In 2017, our founder Freddy made a bold decision: to leave behind his corporate job at a multinational to create a simple MVP that addressed a very common frustration. The business software available was expensive, complicated, and instead of simplifying management, it made the daily operations of businesses even harder. Very soon, Juan Miguel and Javier joined with their experience running a healthy snacks business; I immediately connected with the problem we wanted to solve through my background in gastronomy; and Carlos, with his expertise in people management, boosted our Customer Experience area.
From our very first clients, we clearly saw that SMEs needed a practical tool designed specifically for them. That’s how our purpose was born: to generate prosperity for Latin American SMEs. It wasn’t just about technology, but about social impact: providing small businesses—the backbone of our economies and communities—with better tools to grow, access opportunities, and become more sustainable.
Today, tuGerente is a financial platform that optimizes the management of small and medium-sized enterprises, streamlining processes such as inventory, income, expenses, and billing, built by a team that understands firsthand the challenges SMEs face. We firmly believe that by empowering them with accessible technology, we are helping transform lives, generate employment, and strengthen the entrepreneurial fabric of the region.
The Challenges of Raising Capital as a Woman Entrepreneur
Entrepreneurship as a woman comes with particular barriers, especially when it comes to accessing investment. One of the toughest is the perception of risk: many times we feel we must prove ourselves “twice as much” to earn the same trust a male founder gets. In my experience, the challenges have been concentrated in three areas:
- The role within the founding team: Although having a woman co-founder helps, there is still a limbo where women C-Level leaders in startups billing under $3M don’t get enough attention—neither from gender-lens funds nor traditional funds.
- Geographic origin: Starting out in Bolivia was a huge challenge. For many investors, the revenues generated there “don’t count,” which limits credibility when scaling to other markets.
- Elitism in investment circles: In Latin America, there is still a strong bias toward certain groups. This results in more flexible investment processes for some, and much more demanding ones for others—an additional barrier for diverse teams like ours.
Why Does Gender-Lens Investing Matter?
For me, gender-lens investing is not just a matter of fairness, but a smart strategy. Research backs it up: women-led businesses tend to be more resilient, more profitable, and have greater community impact. Betting on diverse teams means opening new development opportunities, addressing underserved markets, and fostering more sustainable business models.
The impact goes beyond the company itself. When a woman gains access to capital, that growth multiplies across her environment: it creates jobs, empowers more women to reach leadership positions, and transforms business culture. At tuGerente, our gender diversity in leadership is not just a value, it’s a competitive advantage. We believe true impact emerges when we combine purpose, innovation, and diversity. Gender-lens investing is part of that equation: a bet not only on companies, but on a fairer, more prosperous, and more sustainable future for the entire region.
The Impact of IMPAQTO Capital’s Investment in tuGerente
The arrival of IMPAQTO Capital was a turning point in our journey. Beyond the capital, the signaling of having an international impact fund backing us opened key doors: we closed investment with Newlin and other U.S. investors, validating that tuGerente has global potential.
Within the Latin American impact ecosystem, this investment gave us credibility and visibility, positioning us as a relevant player in the region. And at a strategic level, it was fundamental for our commercial expansion into Mexico, a key market in our growth plan.
Without IMPAQTO Capital’s support, our process would have been much slower and more complex. Today we can say this support not only propelled us as a company, but also reinforced our commitment to keep transforming the reality of SMEs in Latin America.
If you are reading this and still hesitant about raising capital, my message is clear: don’t hold back. Seeking investment does not mean losing your vision—it means amplifying it. Many times, we believe we must wait until everything is “perfect,” but the truth is perfection doesn’t exist. What matters is having clarity of purpose, confidence in your ability, and openness to grow with the right partners.
Capital doesn’t just accelerate your impact—it also paves the way for those who come after. Every woman who dares to raise investment is creating role models so that others can achieve it too.
Autora: Omaira Saucedo Bendek
Cofundadora y CMO
tuGerente
