Venture builders achieve 30% higher startup success rates than traditional models by combining capital with hands-on operational support from day one.
The Startup VC operates as Craig Dempsey’s family office and company builder in Bogota, Colombia. The firm’s flagship exit, Biz Latin Hub, was acquired by Vistra in December 2025 after growing to 18 countries. Medical Tourism Packages now leads the portfolio with operations in Colombia, Mexico, Panama, and Costa Rica.
This guide explains The Startup VC’s proven 6-step methodology for building B2B service ventures. Below, you’ll find the complete process from talent recruitment through regional expansion, plus case studies and 2026 portfolio updates.
What Is a Venture Builder?
A venture builder is an organization that creates new companies using internal ideas, resources, and capital. Unlike traditional venture capital, venture builders do not wait for entrepreneurs to pitch ideas. They generate concepts internally and recruit founders to execute them.
The StartupVC follows this model as a family office and company builder. It focuses on generating B2B service ventures and growing them into standalone businesses. Each startup has its own name, brand, and client base. However, they all operate under the leadership and resources of the parent company.
How Does a Venture Builder Differ from Venture Capital?
A venture builder differs from venture capital by taking an active role in company creation. VC firms invest in existing startups and take minority stakes. Venture builders create companies from scratch and retain significant equity positions.
The Startup VC’s approach prioritizes creation over speculation. The firm does not use the “spray and pray” method of funding many startups hoping one succeeds. Instead, it deliberately builds businesses with solid fundamentals that solve real problems for paying customers.
Why Has the Venture Builder Model Grown in Latin America?
The venture builder model has grown in Latin America because it addresses the execution gap. Traditional VC often fails in emerging markets where friction exists in hiring, banking, and legal compliance. These barriers can kill even promising ideas.
Venture builders like The Startup VC provide institutional infrastructure that allows companies to function. The journey from seed funding to Series D now takes nearly 10 years for independent startups. Venture studios compress this timeline by handling compliance and operations from day one.
Why Does The Startup VC Use This Model?
The Startup VC uses this model because Latin America rewards builders, not tourists. Founder Craig Dempsey observed that foreign investors often failed by treating the region as a checkbox. Remote strategies without deep ecosystem ties inevitably hit compliance bottlenecks.
The firm was designed to originate, operate, and scale ventures from within the region. This hands-on approach values “unglamorous” daily execution over hype. The focus remains on B2B services, the picks and shovels that support foreign investment entering Latin America.
How Did The Startup VC Evolve Into a Family Office?
The Startup VC evolved into a family office following the Biz Latin Hub exit in December 2025. The acquisition by Vistra, a global corporate services leader, validated the firm’s methodology. It also provided capital to fund larger ventures.
The family office structure changes how capital is deployed. The firm uses Craig Dempsey’s personal capital rather than managing third-party funds. This removes the 7-10 year return timelines of traditional VC. The firm can hold assets indefinitely under its core value of “Legacy Over Liquidity.”
What Are The Three Core Pillars?
The three core pillars are Creation Over Speculation, Partnership Over Ownership, and Legacy Over Liquidity. These principles guide all investment and operational decisions at The Startup VC.
Creation Over Speculation means deliberately building ventures with solid fundamentals. Partnership Over Ownership acknowledges that the studio provides infrastructure while entrepreneurs drive sales execution. Legacy Over Liquidity aims to create organizations that outlive their founders.
How Does The 6-Step Venture Building Process Work?
The 6-step process works as a rigid, industrial-style framework designed to create viable B2B companies. It moves from talent recruitment through regional expansion. Each step has specific outputs and quality controls.
The StartupVC has refined this methodology through multiple successful launches over 12 years. The process combines military-grade precision with strict governance frameworks. This discipline creates a competitive moat in complex regulatory environments.
Step 1: How Does The Startup VC Recruit Founders?
The Startup VC recruits founders by headhunting experienced operators for specific roles. This differs from traditional VC where founders pitch investors. Here, the studio pitches opportunities to potential operators.
The ideal candidate is bilingual in English and Spanish. They have a high risk appetite and tolerance for sales and administration work. Recruits receive modest salaries compensated by generous bonuses and significant equity. This filters out people seeking comfortable corporate jobs.
Step 2: How Are Business Plans Developed?
Business plans are developed by assigning founders to validate specific opportunities. The studio identifies promising B2B markets in advance. The founder’s task is to confirm the hypothesis through market research.
The output is a comprehensive roadmap covering operations, sales, and financial projections. Brainstorming and communication between team members drive the best ideas forward. For more on B2B opportunities, see our overview of the B2B services sector in Latin America.
Step 3: How Does the Selection Process Work?
The selection process works through review by Craig Dempsey and the Advisory Board. This board acts as an investment committee. They stress-test the assumptions in each business plan.
Projects are evaluated on unit economics, scalability, and fit with existing capabilities. Only plans that survive this scrutiny move forward. This step prevents wasted resources by killing unviable projects on paper.
Step 4: How Are New Companies Founded?
New companies are founded through The Startup VC’s internal infrastructure. The venture is formally incorporated with legal entities in target jurisdictions. Corporate banking accounts are established immediately.
