Secrets to Investing in APAC & LATAM
Female Investors Club is teaming up with Epic Angels — the world's largest female-only angel investor collective, ranked #4 among all angel networks in Asia by Tech in Asia — for an intimate roundtable on investing in APAC and Latam.
These two regions are home to some of the fastest-growing startup ecosystems in the world, yet remain underexplored by many investors. Join us for a candid conversation on why that's changing: the market dynamics driving growth, the founder talent emerging across both regions, and the structural advantages — valuations, timing, and diversification — that make APAC and Latam compelling additions to an early-stage portfolio.
Attendees will hear directly from experienced investors active on the ground in both regions as well as a US Angel actively investing in those regions, walk away with a practical framework for evaluating opportunities in emerging markets, and connect with a community of women actively deploying capital across borders.
Whether you're new to international investing or looking to deepen your allocation in APAC and Latam, this roundtable is designed to sharpen your perspective and expand your network.
What we’ll cover
Why APAC and Latam are the opportunity most investors are still missing — the growth, the founder talent, and the structural edge (valuations, timing, diversification) that make these regions worth a place in a portfolio now, not in five years.
How to evaluate a deal in a market you don't live in — a practical framework from investors active on the ground, so you can tell a real opportunity from a risky one.
How to actually start without going it alone — how women are co-investing across borders together, sharing dealflow and diligence, so a first international check isn't a solo leap of faith.
BIOS
Jennifer Byrne is a General Partner at Grit Capital Partners, an early-stage venture fund specializing in Applied AI across FinTech/InsurTech, Commerce, Media, and MarTech. In 2024, she co-founded the Female Investors Club in Los Angeles and New York to advance women in tech investing through leadership development, education, and deal flow.
Previously, as co-founder and CEO of Quesnay Inc., she managed global startup accelerators for clients including Farmers Insurance, Hearst, Liberty Mutual, Nationwide, Paramount, Prudential, Thomson Reuters, and Verizon. Quesnay also launched the world’s largest Female Founders in FinTech & InsurTech accelerator, evaluating 500+ women-led startups across 78 countries that raised over $1.8B.
Earlier, she held executive roles including VP of Business Development at American Express and Executive Director at Verizon, where she managed a multi-billion-dollar mobile portfolio, launched their innovation division, and drove the 4G rollout. Jennifer has been a technology investor for over a decade.
She serves on the Duke University SoCal Board, co-chairs the Duke Women’s Forum SoCal, and is recognized on the "53+ Must Follow Women Leaders in Investing," Innovate Finance Powerlist (3 years), NYC Inspiring FinTech Females, and Female Founders Alliance Champions. Her work has been featured by AMBest, American Banker, Nasdaq TradeTalks, InsuranceJournal.tv, and the FNOInsurTech Podcast.
Jennifer is a Duke University graduate and speaks Spanish, Italian, and French.
Maaike Doyer is the founder and managing partner of Epic Angels, the world's largest female-only angel investor collective, bringing together more than 850 senior women across 50 countries. Ranked among Asia's most active angel networks by Tech in Asia, Epic Angels has completed more than 50 investments across APAC and Latin America, closing approximately one new investment each month.
Originally trained as an econometrician, Maaike began her career in M&A at PwC before becoming Global CFO of Business Models Inc., the company behind the international bestseller Business Model Generation. She helped scale the firm internationally and played a key role in bringing the Business Model Canvas to Silicon Valley, working with corporations, startups, and accelerators around the world.
Today, Maaike works with investors, founders, family offices, and emerging venture funds on early-stage investing, fund strategy, and international expansion. She is also a fractional CFO, venture partner, board member, and teaches entrepreneurship and venture capital in MBA and executive education programs globally.
Having lived and built businesses across Europe, North America, Asia, and now Latin America, Maaike brings an operator's perspective to cross-border investing and has become a leading voice on increasing women's participation in angel investing worldwide.
Bessie Chu is a product leader and angel investor focused on early-stage companies across APAC and Latin America. A member of Epic Angels, she has evaluated 40+ early-stage opportunities as part of Epic Angels' investment committee and invested in startups across APAC and Latin America.
Her conviction in these markets is rooted in direct operating experience, having built and deployed products across both regions. Most recently, she served as Senior Director of International Product Management at Samba TV in Taiwan, where she led global OEM partnerships with brands like Sony across 48 million devices and drove an EdgeAI pilot with SoC manufacturer MediaTek from concept to deployment. She has also built privacy-preserving AI data processing platforms at Cape Privacy and led data modeling and governance platform deployments at GroupM (now WPP Media) across global agency clients including Unilever and Nike.
FIC is a community of tech-oriented investors: Angels, LPs, GPs, Family Offices, Asset Managers & Allocators, RIAs, Wealth Managers, Endowments, Funds of Funds, and women who are interested in starting their tech investment journey this year. The FIC is committed to empowering, building community, breaking down barriers, and elevating the visibility of women investors and sharing high-quality investment opportunities.
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