Hi is on a mission to back formidable founders that solve the hardest problems in Latin America by leveraging AI technologies.
Today, we are considered one of the leading and most selective early-stage VC funds focused in Latam.
Jimena brings over 10 years of entrepreneurial experience developed in multiple tech companies. She began her journey in the entrepreneurial ecosystem after co-founding Carrot, the region’s largest car sharing and P2P mobility marketplace which was Hi Ventures’s first investment back in 2012. Her time as Carrot’s co-founder and CEO led her to become an Endeavor Entrepreneur.
Jimena continued her path as an operator at Meta (Facebook), where she served as Product Growth Manager. During this time, she developed a deep expertise around product, user experience and go-to-market strategies, which she also shared with entrepreneurs via mentorships and angel investments.
She came back home to Hi Ventures in May 2022 to co-lead the firm along with Federico Antoni. Today, she is Hi Ventures portfolio company’s best ally for operative guidance, founder-to-founder empathy and product strategy.
Jimena holds an Industrial Engineering degree from Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico. She has been recognized as Forbes Mexico 30-under-30 Promises, Emprendedora Expansión, and TEDx speaker.
Federico Antoni is a venture capitalist and a managing partner of Mexico City-based venture capital fund Hi Ventures. He has been a pioneer of the Latin American VC industry, starting an accelerator and teaching. He founded Hi Ventures in 2012, focusing on early-stage funding of software companies. Hi Ventures first check backed Carrot, Jimena Pardo’s startup. Federico has served as CEO of a retail company and driven multiple ventures globally.
After studying applied economics at Paris Dauphine, Federico worked in business development and marketing. He worked at Edoardos, a public Mexican retail company and led marketing in Mexico for Submarino an e-commerce Brazilian startup before getting his MBA from Stanford GSB. He joined L’Oréal in marketing and product management, then returned to Edoardos as CEO for six years. He has taught entrepreneurship at ITAM and Stanford GSB.
Federico founded Fondeadora, at the time Latin America’s largest crowdfunding platform, and a seed accelerator called Venture Institute. In 2012, he founded Hi Ventures, a leading early stage investor in Mexico. He has been a Kauffman Fellow mentor and writes for publications like TechCrunch and his blog, Antonico. He invested in Cornershop, acquired by Uber in 2021.
Federico is a father of four, a creative investor, writer, traveler, and passionate about personal connections and impact.
María Fernanda serves as Principal at Hi Ventures since 2021, focusing on Human Capital (Healthtech, Edtech, HRTech), ClimateTech, SaaS.
María Fernanda served as CFO at Platzi (2018-2021) and as a Financial Consultant at EY (2012-2018). A decade of working in finance and economic consulting has made her an expert in designing and structuring multinational groups. She has specialized in the implementation of robust business models that drive scalability and efficiency in emerging startups.
Maria Fernanda is a recipient of the Chevening Scholar Award, in recognition of her academic and professional excellence. She holds a Master of Science in Management and Strategy from the London School of Economics and Political Science, and a Bachelor's degree in Finance and International Relations from Universidad Externado in Colombia.
She works closely with several portfolio companies, including Atlas, Yana, and Slang.
Leonardo works as an Associate at Hi Ventures since August 2023, focusing on the Future of Commerce and Smart Cities (Proptech, Logistics, Mobility) verticals.
As a former CFO of a YC-backed proptech startup operating in Peru, Colombia, Mexico, and Ecuador, Leonardo has acquired expertise in managing startup finances through various phases and effectively conducting fundraising processes with large funds.
Leonardo holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Financial Business Economics from York University. He started is career in private equity as both a sports betting and gaming analyst and a member of the fund reporting team. He has worked in Investment Banking at Goldman Sachs in their Peru and Colombia coverage group and is an Emprelatam speaker.