Tech Talents LatAm #28
Ex-Product Manager at Loft, ex-Partner at WORC, ex-Manager of Advanced Analytics at Dasa, ex-Executive Director at BR Media Group in stealth, and much more...
Welcome to Tech Talents! In this newsletter, I share real-time key talent movements in the LatAm tech ecosystem, including founders entering and exiting stealth mode, executive-level movements in unicorns, and partner-level changes in local VC firms.
Here’s a quick look at what you’ll find in this week’s edition:
📖 Recent Reads: Meta’s race toward AI superintelligence and the dawn of one-person unicorns
🎊 Startup Launches: Core AI (ex-Credix), Mani (ex-DigitalReef), Goduo.ai (ex-Hotmart) & more
👀 Talents to Watch: Ex-CPTO at Unicorn, ex-Head of Product Management at Corporate
🤫 Talents Entering Stealth: Ex-Product Manager at Loft, ex-Partner at WORC, ex-Manager of Advanced Analytics at Dasa, ex-Executive Director at BR Media Group in stealth & more
🦄 Unicorn Movements: New Chief Legal Officer at QI Tech & more
👋 Co-Founder Matching Tool: Looking for an early or late-stage co-founder? Click here to be connected with top talent that fits your criteria
Let’s dive in…
📖 Recent Reads
My quick takes on interesting articles, news and data that I’ve come across recently.
Meta is making moves to get ahead in the race toward AI superintelligence. The company reportedly tried and failed to acquire Safe Superintelligence (Ilya Sutskever's startup after leaving OpenAI), Thinking Machines (founded by former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati), and Perplexity. However, Meta did secure a 49% stake in Scale AI for just over $14B. Perhaps most tellingly, Mark Zuckerberg is personally sending direct WhatsApp messages to recruit top AI researchers, offering compensation packages exceeding $100M.
Base44, a solo-founded AI-powered no-code software builder, was acquired by Wix for $80M just 6 months after launch. The bootstrapped startup operated with fewer than 10 employees and was generating $189k in monthly net profit at the time of acquisition. This deal offers a compelling glimpse of AI's potential to create one-person unicorns, even though we're likely still a few years away from seeing that milestone.
🎊 Startup Launches
Founders who have just publicly announced what they are working on.
Core AI
Overview
Startup Description: CoreAI turns industry ecosystems into scalable credit platforms, empowering every SaaS to offer seamless, AI-driven credit products.
Industry: Fintech, AI
Team Size: 5
Time in Stealth: 1 year and 1 month
Carolina da Costa Carvalho - Co-Founder at Core AI
Previously featured as a Stealth Founder in Tech Talents #24.
Founder Highlights: Masters, Ex-Corporate, Ex-Investor, Top University
Previous Experience: Ex-Credit, Risk & Structuring at Credix, ex-Investment Professional at Noon Capital Partners, ex-Investment Professional at CPP Investments, ex-Investment Professional at Mubadala, Master of Business Administration from Columbia Business School, BA in Economics from Insper.
Headquarters: São Paulo, Brazil
Co-Founders: Fernando Martins Mato and Enrico Francesco D.
Ask for an Intro: Click here
Mani
Overview
Startup Description: The future of wealth management with the confidence and financial peace of mind that every person deserves.
Industry: Fintech
Team Size: 7
Time in Stealth: 1 year and 1 month
Bernardo Faria - Founder at Mani
Previously featured as a Stealth Founder in Tech Talents #14.
Founder Highlights: Serial Founder, Investor, Marketing Tech, Masters, Scaleup Experience
Previous Experience: Ex-Founder at new3plus.com, ex-Chief Strategy Officer at DigitalReef, ex-Co-Founder at Foxbit, ex-COO at Acesso Soluções de Pagamento, ex-CEO at CDI Lan S/A, ex-Executive Manager at Banco Santander, ex-Gerente Comercial at Icatu Hartford Seguros, ex-Auditor Pleno at Price Waterhouse.
Headquarters: São Paulo, Brazil
Co-Founders: Andre Bain and Nadav Peretz
Ask for an Intro: Click here
Slice Pay
Overview
Startup Description: Slice is rethinking how people access the liquidity they deserve, using technology and design to create a new kind of financial experience.
Industry: Fintech
Team Size: 2
Time in Stealth: 11 months
Vinicius Silva - Co-Founder & CEO at Slice Pay
Previously featured as a Stealth Founder in Tech Talents #12.
Founder Highlights: Serial Founder, Masters, Ex-Big Tech, Investor, Top University
Previous Experience: Ex-Chief Strategy (CSO) & New Ventures at Olist, ex-Founder & CEO at Gasen Energia, ex-Co-Founder at 2W Energia and Casa de Gestão, ex-President of Mining at Magnesita, ex-Core Management at Bridgewater Associates, ex-Engagement Manager at McKinsey & Company.
Headquarters: São Paulo, Brazil
Co-Founders: Bruna Kuciack
Ask for an Intro: Click here
Goduo.ai
Overview
Startup Description: Discover, build, and sell AI agents that automate and deliver real value.
Industry: AI
Team Size: 1
Time in Stealth: 3 months
Geraldo Tomaz - Co-Founder & CEO at goduo.ai
Previously featured as a Stealth Founder in Tech Talents #26.
Founder Highlights: Technical Founder, Unicorn Experience
Previous Experience: Ex-Product Director at Hotmart, ex-Product Manager at Passei Direto, ex-Product Manager at Estácio, ex-Full Stack Web Developer at Estácio. Stanford GSB LEAD Business Program, Bachelor's in Information Systems from Universidade Estacio de Sá.
