Wenyi Cai is the Founder and CEO of Polymath Ventures. Prior to founding Polymath, Wenyi was an entrepreneur in Silicon Valley, where she served as COO of Milo.com, a consumer internet startup that was acquired by eBay in 2010. During her time there, she led business development with major tech companies like Microsoft and eBay while overseeing product and engineering teams. Earlier in her career, Wenyi worked as a consultant with McKinsey & Company, advising clients across the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia.
Wenyi also contributed to building a quantitative trading hedge fund and has published research in applied physics. She holds a cum laude degree in philosophy and physics from Harvard College. Born in China and raised between China and the U.S., Wenyi brings a global perspective and innovative vision to her leadership at Polymath Ventures
Peter is the Managing Partner and General Partner at Polymath Ventures, where he leads the Seed Fund focused on building and investing in early-stage Fintech and vertical software companies. A serial entrepreneur, Peter co-founded Old Harbor Outfitters, a U.S.-based sporting goods company, and Ofi, a Latam-based automation consultancy, where he served as CEO. In addition to his entrepreneurial ventures, Peter is an active advisor and board member to various technology companies across Latin America.
In 2017, Peter was recognized as Endeavor Colombia’s Entrepreneur of the Year. He holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Chicago and attended the Wharton MBA Program at the University of Pennsylvania. Originally from New Orleans, Peter has spent the last twelve years living and working across São Paulo, Bogotá, and Mexico City.
Damian Alcedo is Operating Partner at Polymath Ventures and Managing Director for our Studio where he leads the Build Program, guiding founders and ventures from inception to scale. Damian is an accomplished entrepreneur, having founded Nido, Mexico’s only digital room rental platform focused on the middle class, and Carmatch, the country’s first transactional marketplace for second-hand vehicles, backed by Rocket Internet.
He holds an MBA from Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, which included a specialized program in emerging markets in India. Additionally, he earned a master’s in Architecture, Building & Planning from Eindhoven University of Technology, where his thesis was exhibited at the Dutch Design Week. An active angel investor, Damian was born and raised in the Netherlands, bringing global experience and entrepreneurial expertise to Polymath.
Francisco is the CFO and Senior Business Design Director at Polymath Ventures, overseeing the financial management of the Fund and Venture Studio while leading the creation of new startups. With over 20 years of experience in management consulting, investment banking, and venture capital, Francisco has been instrumental in driving business growth and innovation. He previously served as CFO/CTO at one of Colombia’s largest food service companies, where he helped double the company’s size and EBITDA.
At Polymath, Francisco’s role expanded from CFO to also leading the business design department, spearheading company-building projects that resulted in innovative ventures. He holds a summa cum laude degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering and an MBA in Business Economics, graduating with honors. Born in Honduras, Francisco has lived in Costa Rica and Colombia, bringing a multicultural perspective and a collaborative leadership style to his work.
Victor is the Chief Technology Officer at Polymath Ventures, where he leads the development and implementation of technology strategies across the company’s portfolio. Previously, he built a home-buying web application for the Swiss real estate market while traveling Latin America as a digital nomad. Before that, Victor worked at the intersection of technology and marketing for Switzerland’s largest news website, creating interactive campaigns for high-profile clients like L’Oréal and Red Bull.
Victor began his career as a software engineer in a startup, where he developed records management systems for state governments and contributed to projects for Amnesty International. His diverse experience in software engineering, product development, and marketing drives innovative solutions in the fast-paced startup environment.
Camila Montilla is the VP of Talent and Culture at Polymath Ventures, where she leads global talent strategies, organizational culture, and leadership growth initiatives, driving both individual and organizational success. Her efforts ensure the well-being and sustainable growth of the team. Before joining Polymath, Camila gained significant experience in multinational companies, notably during her six years at Belcorp, where she led innovation, product development, and trade marketing for new product launches.
At Polymath, Camila has developed and implemented a robust talent strategy, attracting and developing top founders, contributing to the continued success of portfolio ventures. She holds a Business Administration degree from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana and an MBA in International Business from London Metropolitan University. Camila combines corporate structure with startup agility, fostering innovation and empowering teams.
Juan Marco Rivera is the Lead Service Designer at Polymath Ventures, specializing in user research, ideation, and prototyping, playing a key role in launching new ventures. With over eight years of experience running his own innovation and strategic design consultancy, he has worked with major clients like Volkswagen, leading impactful projects. In addition to his role at Polymath, Juan Marco is a professor of Service Design, sharing his expertise with future professionals.
At Polymath, he has been instrumental in creating four ventures and has overseen more than 20 consulting projects, driving innovation and strategic design solutions. He holds a degree in Industrial Design from Tecnológico de Monterrey and a master’s in Business Innovation from CEDIM. Originally from El Salvador, he moved to Mexico for his studies, and his multicultural background shapes his unique approach to design and problem-solving.
