Jamie Riggs

Jamie's professional career spans over 25 years in the intricate world of finance and venture capital, with a distinctive focuson nurturing early-stage founders across Latin America and Silicon Valley. His career is a testament to strategic vision, entrepreneurial support, and cross-border innovation.

 

The cornerstone of Jamie's recent professional journey is Driven, a venture capital fund he co-founded with a mission to propel Latino founders into the largest markets in the Americas. This initiative emerged from his transformative experience at Fundación Chile, where he led the Venture Capital Area and managed a seed fund that invested in 16 companies. Under his leadership, the fund achieved remarkable milestones, including a SPAC acquisition and supporting portfolio companies that successfully expanded across Latin American and U.S. markets

 

Jamie's influence extends far beyond individual investments. He played a pivotal role in creating an investor network across the Pacific Alliance, encompassing Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru, serving as the network's president for nine years. His entrepreneurial spirit further manifested in co-founding the Association of Venture Capital in Chile, significantly strengthening the region's startup ecosystem.

 

His professional trajectory includes a significant tenure at Silicon Valley Bank, where he provided venture debt financing to early-stage companies. During this period, he supported startups that would later become publicly traded powerhouses like Okta and Cloudflare. A particularly notable experience was his work with Skybox Imaging, an innovative satellite company that was subsequently acquired by Google for $500 million.

 

His board involvement spans multiple innovative companies including Simpliroute, Wheel the World, Wareclouds, and Repartes, demonstrating his hands-on approach to entrepreneurial growth.When Jamie steps away from the world of venture capital and supporting founders, his world revolves around family and simple pleasures. Most often, he can be found on the sidelines of a field hockey game, watching his two daughters play. If not there, he's likely hosting a barbecue or immersed in a college basketball game, particularly those of his beloved UNC Tar Heels – and if fortune smiles, he might just combine all these activities in one perfect afternoon.