Vamos Ventures

# VamosVentures: Bridging the Latinx Founder Gap in Venture Capital

High-Level Overview

VamosVentures is a Los Angeles-based venture capital firm on a mission to create both financial returns and measurable impact by investing in early-stage tech startups led by Latinx and diverse founders.[1][5] Founded by Marcos Gonzalez, the firm operates with a clear thesis: diverse teams deliver superior outcomes and stronger returns, yet the venture capital ecosystem systematically underinvests in these founders. Only approximately 2% of venture capital dollars flow to Latinx founders despite this demographic representing the fastest-growing, high-growth, and increasingly tech-savvy segment of the U.S. population.[5]

The firm's investment philosophy centers on identifying overlooked companies solving real problems through scalable, tech-driven solutions while providing value-added support through a unique Latinx-focused network of talent, mentorship, and collaboration.[4] VamosVentures focuses on four key sectors: health and wellness, financial technology, future of work, and sustainability—markets where the firm identifies both substantial financial opportunity and meaningful societal impact.[1][5] The firm has secured backing from prominent institutions, including a $2 million program-related investment from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and participation in Apple's Racial Equity and Justice Initiative (REJI).[1][4]

Origin Story

Marcos Gonzalez spent much of his career as a venture capitalist, private equity investor, and entrepreneur, working at Boston Consulting Group before transitioning into investment roles.[7] In the mid-2010s, after years of success in traditional finance, Gonzalez reached a pivotal moment where he felt compelled to pursue something more "meaningful" with his life. He recognized an enormous gap: while African American-led and women-led venture capital funds had begun emerging, virtually no venture capital funds existed from the Latinx community.[3]

Gonzalez spent 2015 and 2016 developing VamosVentures' investment thesis and strategy, but faced significant skepticism—both internally and from those around him who urged him to "just go get a job."[3] The path to fundraising proved challenging, taking over four years before the firm achieved its first close. In 2019, VamosVentures closed its inaugural $50 million fund and began deploying capital to diverse-owned enterprises that same year.[3][4] Richard Anzaldua, a fellow Brown University alumnus, played a crucial governance role in the firm's early development, helping Gonzalez build credibility within investment circles.[2]

Core Differentiators

Portfolio Composition & Track Record

VamosVentures' portfolio speaks to its commitment: 100% of portfolio companies are diverse-led, 85-88% are Latinx-led, 40-43% are women-led, and 92% have first-generation or immigrant founders.[1][2][4] Through its first fund, the firm made 30 early-stage investments (pre-seed, seed, and Series A) in technology companies, demonstrating consistent deployment and conviction in its thesis.[4]

Founder-Centric Approach

Unlike traditional venture firms that apply generic frameworks, VamosVentures brings lived experience to its investment decisions. The firm's team members come from immigrant families themselves, making the mission "real for us," as Gonzalez articulates.[2] This authenticity translates into deeper pattern recognition around founder resilience, market understanding, and the ability to serve underserved communities.

Value-Added Network & Support

Beyond capital deployment, VamosVentures provides structured support through mentorship, talent networks, and collaboration opportunities specifically designed for Latinx founders. The firm has launched initiatives like the VamosVentures Scout and Summer Associate programs to promote diversity among venture capital decision-makers themselves—addressing the systemic underrepresentation of diverse check writers in the industry.[1]

Geographic Reach & Sector Focus

While headquartered in Los Angeles with team members in New York and Texas, VamosVentures invests primarily in California but also maintains active presence in Texas, Illinois, New York, and Florida.[4] This geographic strategy positions the firm to capture opportunities in regions with significant Latinx populations and entrepreneurial ecosystems.

Role in the Broader Tech Landscape

VamosVentures operates at the intersection of three powerful trends reshaping venture capital. First, the demographic reality: Latinos represent the fastest-growing demographic in the United States with a large, young, high-growth, and increasingly tech-savvy population.[2] Second, the financial imperative: venture capitalists are beginning to recognize that backing diverse founders isn't just socially responsible—it's economically rational, as these teams often serve massive customer bases underserved by mainstream tech companies.[2]

Third, the systemic correction: the venture capital industry is slowly acknowledging its historical bias. VamosVentures emerged during a period when institutional capital began flowing toward diverse fund managers. The firm's participation in Apple's REJI initiative and backing from foundations like the W.K. Kellogg Foundation signals that mainstream institutions now view Latinx-focused venture investing as both impact-aligned and financially sound.[1][4]

The firm's portfolio companies—such as a tech platform building an alternative to LinkedIn that prioritizes personal testimonials over credentials—exemplify how diverse founders identify market gaps that homogeneous teams overlook.[2] By systematically funding these founders, VamosVentures influences the broader ecosystem by demonstrating viable business models, building proof points for future diverse-focused funds, and creating a visible pipeline of successful Latinx-led companies.

Quick Take & Future Outlook

VamosVentures represents a maturing thesis in venture capital: that systematic underinvestment in Latinx founders reflects market inefficiency rather than merit-based selection. As the firm deploys subsequent funds and its portfolio companies scale, the firm will likely become a bellwether for the broader venture ecosystem's ability to correct historical biases.

The trajectory suggests several developments ahead. First, successful exits from the current portfolio will provide empirical evidence that diverse-led companies deliver competitive returns, potentially unlocking larger institutional commitments to the space. Second, the firm's focus on building diversity among venture capitalists themselves—through scout and associate programs—will compound its impact by creating a new generation of decision-makers who bring different perspectives to capital allocation.

Third, the four-sector focus (health and wellness, fintech, future of work, sustainability) positions VamosVentures to capture significant value creation as these markets mature. Latinx founders addressing problems within their own communities often possess unique insights into product-market fit and customer acquisition that venture firms miss.

Ultimately, VamosVentures' success will be measured not just by financial returns, but by whether it catalyzes a broader shift in how venture capital deploys resources. In a landscape where only 2% of VC dollars reach Latinx founders, the firm's mission to create "alpha and impact" by funding visionary founders building disruptive solutions represents both a compelling investment thesis and a necessary correction to an industry that has left enormous talent and opportunity on the table.[5]