms of billion-dollar startups, innovation pipelines, and access to capital. But numbers alone don’t tell the full story.
This topic was at the heart of Entrepreneurship and the Future of Latin America, a dynamic conversation held during the David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies’ 30th Anniversary Symposium. The panel brought together some of the region’s most influential entrepreneurial leaders, including:
- Álvaro Rodríguez Arregui, Harvard Business School Executive Fellow and DRCLAS Advisory Board Member
- Martín Escobari, Co-President and Head of Global Growth Equity at General Atlantic; DRCLAS Advisory Board Member
- Martín Migoya, CEO of Globant; DRCLAS Advisory Board Member
- Linda Rottenberg, Co-founder and CEO of Endeavor
- Daniel Vogel, CEO of Bitso
Together, they explored what it would take to foster a thriving technology sector in Latin America and what conditions must be met to unlock its full potential.
The true impact of entrepreneurship in the region lies not in the number of unicorns, but in the quality of ventures being built. Across Latin America, entrepreneurs are creating businesses that tackle urgent social and economic issues—generating value far beyond financial returns. These founders are often described as “battle-tested,” navigating environments marked by instability, limited infrastructure, and scarce resources. Their resilience and ingenuity stand out, and given the size of local markets, many are forced to think globally from day one—a mindset that fuels cross-border growth and innovation.
What makes Latin America’s entrepreneurs distinct is not just their persistence, but their community-driven approach. Rather than competition, many local startup ecosystems thrive on collaboration, mentorship, and mutual support. This culture of solidarity is proving to be fertile ground for long-term, sustainable growth.
Entrepreneurial momentum is also reaching beyond major cities. In places like Resistencia, in Argentina’s Chaco province, local tech startups are creating new opportunities for youth who previously had limited access to economic advancement. These ventures are sparking grassroots development and challenging the status quo. Often, it’s the “unreasonable” entrepreneurs—the ones who dream bigger than the system allows—who are driving the most significant change.
Challenges remain. Many startups are still local iterations of proven global models rather than original innovations. Shallow capital markets make it difficult for companies to scale or go public. Although the investment landscape is improving—thanks in part to successful founders reinvesting in new ventures—a sizable funding gap persists. Yet each success story builds investor confidence and signals that Latin America is a region worth backing.
Governments have a key role to play. To foster a more dynamic and inclusive entrepreneurial climate, policymakers must reduce bureaucratic barriers, encourage innovation, and support access to capital. Recent deregulation efforts in Argentina were cited by panelists as positive examples of government action.
As Latin America looks forward, the future of entrepreneurship is undeniably global. Today’s founders are not just targeting U.S. markets—they’re expanding into Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. Internationalization is now a necessity, not an option.
Perhaps most powerful are the stories that inspire the next wave of entrepreneurs. Events like those hosted by Globant and Endeavor—drawing thousands of students and early-stage founders—are showing that building companies is possible, and even transformational. Representation matters, and seeing others succeed makes the path feel real.
The road ahead will require more than capital and talent—it will require a culture that values purpose, integrity, and impact. With continued support and investment, Latin America’s entrepreneurs won’t just grow companies—they’ll shape a more equitable, innovative, and hopeful future.