Headquarters: Brazil
Ask for an Intro: Click here
👀 Talents to Watch
High-potential individuals likely to make significant career moves soon.
This section is exclusive to Pro subscribers, but here is a snippet of the profiles covered. If you want to try Tech Talents Pro for free for 14 days, click here.
Former leader at a unicorn, currently with no full-time position
Highlights: Technical Founder, Masters, Top University, Ex-Big Tech, Ex-Corporate, Investor, Unicorn Experience, Healthcare
Previous Experience: Ex-CPTO at Unicorn, ex-General Manager at Big Tech, MSc in Data Science from Berkeley, MBA from FGV, Bachelor's in Business Administration from USP.
Headquarters: US
Time in Current Position: N/A
Currently on garden leave
Highlights: Ex-Big Tech, Ex-Corporate, Unicorn Experience, Scaleup Experience, Fintech
Previous Experience: Ex-Head of Product Management at Corporate, ex-Customer Lifecycle Management Lead at Unicorn, ex-Growth Marketing Manager at Unicorn.
Headquarters: São Paulo, Brazil
Time in Current Position: 2 months
🤫 Talents Entering Stealth
Talents with relevant experiences who have just entered stealth mode.
Cristiane de Oliveira – Co-Founder at Stealth Startup
Founder Highlights: Serial Founder, Previous Exit, Ex-Corporate, Scaleup Experience
Previous Experience: Ex-Co-Founder & CEO at Hrestart, ex-Partner at WORC, ex-Gestora de Recursos Humanos at Ipiranga, MBA from FGV, Bachelor's in Business Administration from Universidade Veiga de Almeida.
Headquarters: São Paulo, Brazil
Time in Current Position: 1 month
Co-Founder: Gustavo Salgado
Ask for an Intro: Click here
Beatriz Gloria – Building Something New at Stealth Startup
Founder Highlights: Masters, Unicorn Experience, Scaleup Experience, Ex-Corporate
Previous Experience: Ex-Head of Customer Experience at Franq Open Banking, ex-Founding Team at aMORA, ex-Product Manager at Loft, ex-New Projects Manager at Hostinger International, ex-Marketing Coordinator to Heinz Brand at The Kraft Heinz Company. Masters in Business Administration from Link School, Bachelor's in Design from Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina.
Headquarters: São Paulo, Brazil
Time in Current Position: 1 month
Ask for an Intro: Click here
Yuri Mannes – Stealth at Stealth Startup
Founder Highlights: Ex-Corporate
Previous Experience: Ex-Executive Director of Innovation & Partner at BR Media Group, ex-Growth Director at Escola Mais, ex-FP&A Manager at Bahema Educação, Bachelor’s in Economics from Insper.
Headquarters: São Paulo, Brazil
Time in Current Position: 1 month
Ask for an Intro: Click here
Stephanie M. – Founder at Stealth Startup
Founder Highlights: Ex-Consultant, Masters, Ex-Corporate
Previous Experience: Ex-Management Consultant at McKinsey & Company, ex-Core Product - Marketing at ZX Ventures. Master of Business Administration from MIT Sloan School of Management, Bachelor's in Industrial Engineering from Universidade Estadual de Campinas.
Headquarters: Brazil
Time in Current Position: 1 month
Ask for an Intro: Click here
Paulo Guilherme Gil – CTO & Co-Founder at Stealth Startup
Founder Highlights: Serial Founder, Technical Founder, Masters, Ex-Corporate
Previous Experience: Ex-CTO & Co-Founder at Palppi, ex-Chief Technology Officer at Habitissimo Brasil, ex-CTO & Co-Founder at Triider, ex-Senior Solution Architect at Sicredi, Master's in Computer Science from PUC Rio Grande do Sul, Bachelor's in Computer Science from Centro Universitário La Salle.
Headquarters: San Francisco, US
Time in Current Position: 2 months
Ask for an Intro: Click here
Felipe Soares – Stealth Mode Builder at Stealth Startup
Founder Highlights: Ex-Consultant, Ex-Corporate
Previous Experience: Ex-Head of Data Engineering & Advanced Analytics at Leo Madeiras, ex-Manager of Advanced Analytics at Dasa, ex-Manager of Data & Analytics at Comgás, ex-Coordinator of Business Intelligence & Data Analytics at Wine.com.br, ex-Specialist in Business Intelligence, Data Analytics & Market Intelligence at Cogna Educação, ex-Consultant in Business Intelligence & Data Analytics at Deloitte.
Headquarters: São Paulo, Brazil
Time in Current Position: 5 months
Ask for an Intro: Click here
🦄 Unicorn Movements
Promotions, new hires, and other movements in local unicorns’ executive-level.
Adriano Giacomini – Partner | Chief Legal Officer at QI Tech
Previous Role: Ex-Partner and Head Juridico at XP Inc.
Previous Experience: Ex-Gerente Jurídico Societário Nacional e Governança Corporativa at Itaú Unibanco, Master of Laws from Columbia Law School, Bachelor's in Direito from USP.
Headquarters: São Paulo, Brazil
Time in Current Position: 1 month
Carina Militello – Head of Sales at Paag
Previous Experience: Ex-Business Development Manager - Pix | BaaS at Dock, ex-Business Account Manager at STARK BANK, ex-Commercial Supervisor at Mercado Livre, ex-Key Account - Especialista at iFood. Bachelor's in Tourism from Universidade Anhembi Morumbi.
Headquarters: Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Time in Current Position: 1 month
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