CITES (Centro de Innovación Tecnológica, Empresarial y Social)
Industry Focus
Geographic Focus
CITES (Center for Technological, Business and Social Innovation) is a pioneering venture builder and venture capital fund based in Argentina that transforms disruptive science into impactful businesses. Founded in 2013 as an initiative of Grupo Sancor Seguros (Argentina's leading insurance company), CITES is supported by a $24 million VC fund and manages over $30 million in assets under management. The organization specializes in co-creating scientific-based startups alongside founders, with a deep tech focus that invests at the formation stage through seed and Series A rounds. CITES is the only early-stage venture capital fund in Latin America that invests, accelerates, and incubates projects based on disruptive science addressing global market needs and patents within the scientific system. The organization operates based on four scientific-technical areas: biotechnology, nanotechnology, engineering, and ICTs. CITES supports the development of scientific and technological startups driven by revolutionary ideas that solve major modern life problems, believing that Argentina and the region's social, environmental, and economic development must be based on science and emerging technologies. The organization launched the first public offering financial trust (Fideicomiso Financiero CITES I) in Argentina for investing in scientific-technological startups, coordinated jointly with Banco de Valores, with resources from Sancor Seguros Group as anchor investor, the Inter-American Development Bank (BID), and other private investors. CITES provides comprehensive support beyond capital investments including office space with fully equipped labs (fab-lab, wet-lab, and spin-off labs), team formation resources and training, hands-on technology expertise, IP and product development guidance, and insights for business strategy, networking, and fundraising processes.
2013
14 Companies
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