Venture Capital

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Vivo Ventures

Wayra is the Corporate Venture Capital of Telefónica and its open innovation platform.

Vivo Ventures logo

Vivo Ventures

Wayra is the Corporate Venture Capital of Telefónica and its open innovation platform. Wayra invests in startups with the capacity to attract innovation to Telefónica and provides innovation services to third parties, to help them take their Open Innovation initiatives to the next level.

General information

Firm type

Venture Capital

Year founded

AUM

Undisclosed

Location

Region

Latin America

Country

Brazil

City

São Paulo

Corporate office

São Paulo, Brazil

Sector focus

Venture (General)

Frequently asked questions

How does Vivo Ventures source its deal flow?

The firm originates investments primarily through Telefónica's Wayra innovation platform, an open network that connects corporate assets with external startups. This gives Vivo Ventures preferential visibility into startups that could benefit from Telefónica's commercial relationships, distribution channels, and technical infrastructure across Brazil. The model reduces cold-sourcing dependence that independent funds face, though the full extent of non-ecosystem deal access is not publicly detailed.

Does Vivo Ventures operate as a traditional venture firm or a corporate strategic investor?

It is a corporate venture vehicle, meaning its mandate merges financial return objectives with the strategic goal of advancing Telefónica's position in digital telecommunications and adjacent services. This dual structure can allow portfolio companies faster commercial traction through the parent, but it also introduces potential governance tension if a startup's independent growth path diverges from the corporate parent's interests. Without disclosed independent governance safeguards, external co-investors typically assess this alignment case by case.

What investment stages does Vivo Ventures target?

Per its stated strategy, the firm targets early-stage seed rounds, later startups, and growth-stage companies, indicating that in Brazil it can deploy capital from initial formation through later venture rounds. Specific check sizes and capital reserves per stage are not publicly disclosed, making allocation sizing known only to co-investors in specific rounds.

Which sectors does Vivo Ventures invest in?

The firm tags its focus as Venture (General), reflecting a broad mandate across technology and digital-services startups that align with Telefónica's ecosystem. While no sector exclusions are published, its conviction areas likely center on connectivity, digital platforms, and enterprise services where the parent's telecommunications assets provide strategic advantage in Brazil.

Who runs investment decisions at Vivo Ventures?

The names of the managing partners, investment committee members, or lead principals are not publicly disclosed. For a corporate venture unit embedded within a larger parent, decision-making authority may sit with an internal team under Telefónica's innovation hierarchy, but the specific individuals and their prior investment track records remain private, complicating external due diligence without direct engagement.

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