Santiago Saenz

About Me

Learn more about my background, experience, and what drives my passion for venture capital and technology.

Experience

  1. Founder & Managing Partner

    Ferrix Ventures

    We accelerate and invest in profitable businesses and transform them into exponential growth enterprises using frontier technology and a startup go-to-market. Focus on accelerating Latino Owned Traditional Business.

  2. Finance Intern

    SLB (Schlumberger)

    Co-managed billing for operations in Brazil and Argentina, valued at over $1M. Initiated a process automation project using Oracle and SAP and proposed a revenue diversification strategy for the finance division.

  3. Research and Digital Marketing Intern

    Cornell University - Emerging Markets Institute

    Developed the institute's digital marketing and content strategy, managing social media and organizing the 2022 EMI Annual Conference. Established key alliances with academic and private sector organizations.

  4. Teacher Assistant

    Universidad de los Andes - Colombia

    Supported professors across the Business and Economics departments for foundational and advanced courses including Business Management Fundamentals, History of Economic Thought, Analysis of the Colombian Environment, and History of Colombian Business Development.

Education

  1. Bachelor's degree, Business Administration

    Universidad de los Andes - Colombia

    Minors in Economics and Public Administration. Focused on business strategy, economics, and entrepreneurship with a strong emphasis on technology and innovation.

  2. Makers Fellowship

    Makers Fellowship

    Advanced fellowship program for entrepreneurs and builders, focusing on scaling technology companies and innovative business models.

  3. International Baccalaureate

    International School

    International Baccalaureate diploma with focus on mathematics, sciences, and global perspectives.

Volunteering

  1. Board Member and Vice President

    Bogoteamos

    Scaled an NGO focused on fostering civic engagement and a sense of belonging in Bogotá. Managed a 14-person team, drove fundraising efforts for social campaigns and grew the community to over 3,000 members with more than 50 active volunteers.

  2. Student Member of the Board of Trustees

    Universidad de Los Andes

    Served on the supreme governing body of the university, contributing to strategic decisions including digital transformation strategies and financial management of the endowment. Participated in the election of the university's first female President.

  3. University Representative and Staff Member

    Open Society University Network

    Connected Universidad de los Andes with the global OSUN network to foster collaboration and civic engagement. Co-developed and helped implement the Student Life Initiatives Project (SLIP) to strengthen student leadership and governance across the network.

  4. Staff Member

    Fridays For Future International

    Contributed to the global youth-led climate movement started by Greta Thunberg, which has mobilized over 14 million people worldwide to advocate for climate justice.

  5. Faculty Representative

    Consejo Estudiantil Uniandino (CEU)

    Acted as the Faculty Representative for the Uniandino Student Council (CEU), representing student interests and developing initiatives to support the university community.

  6. University Representative

    Federación Nacional de Estudiantes de Economía - FENADECO

    Represented Universidad de los Andes in the National Federation of Economics Students (FENADECO), a non-profit federation focused on strengthening academic spaces for Colombia's future economists.

  7. Co-director

    Despega Colombia

    Co-directed a national entrepreneurship competition promoting social impact startups, organized in partnership with INNpulsa Colombia, MetConecta, and the Universidad de los Andes Entrepreneurship Center.

  8. Student Council Member

    CEFA - Consejo Estudiantil de la Facultad de Administración

    Represented student interests and contributed to policy and project development across 7 committees, including leading the "Conexión Empresarial" initiative to connect students with companies like Alpina and BDO.

  9. Application Manager

    National Case Competition (NCC)

    Managed the application and selection process for Colombia's National Case Competition (NCC), a student-led initiative sponsored by major firms like EY, KPMG, and Deloitte to solve real-world business cases.

  10. Marketing and Ops Staff

    ConGrandes

    Supported marketing and operations for ConGrandes, a student-led congress connecting participants with leaders from the private and public sectors to discuss challenges in innovation and management.

  11. Staff Member

    National Case Competition (NCC)

    Contributed to the organization and execution of the competition, supporting logistics, team coordination, and event-day activities.

  12. Staff Member

    Despega Colombia

    Contributed to the organization and execution of the competition, supporting logistics, team coordination, and event-day activities.

Skills & Expertise

Venture Capital & Investment

Due DiligenceMarket AnalysisInvestment StrategyPortfolio ManagementFundraisingGo-to-Market Strategy

Technology & Development

PythonJavaScriptReactTypeScriptSoftware EngineeringAI/MLProduct DevelopmentLow-code Development

Business Strategy & Operations

Business StrategyOperations ManagementTeam BuildingDigital MarketingProcess AutomationRevenue Strategy

Leadership & Entrepreneurship

Startup CreationTeam LeadershipPublic SpeakingCommunity BuildingStrategic PartnershipsEvent Management