Santiago Aparicio

So check this out about Santiago Aparicio. The guy’s a straight-up legend in the Latin American startup scene. He’s Colombian, and he’s been crushing it way before most even thought about jumping into this game.

Started out with some solid academic creds, a Master’s in International Management and a BSc in Economics. Basically, the guy knows his shit when it comes to business and how the world works, but what really sets him apart is his hustle and vision.

He kicked things off by co-founding Fitpal, a Latin America version of ClassPass. Think workout memberships, but for the whole region. That thing blew up, expanded to like ten countries and raised $3.5 million. That’s no joke. It proved he’s got the grit to build something real and scale across borders. And honestly, it’s more than just about the money, it’s about really getting what people need and making it happen.

Then, in 2020, Santiago and his co-founder Julián Torres saw the world shifting, everyone jumping into remote work, especially during the pandemic. They looked around and thought, “Yo, there’s gotta be a better way to handle international hiring and payments.” And boom, they jumped into that problem headfirst. That’s how Ontop was born.

Ontop’s their next big move. It’s all about making payroll and onboarding smooth for remote teams everywhere. No more BS, no more headaches. They’re simplifying global work, and they did it so well they got into Y Combinator’s Winter 2021 batch, one of the most competitive accelerators out there. That’s a big deal. In just a year, they raised over $26 million, with a $20 million Series A led by Tiger and Point72 Ventures. That’s some serious cred.

Santiago now runs Ontop as CEO, and he’s seen as a key player from Colombia making waves globally. His story isn’t just about startups, it’s about spotting problems, jumping into them, and building solutions that actually change the game. That’s his vibe. He’s motivated by making work easier for people, breaking down borders, and proving that LatAm founders can crush it on the world stage.

Bottom line: Santiago Aparicio isn’t just another entrepreneur, he’s a proof that if you see a problem and you’re willing to jump into the fire, you can build something big. He’s a proof to hustle, smarts, and never settling. And honestly, the guy’s just getting started.