Tax and labor registrations are handled from day one. This “instant infrastructure” removes the months of friction that kills many startups. The founder can focus entirely on building the business rather than paperwork.
Step 5: How Does the Building Phase Work?
The building phase works by launching the venture with the founder at the helm under supervision. This is mentorship, not micromanagement. The founder manages daily operations and leads the team.
Founders access shared resources including marketing through Biz Online Marketing, legal counsel, and recruitment support. They are directly accountable for profit and loss. The culture emphasizes that “Money Matters” with revenue prioritized over vanity metrics.
Step 6: How Do Ventures Expand Regionally?
Ventures expand regionally by leveraging The Startup VC’s pan-regional network. Once unit economics are proven in a pilot market like Colombia or Mexico, expansion begins. The firm has contacts and infrastructure across Latin America.
A company that succeeds in Bogota can rapidly deploy to Lima, Santiago, or Mexico City. Expansion follows the same rigorous compliance standards. This ensures companies remain robust as they scale across borders.
What Makes This Model Successful?
This model succeeds because it combines strict governance with operational support. Governance is treated as a strategic asset, not just a compliance requirement. Clean structures and documented processes attract acquirers.
The Startup VC imposes strict corporate governance from Day 1. Portfolio companies stay “due diligence ready” at all times. This discipline was essential for the smooth acquisition of Biz Latin Hub by Vistra.
How Did the Biz Latin Hub Exit Validate This Approach?
The Biz Latin Hub exit validated this approach through a successful acquisition by a global leader. Vistra, a top-tier corporate services firm, completed the acquisition on December 4, 2025. They identified BLH as the leading independent provider in Latin America.
Biz Latin Hub was founded in 2014 in a two-room office in Bogota. By the exit, it had offices in 18 countries across Latin America and the Caribbean. The company served mid-to-large US enterprises with integrated legal, accounting, and recruitment solutions.
The exit proved that service-based, bootstrapped companies can achieve significant exits. It validated the focus on “boring” B2B services over flashy consumer apps. Learn more about Craig Dempsey’s approach to building ventures.
Why Is Governance Essential for Exits?
Governance is essential for exits because buyers value clean structures above almost everything else. Complexity becomes a moat. The difficulty of building an 18-country compliant network made BLH valuable to Vistra.
Many regional accelerators neglect governance. The Startup VC differentiates itself by building this discipline into every venture. When buyers conduct due diligence, they find organized records and proper documentation.
What Is The Current Portfolio?
The current portfolio includes Medical Tourism Packages as the flagship venture, Global Group Investments as the capital allocator, and Biz Online Marketing as digital infrastructure. Each serves a specific function in the ecosystem.
Following the Biz Latin Hub exit, The Startup VC rebalanced toward specialized high-growth verticals. Healthcare leads the focus while maintaining the digital support infrastructure that enables all ventures.
What Is Medical Tourism Packages?
Medical Tourism Packages is The Startup VC’s current flagship venture, founded in 2023. Craig Dempsey serves as Chairman. The company capitalizes on the gap between US healthcare costs and Latin American medical quality.
The South American medical tourism market was valued at US$545 million in 2024. It is projected to reach US$1.4 billion by 2035 at roughly 9% annual growth. Patients save 40-70% on procedures while receiving care at JCI-accredited facilities.
MTP currently operates in Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, and Mexico. The strategic roadmap includes expansion into Brazil in 2027. The company manages complete healthcare journeys from consultation through post-operative recovery.
How Does Biz Online Marketing Support the Ecosystem?
Biz Online Marketing supports the ecosystem by providing digital infrastructure for all portfolio companies. Founded in 2020, it was originally the internal marketing engine for Biz Latin Hub. It now serves the broader group.
The company provides digital PR, personal branding, and SEO services. It ensures ventures dominate search results for high-value B2B keywords. New ventures like MTP access high-quality marketing without building internal teams. Learn more about venture builders operating in Colombia.
How Can You Join The Startup VC?
You can join The Startup VC by applying through the website for founder or team roles. The firm actively recruits individuals with entrepreneurial drive and specific skill sets. Each candidate is evaluated for fit with the venture building model.
Ideal candidates are hardworking, dedicated, and think outside the box. They measure their own success by results and hold themselves accountable. They are determined to accept nothing but success, working until goals are achieved.
What Qualities Does The Startup VC Seek?
The qualities The Startup VC seeks include a high risk appetite, financial literacy, and bilingual capability in English and Spanish. Candidates should have experience in sales, administration, or operational roles.
The compensation structure filters for true believers. Modest base salaries are offset by generous bonuses and equity upside. This attracts people willing to bet on their own execution capabilities rather than those seeking comfortable paychecks.
What Career Benefits Does a Venture Builder Offer?
A career at a venture builder offers accelerated learning and ownership opportunities. Founders manage real P&L from early stages. They gain experience across functions including operations, sales, finance, and compliance.
The equity component provides significant upside if the venture succeeds. The Biz Latin Hub exit demonstrated that these exits are achievable. Team members build skills transferable to any entrepreneurial or executive role.
Ready to Build Your Next Venture?
The Startup VC is a family office and company builder focused on creating scalable B2B service ventures across Latin America. We provide hands-on mentorship, operational expertise, and capital to help founders succeed.
Contact us today to explore opportunities.