Javier Perez, Founder & Managing Partner, Global PayTech Ventures

Miami’s rise as a global fintech hub is no coincidence, according to Javier Perez, founder and managing partner of Global PayTech Ventures. “Miami offers better geographical accessibility as compared to all other options. From Miami, you can easily reach New York, Mexico, Colombia, S£o Paulo, and Venezuela.” he told Invest:.

What makes Miami an attractive location for the global fintech industry, and why did you choose it as a destination for your company?

First, let us start with North America. North America is the largest market in our industry and in venture capital, but that is true for many industries. Now, if you consider the Americas as a whole, it becomes an even more significant market. North America is super important on its own, but when you add Latin America, you are probably talking about the largest market in the world for nearly anything, and certainly for venture capital. As one of the partners at my firm, Daniel Perez, puts it “Miami is the capital of capital.”

Secondly, our company focuses on helping European customers, fintechs, startups, and founders develop. While we assist them in Europe, they are already familiar with that market and require less help there. Once they have Europe under control, the natural question for any founder or CEO becomes, “Where do I go next?” And, of course, you want to go to the largest market.

If you are European, your focus will be on the East Coast. Asia might lean toward the West Coast because of proximity and time zone benefits, but for Europe, being on the East Coast makes more sense. Proximity and manageable flight times are key. That narrows it down to cities like New York, Boston, and Miami, with New York being the primary choice initially. However, if you go further south, you reach places like Mexico City, S£o Paulo, and Buenos Aires.

When you put all this together and ask yourself which location offers access to both North and Latin America, there is only one clear answer: Miami. Simply put, Miami offers better geographical accessibility as compared to all other options. From Miami, you can fly to New York in two and a half hours. You can also easily reach Mexico, Colombia, S£o Paulo, and Venezuela.

In addition to that, Miami provides a more appealing environment than New York, especially for Europeans. When we bring founders to Miami, we can have much more productive working sessions. The weather, the outdoor activities, and the relaxed atmosphere make it easier to focus and connect. Miami also allows us to integrate Latin America into the conversation seamlessly, creating a more diverse and enriching discussion.

Moreover, we are not the only ones making this choice. Companies like Citadel, IDC Ventures, Searchlight Capital, and others have moved here. It is not just about taxes, though lower taxes are a plus. Talent prefers Miami, and we find many professionals from New York eager to relocate here. In Miami, we can offer them better-paying jobs due to lower living costs, and life here is more accessible as you can get tickets to events and reservations at restaurants without much hassle.

What are some of the trends or dynamics that you are seeing in the global paytech industry?

It is a challenging time for private capital. We are at an all-time low for generating unicorns, which are companies valued at over $1 billion, and IPOs. At the same time, interest rates are at their highest in the past decade, which makes fundraising difficult for founders.

Traditional investors and venture capitalists are now cautious. When interest rates were near zero, private capital was more attractive. Investors needed alternatives to generate returns, and they turned to startups. Today, however, investors can earn over 5% from simple money market accounts. With more predictable returns available, fewer people are willing to take risks on startups.

This situation has made it harder for founders to secure funding. Many investors are now focusing on “flavor of the month” trends, like they did with cryptocurrency. A few years ago, cryptocurrency was the hot topic, but now it has faded. Today, everyone is talking about artificial intelligence.

How is Global PayTech Ventures navigating these economic dynamics?

At Global Paytech Ventures, we work hard to select companies with a differentiating technology with working products, led by ambitious, tenacious, and experienced management teams. This combination, coupled with existing clients and revenue, are a big indicator of potential success.

Our team is built on industry-specific needs — that is to say; all the partners have unique experience in payments. Having held high-ranking management positions in multiple Fortune 50 companies and having the experience mentoring many young startups and taking three to IPO and making them household names, I recognize and appreciate commercially-minded CEOs and teams who can showcase their product effectively and have demonstrated commitment to the project.

Daniel Perez, one of the partners at GPT — cut his teeth on the product side of payment technology. Having worked for Mastercard as a Product Manager focusing on New Payment Platforms and Global Push Payments, he uses his product management expertise by applying ‘Agile’ principles of Scrum to help companies create value at scale to achieve critical growth milestones. He also applies his expertise in digital, social, and product marketing to help paytech companies identify and reach their value inflection points.

Kristofer Perez, another one of the partners at the firm – leads the strategic advisory service we have, applying years of fintech product strategy, design, and development to guide new paytech companies. He previously worked for Visa, Mastercard Advisors, the Boston Consulting Group, and IBM. He’s also played an integral role in more than 120 fintech projects across 8 countries, and has filed 15+ patents. Kriffy is also a guest lecturer at NYU’s Stern School of Business and UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business.

The rest of our team comes from a combination of traditional banking, consulting, and politics backgrounds.

Our sector-specific knowledge allows us to make more informed investment decisions. We look for startups with the potential to succeed because we understand the products, environment, and challenges in their space. For example, we do not invest in a company just because it uses AI or crypto, rather we invest because we see real value in what it offers.

This philosophy also ties back to our decision to be in Miami. Here, we can work more closely with founders, build stronger relationships, and help them create sustainable value. The environment allows us to engage more deeply with the CEOs and teams we back.

How does the company approach the shifting landscape in venture capital and within the payments industry?

Let me start by saying what we look for when we invest in payments. Payments are one of the simplest things in life, or at least they should be. We look for companies that make payments seamless and easy, as people just want their experiences to be hassle-free. This is why we focus on simplicity, safety, and speed. We are also looking for founders and CEOs who understand real consumer needs. Their products should aim to make life easier, reducing friction in the payment process. It is not just about functionality but also about creating relationships with founders.

We are looking for these aspects specifically because as an industry we are moving toward integrated payment experiences. Consumers today want seamless transactions. Take Uber, for example. When you use Uber, you are not thinking about payments. You just book a ride, get in, get out, and the payment happens in the background. That is the kind of frictionless experience people expect now, and this shift is happening everywhere, from Europe to the Americas.

In restaurants, the average person spends around 12 minutes paying the bill as they wait for a waiter, hand over a card, and so on. That is an unnecessary hassle. The future of payments eliminates that friction. Your credentials, not a physical card, will be the key to transactions. Biometric systems will recognize you, and payments will happen seamlessly.

We are also seeing non-banking companies take over the payment space. Uber and Amazon are examples of companies that manage payments on their own platforms. They do not need to be banks to store your card details. Apple Pay and PayPal work similarly. Even though they are not banks, they provide payment solutions that feel faster and more efficient than traditional banking.

Where do you see Global PayTech Ventures in the next two to three years?

Our primary goal is to find exceptional founders. That is, people with the drive, intelligence, and ambition to create meaningful products. We believe that success in this industry is all about people. When you find the right individuals who are committed to solving real-world problems, you are already 80% of the way to success.

Our focus remains on payments, and we intend to deepen our expertise in this area. We are one of the few venture capital firms dedicated solely to payments, and we believe that specialization is the way forward. The days of generalist VCs trying to cover every sector are over. Success will come to those who have deep knowledge of their industry.

We are not just investors anymore either, we are partners. Many founders are brilliant at creating products but might lack experience in areas like marketing, business organization, or networking. That is where we come in. With decades of experience in payments, and in my case, nearly half a century, we help these founders navigate the complexities of the industry. We bring not just capital but also knowledge, connections, and strategic advice to the table.

When we consider the evolution of payments and technology in general, I believe it ultimately revolves around convenience. It all boils down to helping clients avoid discomfort and unnecessary hassle in their daily lives.