Laura serves as the Finance Manager at Polymath Ventures, overseeing financial and accounting policies to ensure effective resource management across portfolio companies. She provides guidance on financial processes for both emerging businesses and the fund. Laura brings extensive experience from Tul, one of Colombia’s largest startups in the hardware and construction sector, and Sucafina, a global coffee leader. At Sucafina, she implemented a profitability calculator across LATAM, offering detailed cost analysis and developed cash flow models and transportation cost systems.
Laura holds a degree in Financial Engineering with specializations in project management, financial planning, and services management. Born and raised in Bogotá, Colombia, she thrives on tackling new challenges, driven by a passion for continuous improvement and innovation.
Mónica is the Accounting Manager at Polymath Ventures, overseeing accounting and fiscal management for ventures in Colombia and Mexico. With extensive experience across sectors, Mónica has worked in insurance at Colpatria, road construction at Grupo Solarte and Concesiones Viales, property construction at Escalar GI, Obycon, and Amarilo, cosmetics manufacturing at Bardot, and digital advertising at TapTap. She has led the automation of accounting processes and implemented ERP systems in both construction and digital sectors.
Mónica holds a degree in Public Accounting from Universidad de La Salle, with specializations in Insurance and Social Security from Universidad de La Sabana and Administrative Tax Management from Universidad del Externado. Born in Bogotá, she spent most of her career in traditional industries and finds the fast-paced startup world a refreshing challenge, where innovation keeps her passion alive.
Christian is a Business Designer at Polymath Ventures, responsible for analyzing markets, identifying business opportunities, and designing the early stages of startup development. Previously, he worked as a Business Consultant at Galera, contributing to projects in Retail, Logistics, Commercialization, and Manufacturing. His work included strategic planning, business model validation, and data analysis. Christian notably developed a promotional strategy for a retail company and helped transform a logistics warehouse’s performance, ranking it top in the U.S. for a multinational client.
He holds a degree in Industrial Physics Engineering from Tecnológico de Monterrey. Born in Mexico City, Christian has lived in three cities within the country. Passionate about data, he uses numbers to drive decisions and is eager to apply his skills to entrepreneurship, creating tangible impact.
José Alberto is an Alternative Investments Associate at Polymath Ventures, responsible for raising capital and allocating funds into startups through equity and private credit products.
Before joining Polymath, he co-founded Exhalon.io, a biotech startup in Paris, where he served as CEO. The company was recognized as one of the 12 most promising biotech startups in Paris by Paris-Saclay Spring 50 and received an international patent for its technology enabling the instant diagnosis of COVID-19 through breath analysis.
Earlier in his career, José Alberto worked in the Wealth Management division at JP Morgan and in financial indices at MSCI. Prior to this, he began his entrepreneurial journey at 21, founding Monster Fix, a home appliance repair startup.
He holds a degree in International Finance from the University of Monterrey and an MBA from HEC Paris, where he served as Vice President of the Entrepreneurship and Blockchain Clubs. Originally from Monterrey, he has lived and worked in Canada, France, and Mexico.
Huazhen "Molly" Guan is currently working at Duke Kunshan University, heading its Innovation Incubator. She had over 15 years of experience in new business development and project management. Previously, she worked at a Chinese public company, leading its new venture in sustainability. Before that, she founded an EdTech company, served as China Co-founder/Partner at Polymath Ventures, and held the position of Associate Director at Johns Hopkins SAIS Public-Private Partnerships Initiative. Molly received her Bachelor's degree in International Business and English from Nanjing University, and Master's degree in Business-Government Policy from Harvard University.
Alex Urdea is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Deep Ocean Partners, an opportunistic credit firm. Previously, Alex co-founded and served as Chief Investment Officer of Upper90 Capital Management, where he pioneered founder-friendly, flexible capital solutions for companies in emerging industries driven by technology and data. At Upper90, he added strategic value to founders through his operational experience, diverse network of advisors, and support from highly engaged limited partners. Alex has also served as a Board Director for Thrasio and numerous portfolio companies in eCommerce, supply chain, and fintech.
Before Upper90, Alex was a Managing Director at Solus Alternative Asset Management. Earlier in his career, he worked with Stanfield Capital Partners, Deutsche Bank, and Merrill Lynch, focusing on risk and quantitative analysis. Alex holds a BSE in Financial Engineering from Princeton University and is a CFA, FRM, and CMT.
Shawn is a Venture Partner at Polymath Ventures, where he contributes to the Funds team with a focus on sourcing, portfolio management, fundraising, and investments. Prior to relocating to Mexico City, Shawn was a Partner at Moderne Ventures, a US-based venture capital firm with US$240M in AUM. At Moderne, he managed portfolio company growth and led an accelerator program with over 100 startups, supporting companies from pre-revenue to IPO stage. Shawn has also held executive roles at major tech firms, including DocuSign, where he was Head of Business Development for Real Estate, and Constellation Software, where he served as General Manager of Real Estate.
With decades of experience in venture, strategy, and business development, Shawn has served on multiple boards and actively supports underserved founders and aspiring investors. He also mentors and advises funds and organizations globally, sharing his expertise as both an operator and investor.
