Endeavor’s mission was to build a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem in emerging and underserved markets around the world. In 1997, when we first launched in Latin America, emerging markets were overlooked and unlikely to produce a single startup worth $1bn. Today, there are 2,400+ Endeavor entrepreneurs from about 1,500 companies in 42 markets globally, with over 65 of them reaching unicorn status.
Once Endeavor entrepreneurs scale their businesses with the support of our global network, they have a built-in platform to pay it forward. The compound effect these entrepreneurs have in their local communities is called “the multiplier effect”. Our research shows that it only takes a few successful founders to jumpstart an entrepreneurial ecosystem, based on their readiness to mentor, inspire, and invest in the next generation of entrepreneurs. Take Mercado Libre: it became the largest online commerce in Latin America and the first tech company to be listed on the Nasdaq, with a market cap of $65bn. But this is just half the story. After several years, Hernan Kazah, the company’s co-founder, and Nicolas Szekasy, former CFO, went on to found Kaszek Ventures in 2011, one of Latin America's first venture firms. Since then, they’ve backed over 100 startups - enabling the region’s growth through founder-friendly smart capital.
To sustain our long-term operations, we have created Endeavor Catalyst — a rules-based, co-investment fund, set up to invest in the very same entrepreneurs it supports. With a third of the fund’s LPs consisting of high-growth Endeavor entrepreneurs themselves, a full circle phenomenon is created. When founders fund other founders, local ecosystems are given the opportunity to thrive.
