Meet Laura Ortiz Montemayor, the Impact Investor Ecosystem Builder for Mexico and Latin America

In Episode 60 of the Investing in Impact podcast, Causeartist contributor, Rafael Aldon, speaks with Laura Ortiz Montemayor, Founder of SVX México and GP at Regenera Ventures Fund, on preserving biodiversity and advocating for real Impact Investing.

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About Laura Ortiz Montemayor

Laura Ortiz Montemayor is a living-systems thinker and mompreneur. As the founder of SVX México, she is deeply passionate about fostering Regenerative Culture, preserving biodiversity, and advocating for Impact Investing.

Laura’s ultimate mission is to redirect capital towards serving life rather than controlling it, and she dedicates her efforts to transforming investment paradigms.

Over the years, Laura has focused her work on driving social, economic, and environmental justice through providing advice and education on Impact Investment.

She actively contributes as a board member of the Mexico Impact Investing Steering Committee and Taskforce (AII MX) and volunteers as a mentor for ALTERNARE A.C. Laura is also one of the founding members of the ASEM (Mexican Association of Entrepreneurs).

Currently, Laura and her business partner, Stevie Smyth, are diligently structuring their inaugural fund, Regenera Ventures.

This fund is dedicated to investing in the regenerative transition for rural Mexico, with a gender lens and a landscape approach.

Laura’s expertise has reached an extensive audience, as she has taught impact investing, climate finance, and regenerative economy principles to over 1,400 Latin American investors.

Her valuable insights have been shared in various countries, amplifying her impact on a global scale.

Prior to her entrepreneurial journey, Laura accumulated over eight years of experience in wealth and asset management, working with prestigious institutions such as BBVA and Citi Banamex.

Her educational background includes a degree in International Business from ITESM (Tec de Monterrey), along with certifications in Impact Investment from Oxford University, Regenerative Entrepreneurship from UCI, Venture Capital and Private Equity Seminar from RiskMathics, Investment Management training from ANDE, and Behavioral Economics from NYU.

Laura’s commitment to making a difference extends beyond her professional endeavors. As an angel investor in Desplastifícate and a micro investor through collective finance in two other social and environmental impact companies, she actively supports ventures aligned with her values.

Laura’s unwavering dedication and diverse experiences make her a true force for positive change.

About SVX México

SVX MX is an organization in Mexico and Latin America that focuses on ensuring capital serves humanity and the planet. As impact investment advisors and ecosystem builders, their primary goal is to educate, cultivate, and connect various stakeholders, including social and environmental impact investors, NGOs, government entities, family offices, DFIs, and investors.

Laura Ortiz and Stevie Smyth co-founded SVX Mexico with the mission of transforming investment paradigms towards a Regenerative Economy. Since 2015, they have been actively involved in education, advisory services, and investment management to promote positive change.

Their areas of specialization include Climate Finance, gender lens investing, blended finance, investments for nature-based solutions, and biodiversity regeneration.

While their primary focus is on Mexico, they also support initiatives in Colombia and Peru through their involvement with the Global Steering Group for Impact Investment.

Beyond mere transactions, SVX Mexico aims to shift paradigms and foster mutually beneficial relationships where investments contribute to creating a better world for everyone.

They have provided guidance and advice to funds, asset managers, governments, NGOs, think tanks, entrepreneurs, family offices, banks, and investors.

Their expertise spans areas such as blended finance, climate finance, regenerative investments, gender lens investments, green infrastructure, and alternative structures. Additionally, SVX Mexico is a partner organization of SVX.CA in Canada and SVX.US in California.

SVX firmly believes in the power of living systems thinking and embraces complexity. They recognize biodiversity as essential life insurance and understand that systems transformation requires wisdom, collaboration, and bravery.

Through their work, they strive to bridge the gap between investors and regeneration by promoting sustainable decision-making and fostering a deep understanding of the interconnectedness of our world.