Nido Ventures

When Elon Musk appeared at CPAC with a chainsaw alongside Argentina's president, it symbolized his ambitious goal to cut government spending. This week, we're analyzing Musk's role leading the Department of Government Efficiency (D.O.G.E.) in the Trump administration. Our analysis by José Luis S. compares stated goals with initial results: while D.O.G.E. reports $55 billion in savings, public data shows $12.5 billion in identified cuts, with most coming from USAID reductions. With U.S. government spending reaching $10.07 trillion quarterly and national debt exceeding $36 trillion, we explore the structural challenges of addressing federal spending and whether an executive agency has the tools to make meaningful impact.

As global powers battle for chip dominance, Mexico is carving its own niche in the semiconductor landscape. This week, we're exploring "Project Kutsari," the national initiative aiming to transform Mexico from a $20 billion chip importer to an exporter of specialized components. Our analysis by Alejandro Alcocer reveals a strategic approach: rather than competing with TSMC in cutting-edge chips, Mexico is targeting custom-made legacy semiconductors. Through exclusive insights from Dr. Alfonso Torres Jacome at INAOE, we uncover Mexico's proprietary technology using amorphous, silicon-compatible materials and the country's plans to leverage its 40+ years of semiconductor research experience. Special thanks to Dr. Alfonso Torres Jacome for sharing his invaluable insights.

??? The Future of Mexican IPOs: A Tech-Led Evolution Despite being Latin America's second-largest economy, Mexico's IPO market remains stagnant. This week, we're exploring how venture-backed startups could revitalize the country's dormant public markets. Our analysis by Diego Ortega reveals striking contrasts: while family-owned businesses resist public listings, a new wave of tech companies like Clip and Kavak embrace professional governance and transparency. From BIVA's 40% reduction in listing costs to recent regulatory reforms, we explore how Mexico's startup ecosystem might finally bridge the gap between private and public markets. Thanks for your insights Daniela Calleja

??? DeepSeek: Ferrari Performance or Temu Economics? In an AI world obsessed with computing power, DeepSeek AI a Chinese startup claims to have built a Ferrari-level model at Temu-like costs. This week, we're exploring how DeepSeek sparked debate by allegedly matching OpenAI's performance with a fraction of the resources. Our analysis by Ana Carolina Mexia Ponce reveals the complexity behind the headlines: while their innovations reduce memory usage by 93.3%, the reality shows $1.6B in server infrastructure, not the rumored $6M development cost. From U.S. chip restrictions driving efficiency to recent security breaches, we explore whether DeepSeek represents genuine innovation, market hype or all of the above.

?? Nuevo León's Rise: Mexico's Investment Powerhouse In the race for foreign investment, one Mexican state stands out: Nuevo León. This week, we're exploring how this northern powerhouse has secured $69 billion in confirmed FDI projects and attracted over 312 new ventures. Our analysis by Diego Ortega reveals impressive momentum: from Volvo's $700 million electric vehicle plant to creating 50,000 new jobs, Nuevo León is reshaping Mexico's economic landscape. With strategic advantages like the Colombia Bridge handling 6,000 daily crossings and tax incentives of up to 91% on fixed assets, we explore how Monterrey became a magnet for global investment despite broader challenges.

???? Plan Mexico: Sheinbaum's Vision for a Top 10 Economy Mexico's new president just unveiled her most ambitious economic initiative yet. This week, we're exploring "Plan Mexico," a bold strategy to transform the nation from the world's 12th largest economy into a top 10 powerhouse. Our analysis by José Luis S. reveals the scope of this transformation: from $277 billion in new foreign investments to 3,000 km of rail lines and nine strategic sectors marked for development. While Mexico has slipped from 8th to 12th place in global GDP rankings since 2000, we explore how Sheinbaum's blueprint for infrastructure, foreign investment, and domestic production aims to reverse this trend.

? What started as a vision at Stanford GSB has grown into a venture fund investing in companies transforming industries across Mexico and the U.S. This week, we're sharing our journey. ?? With 22 B2B companies in our portfolio, 100 ConteNido editions, and a thriving community of 13,000 ConteNido subscribers, we're bridging Silicon Valley innovation with traditional industries across the U.S.-Mexico corridor. From our origins as aspiring entrepreneurs to investing in the $800 billion U.S.-Mexico trade relationship, we explore how our personal journey shapes our investment thesis. P.S. ?? You might notice our fresh new look! Our rebranding reflects Nido's evolution and our commitment to building ?? bridges between innovation and traditional industries.

?? Nido Wrapped 2024: As 2024 winds down, the Nido team is preparing for our annual two-week break to recharge and set our sights on what's next. Here's what powered Nido's year: ?? By the Numbers: * Spent 205 hours with our portfolio companies * Published 48 ConteNido Newsletters * Completed 35 due diligence deep-dives * Delivered 12 keynotes & panel talks * Mentored 7 fellows & interns * Featured on 4 industry podcasts ? Our 2024 Investments: Lilo Buo Nodal Networks Stealth Flip-Flow (formerly flipando.ai) Zenode To our founders, partners, and community - thank you for making 2024 remarkable. See you in 2025 with renewed energy and bigger ambitions!

?? The AI Implementation Gap: From Demo to Deployment While 84% of business leaders believe AI will transform their operations, only 14% are actually prepared to integrate it. This week, we're exploring the stark reality behind AI adoption: why do demos dazzle but deployments often fail? Our analysis by Ana Carolina Mexia Ponce uncovers sobering statistics: over 80% of AI projects fail—twice the rate of traditional IT initiatives. From data readiness challenges to hidden implementation costs, the journey from proof of concept to production remains a major hurdle, even as successful AI adopters report 2.5x higher revenue growth than their peers.

?? Mexico's Fiscal Strategy: Bold Cuts, Big Plans Mexico's new president has unveiled an unexpected fiscal strategy for 2025, blending strict budget cuts with robust social programs. This week, we're examining how her MX$9.1 trillion budget plan aims to reduce Mexico's deficit from 5.9% to 3.9% of GDP. Our analysis by Johan Petersmann reveals striking contrasts: while defense faces a 44% cut and infrastructure spending drops 14%, social programs receive MX$835.7 billion. Through ambitious 2-3% growth projections and strategic spending cuts, we explore how Sheinbaum's economic balancing act could reshape Mexico's business and innovation landscape.