Why Amazon And Entrepreneurs Are Bullish On Mexico

July 27, 2015

As seen in TechCrunch on July 24, 2015

Imagine a country with 100 million mobile phones, but just 15 percent of residents have a credit card. A country where more than half of the population is under age 27, but less than half has Internet access. That, in a nutshell, underscores the opportunities and challenges for innovators and investors evaluating Mexico's emerging innovation economy.

To get a first-hand look, Silicon Valley Bank in June organized a trip to Mexico City for two dozen U.S. and Latin American investors to meet with some of the nation's leading entrepreneurs and investors, as well as government and university officials.

There is a lot happening to justify the growing confidence of U.S. and international investors in the fledgling innovation sector of Latin America's second-largest economy.

Read the full article in TechCrunch: http://techcrunch.com/2015/07/24/mexico-is-the-land-of-emerging-entrepreneurs-and-opportunities/

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About the Author

Andy Tsao is the head of SVB’s Global Gateway, which assists innovation companies in the emerging markets with their US and international market expansion. He brings more than 20 years of experience banking dynamic companies in technology industries worldwide.

In his role, Tsao manages SVB’s relationships with venture capital and private equity firms outside the U.S., and also helps emerging market companies as they seek U.S. market entry and U.S. companies as they seek to expand abroad. In both capacities, Tsao provides these firms with strategic advice and banking services, including debt financing, based on a deep understanding of their needs.

Previously, Tsao led and helped found SVB’s U.K.-based operation, SVB Financial Group UK Ltd, which was established in 2004. For six years, he was responsible for building senior debt relationships with high-growth technology, life sciences and clean technology companies in the U.K. and Europe. Tsao routinely speaks about technology and venture financing at conferences such as events held by the European Venture Capital Association, Super Return, BayBrazil, and Latin American Venture Capital Association. Tsao is a TiE Silicon Valley Charter Member and Asia America MultiTechnology Association (AAMA) Silicon Valley Co-President and Charter Member, and serves on the West Coast Advisory Board for Colgate University.

While based in London, Tsao founded and moderated SVB Financial Group UK’s Venture Capital Advisory Board, was a two-time European Tech Tour Selection Committee member, and served on Think London’s North American Task Force and the Advisory Board for Astia U.K.

Before endeavoring to open the U.K. office for SVB Financial Group, Tsao was a Senior Vice President in Silicon Valley Bank’s Boston office, where he served as a technology lender and senior relationship manager focused on New England’s technology industry.

Prior to joining Silicon Valley Bank in 1997, Tsao was a technology lender at BankBoston, and BayBank in Burlington, Mass. He began his banking career with USTrust in Boston in 1988.

Tsao earned a bachelor’s degree from Colgate University and an MBA from Boston University.