Thiago Achatz

Yo, you gotta hear about Thiago Achatz. This guy’s the real deal in Latin America’s fintech scene. So, he’s a co-founder and COO at Z1, a fresh digital bank aimed at teens and young adults in LatAm. Basically, he jumped into this space to help Gen Z get smarter about money, with a platform that’s super transparent, no bullshit fees, and even gamified to keep it fun. They launched late 2019/2020, and since then, they’ve been crushing it, backed by big names like Y Combinator (W21), Homebrew, and others, riding a wave of crazy growth.

But here’s where it gets interesting, Thiago didn’t just wake up and start Z1. Nah, dude’s been around the block. He was part of the founding teams of Rappi (YC W16) and Grow (YCS18 + Yellow), so he’s got serious fintech creds. That’s not just some random guy jumping into startups; he’s been in the trenches, building stuff that scaled. Plus, he’s an Insper alum and did all sorts of international exchanges and internships before even jumping into startups. The dude’s got that hustle DNA.

What does this say about him? Man, he’s all about having an effect. He sees fintech as a way to enable the younger generation, giving them tools to be financially independent and educated early on. He’s not in it for the hype, he genuinely wants to change how people in LatAm handle money. That drive, combined with his past experience, shows he’s not just a builder but a true believer in tech’s power to transform lives.

So, long story short, Thiago Achatz is a startup vet turned fintech pioneer, all about building stuff that matters, especially for the next generation. He’s proven he can jump into big, complex projects, learn fast, and crush it. That’s why he’s a name to watch in the Latin American startup scene.