LatAm startups playing ‘on hard mode,’ fintech and AI with VC Mercedes Bent

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Hello, and welcome back to Equity, the podcast about the business of startups, where we unpack the numbers and nuance behind the headlines.

This is our Wednesday show, in which we sit down with a guest, talk about their work and unpack the rest. This week, Mary Ann spoke with Mercedes Bent, partner on the early-stage team at Lightspeed Ventures and co-lead of Lightspeed’s LatAm region and angel fund. The pair chewed through a number of topics, including:

  • How and why Mercedes started investing in Latin America, and why she thinks the region is more resilient than others
  • Why we’re early in the hype cycle when it comes to the intersection of AI and fintech
  • Why generative AI and fintech aren’t always the best combination — and much more

Equity is back on Friday with our weekly news roundup! Talk to you then!

For episode transcripts and more, head to Equity’s Simplecast website.

Equity drops at 7 a.m. PT every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, so subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify and all the casts. TechCrunch also has a great show on crypto, a show that interviews founders and more!