In this latest episode of Venture Ahead, recorded at South Summit Brazil, Professor Joe Haslam talks to leading venture capitalist Veronica Serra, founder of Innova Capital.

In a wide-ranging discussion, Veronica explains what she did to be taken seriously early on as a woman in a very male-dominated sector, the advantages of a more empathetic and collaborative approach to VC, her approach to adding value to the companies she invests in, and much more.

Discover her personal experiences and insights from a long and highly successful VC career—from generational and gender differences to the importance of purpose.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/veronica-allende-serra-a90a6/

https://www.innovacapital.com.br

https://endeavor.org

In this episode of Venture Ahead, recorded live at South Summit Brazil, IE Business School's professor Joe Haslam speaks with Erik Day, Dell’s senior vice president of small & medium business, and global executive chair of Dell’s PRIDE Employee Resource Group (ERG).
Erik and Joe discuss the importance of SMBs in the business ecosystem—and the world. They explore the effect that greater access to technology and data is having on SMBs' ability to connect with their customers, and compare the different growth mindsets that can exist in American vs. European SMBs.
The conversation also covers the theme of being able to be yourself in the workplace; Erik shares his own personal experiences as a member of the LGBTQ community and reflects on how the culture has changed in the more than 25 years since he joined Dell.

https://www.dell.com/en-us/blog/authors/erik-day/; https://www.linkedin.com/in/erik-day-a14a0632/

https://www.dell.com/en-us/lp/dt/michael-dell

https://jobs.dell.com/en/pride-employee-resource-group

https://www.southsummit.io/brazil/

https://www.ie.edu/business-school/

In this episode of Venture Ahead, recorded live at South Summit Brazil, IE Business School professor Joe Haslam speaks with Damaris Mendoza, Partner at VC firm 500 Global.
Together, they dive into the complex topic of diversity in venture capital, exploring the biases that shape investment decisions, the patterns that exclude promising founders and how the industry can move from awareness to real change. Mendoza shares insights from her work in Latin America and beyond, shedding light on why representation in investment teams matters, and how emerging fund managers are starting to shift the status quo. They also discuss the importance of communication skills for creating a more diverse global entrepreneurial ecosystem.
If you're curious about how capital can be a catalyst for inclusion, this conversation is a must-listen for understanding the future of VC in a more equitable world.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/damaris-mendoza-loera?originalSubdomain=mx , https://500.co/

https://www.axios.com/smart-brevity

In this episode of Venture Ahead, recorded live at South Summit Brazil, IE Business School professor Joe Haslam sits down with Tony Jamous—founder and CEO of Oyster, a company on a mission to remove barriers to remote work and unlock global talent potential.
Tony shares his personal journey from growing up amid war in Lebanon to reimagining the future of work without borders. He explores how leaders can foster satisfaction in remote teams and why the freedom to choose where you live and when you work is key to happiness and productivity.
The conversation offers fresh insights into the evolving role of leadership in a distributed world, and how purpose, flexibility and inclusivity are shaping the workplaces of tomorrow. This episode is essential listening for anyone interested in the future of work, leadership and global opportunity.

https://books.google.es/books/about/The_Monk_and_the_Riddle.html?id=uYIGJWJGncYC&redir_esc=y

https://www.oysterhr.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/teljamou/?originalSubdomain=cy

In this episode of Venture Ahead, recorded live at South Summit Brazil, IE Business School professor Joe Haslam sits down with Jeff Hoffman—serial entrepreneur, co-founder of Priceline and Booking.com, and a global advocate for innovation and education.
Jeff shares hard-won insights on building and scaling successful ventures, including the art of asking the right questions rather than having all the answers. He reflects on creating Expedia with Bill Gates, developing the first airport check-in kiosks and building the right team to drive scalable impact.
The conversation also explores the power of the founder influence and why Jeff likes to keep his feet firmly on the ground. Packed with practical advice and inspiring stories, this episode is a must-listen for anyone passionate about entrepreneurship and creative leadership.

jeffhoffman.com

https://www.amazon.com/Scale-Seven-Proven-Principles-Business/dp/1591847249

In this episode of Venture Ahead, host Joe Haslam talks with Paula Ganem, who at the time was Head of Canada and LATAM Capital Markets at the New York Stock Exchange, about connecting Latin American companies with global investors, the current state of tech IPOs from LATAM and why the market went quiet after 2021.
Paula explains the key benefits of going public on the NYSE, from the cost of capital advantages to joining an exclusive club of global companies. The conversation covers when companies should start the IPO process, investor perceptions of LATAM companies, and her family connection to Brazilian Formula One legend Ayrton Senna.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paula-s-ganem/

https://www.nyse.com

https://international.nubank.com.br/about/

https://www.southsummit.io/leader/paula-ganem-2/

https://www.ie.edu/university/about/faculty/joe-haslam/

https://www.southsummit.io/brazil/

In this episode of Venture Ahead, host Joe Haslam talks with Leandro Balbinot, CTO at Amazon and Whole Foods Market, about his return to Porto Alegre for South Summit Brazil.

They discuss Amazon's customer-obsessed philosophy and flywheel approach to innovation, exploring how the company uses data to identify new opportunities.

Leandro shares insights on building a culture that embraces experimentation and failure, Amazon's unique structure of thousands of small teams within a massive company and the leadership principles that make it all work.

They also explore the evolution of AI processing power and why innovation must always come from understanding the customer first.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/leandrobalbinot/

https://www.amazon.com

https://www.wholefoodsmarket.com

https://www.amazon.jobs/content/en/our-workplace/leadership-principles, https://stratechery.com

https://www.ie.edu/university/about/faculty/joe-haslam/

https://www.southsummit.io/brazil

In this episode of Venture Ahead, host Joe Haslam talks with cybersecurity expert Nancy Wang about her keynote at South Summit Brazil and her mission to boost female leadership in deep tech.
They discuss her journey in the industry, including the role of women in supporting other women. Nancy talks about the value of awareness, action and allyship, and why inclusion depends on everyone having a seat at the table.
The conversation also touches on management styles and how these affect early-stage startups, as well as the role of regulation in the tech sector and how it’s shaping innovation, ethics and responsibility.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/leandrobalbinot/

https://www.amazon.com

https://www.wholefoodsmarket.com

https://www.amazon.jobs/content/en/our-workplace/leadership-principles

https://stratechery.com

https://www.ie.edu/university/about/faculty/joe-haslam/

https://www.southsummit.io/brazil/