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Venture Capital · Ecosystem Building

Bridging Innovation Between Emerging Markets & Global Opportunities

Early-stage investor across AI, healthtech, fintech, and crypto with a unique multicultural lens spanning North and Latin America.

0x Portfolio Multiple
$0M Portfolio Value
0+ Companies Invested
0+ Startups Evaluated
Bernardt Vogel
FMVA Certified Babson MBA Purdue Alumni NVCA Rising Star '23

About

A Bridge Between Ecosystems

Born in the Dominican Republic and raised between Nicaragua and the United States, I've developed a unique multicultural perspective that drives my approach to venture capital. My journey spans from being a COO at 21, scaling a startup to 500+ employees and $42M raised, to becoming a Senior Associate at VU Venture Partners.

I specialize in early-stage investments across fintech, AI, healthcare, and crypto, with a particular focus on bridging North American and Latin American markets. My investment philosophy centers on supporting founders who are building category-defining companies with global impact potential.

Beyond investing, I'm deeply committed to ecosystem building—from organizing Nicaragua's first fintech event with Mastercard to co-founding initiatives like the Founder Mental Health Pledge and Sweater Fund. I believe exceptional founders can emerge from anywhere, and my mission is to ensure they have the capital and support they need to succeed.

Performance

Investment Performance Highlights

A track record of identifying category-defining companies before inflection points, with returns driven by power law dynamics.

Top Investment
629x

Hinge Health return multiple—leading digital health unicorn, filed for IPO at $6.5B valuation

Top Investment
123x

OpenAI return multiple—early AI infrastructure bet, now valued at $300B+ post-SoftBank round

Power Law
96%

Portfolio value driven by top 2 investments, demonstrating successful outlier identification

Benchmark
vs 1.7x

Industry median VC return multiple comparison—significantly outperforming benchmarks

Experience

Professional Journey

From operational leadership in Central America to venture capital in the U.S., a career built on bridging ecosystems.

Senior Associate
VU Venture Partners
January 2022 – Present
  • Managing deal flow and investment analysis for $100M+ multi-stage fund
  • Led 15+ companies through IC process, resulting in successful capital deployment
  • Evaluated 3,000+ startups and conducted due diligence on 50+ companies
  • Core investments: Alexandria Labs, 3D Bio Therapeutics, Modularity Space, Doorstead
  • Nominated as 2023 NVCA Rising Star for community building and deal leadership
Venture Analyst
New World Angels
November 2022 – Present
  • Supporting due diligence teams across diverse industries and technologies
  • Produced 5 research reports and 3 monthly diligence updates for investors
  • Developed strategies resulting in 20% increase in deal flow
  • Monitoring Florida startup ecosystem and connecting with 100+ investors
Investment Director
Integra Group Latin America
January 2017 – Present
  • Led acquisition of cash-flow generating assets including 35MW geothermal plant
  • Invested in Condor Gold, diversifying fund portfolio
  • Generated 22% IRR over seven years through strategic investments
Financial Planning & Analysis Manager
Momotombo Power Company (Nicaragua)
January 2016 – January 2018
  • Managed financial analysis for geothermal power operations
  • Developed expertise in energy sector financial modeling
  • Built local network that would later support fintech initiatives
Chief Operating Officer
EcoPlanet Bamboo Central America
September 2011 – September 2014
  • At age 21, helped scale startup to 500+ employees across South Africa and LATAM
  • Raised $42 million in funding during rapid growth phase
  • Developed operational expertise in international startup scaling
  • Gained early exposure to sustainable development and impact investing

Portfolio

Investment Portfolio Highlights

A curated selection of early-stage bets across transformative sectors.

OpenAI AI
$15KInvested (2018)
123xReturn Multiple

Early investment in generative AI leader, now valued at $300B+ post-SoftBank round. Exemplifies thesis on transformative AI infrastructure.

Hinge Health Digital Health
$25KInvested (2016)
629xReturn Multiple

Seed investment in digital musculoskeletal care leader with 98% client retention. Filed for IPO in 2025 at $6.5B valuation.

Substack Media
$10KInvested (2018)
63xReturn Multiple

Early bet on creator economy platform revolutionizing newsletter monetization. Now valued at $650M with strong creator network effects.

Elenas Social Commerce
$10KInvested (2019)
1xReturn Multiple

Social commerce platform for Latin American markets. Demonstrates commitment to supporting LATAM ecosystem development.

Ripple (XRP) Blockchain
$10KInvested (2020)
0.56xReturn Multiple

Cross-border payment infrastructure with regulatory challenges. Shows portfolio diversification across crypto and fintech.

Natilus Aerospace
$5KInvested (2021)
2.7xReturn Multiple

Autonomous freight aircraft technology for cargo transportation. Represents thesis on logistics automation and sustainability.

Philosophy

Investment Approach

A framework built on pattern recognition, timing, and a global perspective.

PL

Power Law Focus

Concentrated bets on category-defining companies with exponential growth potential. 96% of portfolio value from top 2 investments demonstrates successful outlier identification.

ES

Early-Stage Entry

Seed and Series A investments before valuation surges. Early OpenAI (2018) and Hinge Health (2016) positions exemplify timing advantage.

GP

Global Perspective

Bridging North American and Latin American ecosystems. Nicaragua fintech event with Mastercard and LATAM startup investments showcase regional expertise.

SE

Sector Expertise

Deep focus on AI, healthtech, fintech, and crypto. Strategic exposure to high-growth markets with strong network effects and scalable business models.

Ecosystem

Building Beyond the Portfolio

Committed to making venture capital more accessible, inclusive, and supportive of founder well-being.

Sweater Fund

Co-founding member making VC accessible to retail investors, democratizing access to venture returns.

Founder Mental Health Pledge

Destigmatizing founder mental health and building support systems for the entrepreneurial community.

Launch House Web3

Supporting crypto and web3 founders through community, mentorship, and early-stage capital.

Consilience Ventures

Global expert for data-driven VC ecosystem, advising on analytical approaches to venture investing.

Cap Table Coalition

Promoting diversity and inclusion in startup funding, expanding opportunities for underrepresented founders.

Nicaragua Fintech Event

Organized Nicaragua's first fintech event in partnership with Mastercard, catalyzing the regional ecosystem.

Recognitions & Accreditations

Awards, Certifications & Credentials

A foundation of recognized expertise spanning finance, venture capital, and thought leadership.

NVCA Rising Star Nominee

National Venture Capital Association
2023

FMVA® — Financial Modeling & Valuation Analyst

Corporate Finance Institute (CFI)
Certified

MBA

Babson College
Entrepreneurship

Bachelor's Degree

Purdue University
Alumni

Thinkers360 Thought Leader

Thinkers360
Recognized

Verified Credentials

Accredible / Credential.net
Multiple
Thinkers360 Badge Credential Wallet LinkedIn Certifications

Let's Build the Future Together

Passionate about supporting exceptional founders and building bridges across ecosystems.

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