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InQlab
InQlab launched as the Santo Domingo Group's dedicated technology investment vehicle, deploying capital from one of Latin America's oldest industrial...
InQlab
InQlab launched as the Santo Domingo Group's dedicated technology investment vehicle, deploying capital from one of Latin America's oldest industrial fortunes. The family's holding company, Valorem, controls assets spanning beverages, media, and logistics, but InQlab operates separately — a pure-play venture platform run by co-founders Gregorio Marquez and Paula Barrientos from Bogotá. The structure gives the team a permanent-capital advantage that few regional peers can match. The portfolio tilts toward early-stage enterprise software, fintech, proptech, and mobility companies across Spanish-speaking Latin America, with a preference for seed and Series A rounds where the team can lead or co-lead. InQlab writes direct equity checks and has participated in club-style rounds alongside other regional family offices and venture firms. Confirmed portfolio companies include La Haus, the Colombian proptech marketplace, and Frubana, the Bogotá-based B2B agricultural supply-chain platform. The firm also co-invested in Merqueo, the Latin American online grocer, and has backed mobility startups in Mexico and Colombia. The team size and total deployment remain undisclosed publicly, though the Santo Domingo Group's combined net worth provides a deep capital base. Alejandro Santo Domingo sits on the firm's investment committee, bridging the family's broader Valorem holdings with the venture portfolio. In the last two years, Paula Barrientos deepened the firm's operator network through Endeavor Colombia, where she mentors founders scaling beyond seed stage. No recent fund close has been announced, consistent with InQlab's balance-sheet model rather than a traditional fund structure. InQlab's structural differentiator is its permanent balance sheet backed by a single-family conglomerate. The firm does not raise outside capital, does not report to limited partners, and holds positions with no forced exit horizon. This allows the team to support portfolio companies through extended periods of macro volatility — an atypical proposition in Latin American venture, where most managers face five-to-seven-year fund lives and external redemption pressure.
General information
Firm type
Single Family Office
Year founded
—
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
Latin America
Country
Colombia
City
Bogota
Corporate office
Bogota, Colombia
Principals
Gregorio Marquez
Managing Director and Co-founder
Paula Barrientos
Managing Partner and Co-founder
Alejandro Santo Domingo
Investment Committee Member
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at InQlab?
Co-founders Gregorio Marquez and Paula Barrientos lead day-to-day investment decisions from Bogotá. Alejandro Santo Domingo, a principal in the underlying Santo Domingo fortune, serves on the investment committee but is not involved in daily operations. The committee structure ensures venture decisions align with the broader Valorem holding company strategy.
How does InQlab source proprietary deal flow?
InQlab sources through a combination of the Santo Domingo family's multi-decade business network across Latin America and the co-founders' personal relationships within regional startup ecosystems. Paula Barrientos's active participation in Endeavor Colombia's mentor network provides early access to growth-stage founders. The team also co-invests alongside other Latin American venture firms, creating repeat co-investor referral channels.
Is InQlab structured as a single family office or does it operate more like a venture firm?
InQlab is the venture capital arm of the Santo Domingo family's holding company, Valorem, and functions as a single-family investment vehicle with a dedicated venture team. It operates like a professional venture firm in deal execution but uses only the family's own balance sheet — no outside limited partners. This hybrid posture gives it the operational discipline of an institutional venture manager with the patience of family capital.
Does InQlab participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?
InQlab primarily makes direct equity investments into early-stage companies across seed and Series A rounds. The firm has not publicly disclosed a fund-of-funds or LP program. Its co-investment activity suggests the team prefers leading or co-leading rounds rather than writing passive LP checks into third-party funds.
What investment stages does InQlab typically target?
InQlab focuses on early-stage venture, mainly seed and Series A rounds, with occasional participation in growth-stage extensions. The firm targets technology companies with initial commercial traction and existing revenue in Spanish-speaking Latin American markets. The balance-sheet capital structure allows the firm to follow on into later rounds selectively, though the stated core is early-stage.
Where does the underlying wealth come from?
The Santo Domingo family fortune originated with Bavaria Brewery, Colombia's largest beer company, which the family controlled for generations. After selling Bavaria to SABMiller in 2005 in a deal valued at roughly $7.8 billion, the family consolidated its holdings under Valorem, a diversified holding company with assets in media, logistics, and consumer goods. The beer-to-conglomerate wealth transition makes the family one of Colombia's wealthiest.
Does InQlab maintain philanthropic structures, and how are they separated?
The Santo Domingo Group operates two separate philanthropic organizations: the Fundación Santo Domingo, one of Colombia's largest private foundations, and the Barefoot Foundation (Pies Descalzos), focused on education. These entities are legally and operationally distinct from InQlab's venture investment activities, with separate governance and professional staff.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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