Francisco is a senior Advisor for Polymath Ventures. With over 20 years of experience in management consulting, investment banking, and venture capital, Francisco has been instrumental in driving business growth and innovation. He previously served as CFO/CTO at one of Colombia’s largest food service companies, where he helped double the company’s size and EBITDA.
At Polymath, Francisco’s role expanded from CFO to also leading the business design department, spearheading company-building projects that resulted in innovative ventures. He holds a summa cum laude degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering and an MBA in Business Economics, graduating with honors. Born in Honduras, Francisco has lived in Costa Rica and Colombia, bringing a multicultural perspective and a collaborative leadership style to his work.
Victor is the Chief Technology Officer at Polymath Ventures, where he leads the development and implementation of technology strategies across the company’s portfolio. Previously, he built a home-buying web application for the Swiss real estate market while traveling Latin America as a digital nomad. Before that, Victor worked at the intersection of technology and marketing for Switzerland’s largest news website, creating interactive campaigns for high-profile clients like L’Oréal and Red Bull.
Victor began his career as a software engineer in a startup, where he developed records management systems for state governments and contributed to projects for Amnesty International. His diverse experience in software engineering, product development, and marketing drives innovative solutions in the fast-paced startup environment.
Huazhen "Molly" Guan is currently working at Duke Kunshan University, heading its Innovation Incubator. She had over 15 years of experience in new business development and project management. Previously, she worked at a Chinese public company, leading its new venture in sustainability. Before that, she founded an EdTech company, served as China Co-founder/Partner at Polymath Ventures, and held the position of Associate Director at Johns Hopkins SAIS Public-Private Partnerships Initiative. Molly received her Bachelor's degree in International Business and English from Nanjing University, and Master's degree in Business-Government Policy from Harvard University.
Alex Urdea is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Deep Ocean Partners, an opportunistic credit firm. Previously, Alex co-founded and served as Chief Investment Officer of Upper90 Capital Management, where he pioneered founder-friendly, flexible capital solutions for companies in emerging industries driven by technology and data. At Upper90, he added strategic value to founders through his operational experience, diverse network of advisors, and support from highly engaged limited partners. Alex has also served as a Board Director for Thrasio and numerous portfolio companies in eCommerce, supply chain, and fintech.
Before Upper90, Alex was a Managing Director at Solus Alternative Asset Management. Earlier in his career, he worked with Stanfield Capital Partners, Deutsche Bank, and Merrill Lynch, focusing on risk and quantitative analysis. Alex holds a BSE in Financial Engineering from Princeton University and is a CFA, FRM, and CMT.
Shawn is a Venture Partner at Polymath Ventures, where he contributes to the Funds team with a focus on sourcing, portfolio management, fundraising, and investments. Prior to relocating to Mexico City, Shawn was a Partner at Moderne Ventures, a US-based venture capital firm with US$240M in AUM. At Moderne, he managed portfolio company growth and led an accelerator program with over 100 startups, supporting companies from pre-revenue to IPO stage. Shawn has also held executive roles at major tech firms, including DocuSign, where he was Head of Business Development for Real Estate, and Constellation Software, where he served as General Manager of Real Estate.
With decades of experience in venture, strategy, and business development, Shawn has served on multiple boards and actively supports underserved founders and aspiring investors. He also mentors and advises funds and organizations globally, sharing his expertise as both an operator and investor.
