Julio Vasconcellos was the first Brazilian to work at Facebook and later built Peixe Urbano from zero to over 1,200 employees and $100M+ revenue before navigating it through a sharp downturn, giving him rare Silicon Valley social networking experience combined with hands-on hypergrowth and restructuring lessons. He has founded multiple venture platforms in Latin America (Canary and Atlantico) and leads widely-referenced research on the region's digital transformation, positioning him as a bridge between global capital and local market realities for founders and investors.

• A strong conviction in the Latin American technology ecosystem, specifically regarding the region's capital efficiency and the need for greater ambition among local founders. He frequently cites data from his firm's annual Digital Transformation Report, noting that the region produces unicorns with significantly less capital than other emerging markets and highlighting success stories like the Rappi mafia that spawn new waves of startups.
• Deep interest in fintech infrastructure and regulatory disruption, particularly how the Pix payment system in Brazil is outperforming global counterparts like India's UPI and displacing traditional credit card networks. He closely follows how these innovations drive financial inclusion and economic development, sharing statistics on how digital payments have increased access to credit for millions of Brazilians.
• Values long-term partnership over short-term transaction optimization, a philosophy rooted in his own experience selling his previous company to Baidu. He respects investors who support founders during crises rather than just the highs, sharing a personal story about a board member who helped him navigate layoffs and a recession to eventually secure a successful exit.
• Bullish on Artificial Intelligence adoption within Brazil, viewing the region as a major consumer of AI tools and a hub for clean energy to power data centers. He points to portfolio companies like Enter, a legal AI startup, as examples of firms successfully repatriating top engineering talent to build world-class enterprise solutions locally.
• Prioritizes internal company culture and enlightened hospitality, believing that putting employees first naturally leads to better customer outcomes and investor returns. He takes pride in former team members moving on to prestigious roles at major funds or startups, viewing an impressive alumni network as a sign of a healthy, high-growth organization.