Series 8: Exploring the Puerto Rico Startup Ecosystem Episode 175: Venture Capital in Puerto Rico with Jennifer P. Hopp, Managing Partner at ATO Ventures

RareBirds Emerging Markets Podcast

Jennifer is the Managing Partner of ATO Ventures, an early stage venture capital firm based in Puerto Rico that funds technology startups in USA and LATAM, with special focus in PR. She has been building companies and investing in startups as a Limited Partner (LP), Venture Partner, Angel and Venture Capitalist (VC) for over 20 years.
Jennifer began investing in the capital markets at age 19, while an undergrad at Oxford University. She became an LP in an early stage Venture Capital fund at age 23. Several years later, Jennifer become a Venture Partner with Outsell, and then an active startup Advisor and Angel Investor. She founded ATO Ventures in 2018. The fund had its first close in 2019 and will do a final close in 2020. ATO Ventures is currently deploying capital while also completing its raise.
As an entrepreneur, Jennifer started her first company at age 8, but she officially became a tax-paying citizen at age 10. After University, she was a testifying & consulting Commercial Damages Expert before returning to her passion - entrepreneurship! She founded her software company, WeMakeItSafer, shortly after attending business school at UC Berkeley. After launching in 2011, the company was acquired in 2016.
Along the way, Jennifer also held two interim CEO roles and has been advising startups on identifying revenue models and the importance of validating markets before launch. Now, Jennifer is using her expertise to help other investors achieve higher returns at lower risk through ATO Ventures.
Jennifer began visiting Puerto Rico as an Parallel 18 mentor in 2016 and quickly fell in love with the island. She is now happy to call San Juan home and is fully committed to supporting and growing the quickly emerging startup ecosystem in PR.