Company: Ugami
Headcount: 20
Stage: Seed
Warm intro from Harlem Capital
Harlem Capital is a diversity-focused venture capital firm on a mission to change the face of entrepreneurship. The firm aims to invest in 1,000 diverse founders over the next 20 years. Established as an angel syndicate, Harlem Capital closed its $40 million inaugural fund in November 2019 and now manages $174 million in assets under management. With 39 investments spanning across 14 cities, 3 countries, and 13 industries — 93% of Harlem Capital portfolio companies are led or co-led by a Black, Latino, or woman founder.Â
In an effort to increase diversity in the venture capital & private equity space, Harlem Capital runs an internship program focused on introducing diverse talent to VC and has produced thought leadership reports centred on highlighting diverse founders, investors, and industry progress.Â
Tell us your story
From a very young age, my dad taught me the value of hard work. As a result, I grew up with an entrepreneurial mindset that’s been important across my lifetime. Since high school, I have been an entrepreneur, studied in the US, and had the opportunity to work in the US and South America, including Venezuela, the country of my birth.
In 2018, after my native country collapsed socially and economically, I decided to move back to the US with my family. When we moved back to the United States, I helped co-found a broker-dealer. Years later this led me to start up Ugami, my new endeavour.
I am obsessed with researching new trends in the start-up world and saw one in the gaming industry with respect to how huge esports have become. The more I researched, the more I knew that I wanted to build a fintech company that would offer the gaming community a debit and credit card to reward them for doing what they like the most: playing video games. I observed my nine-year-old son, so insistent and passionate about buying him new video games. In my mind, this was clearly a crossover that presented a huge opportunity.
Tell us a story that has really resonated with youÂ
Being from Venezuela and one of the more than 5 million migrants, I witnessed how an economy was destroyed by socialism and not having a system with clear rules. An entrepreneur's environment can change at any moment due to tremendous instability and collapse, in the case of Venezuela.
I witnessed how many entrepreneurs had to leave the country and reinvent themselves to recover. This taught me that transparency, operating within a fair system, and the ability to adapt are the fundamental pillars for growth, both personally and professionally.
What can't you stop thinking about?
Ugami. I want to build a first-class team and a product that any gamer will want to use every day. If we do our jobs, gamers will share us with others, and Ugami will become essential to their financial ecosystem.
If I could tell you just one thing...
It doesn't matter how hard you fall, but how fast you get up. Life and entrepreneurship are full of surprises. Despite the obstacles, always keep going and persevere. Willpower is yours alone.
As an entrepreneur, I have lived moments when I am up and down. That's why I think reinventing yourself is essential. If you do something you love and immerse yourself in the required knowledge, your strength will be greater. Keeping this in mind is vital to not abandoning your dreams or goals.
A little space for shout-outs
My father was also an entrepreneur, instilled the importance of hard work, and told me that things had to be earned. I remember being awakened on the second day of the summer holidays as a child with him saying that holidays are for being active. That day I went to work to organize his office, which taught me an important life lesson.
I found a passion for activity; not for the money, but the love of work. I love to create new things, innovate and make a difference.
If you could get a warm intro to anyone in the world, who would it be and why?
I would love to meet Satoshi Nakamoto. I have been passionate about crypto for over ten years and would love to get insight into his initial vision and finally unbox the mystery of who Satoshi is.
Next would be Elon Musk. I would love to shadow him for a couple of days to understand how he thinks and operates. I'm so impressed by how many companies he runs and the advances he has made worldwide and beyond.