Sergio Zafra
Sr Startups BD Manager @ AWS | MBA
San Francisco, California
Overview
Work Experience
Sr Startups Business Development Manager - US
2022 - Current
• We are a global business unit consisting of former entrepreneurs, startup founders/CXOs, tech executives and VCs focused on discovering and engaging with the world’s best and highest potential entrepreneurs and technology startups, and helping them build great businesses on the AWS platform. • Working with Seed Venture Capital investors and their portfolio companies to help them grow and achieve milestones.
Startups Business Development Manager - Colombia
2019 - 2022
• Leading the startups strategy in Colombia working with the main stakeholders in the ecosystem to help thousands of entrepreneurs to grow and achieve milestones through the AWS programs and resources.
Amazon Web Services provides information technology infrastructure services to businesses in the form of web services.
General Manager
2018 - 2019
• Started the Colombian operation of the company with the goal of establishing our hubs, acceleration programs, and services as a main point of the entrepreneurial ecosystem • Established relations with foundations, NGOs, corporates, governments and academic institutions in order to build together solutions for startups and communities • Empowered entrepreneurs by providing mentoring, visibility, funding, expertise, appropriate network and offices in Colombia and the region • Closed important deals and partnerships such as Holberton School, Ruta N, and Innpulsa that provided a bigger network and improved the financial performance for the Colombian office • Gave mentorship, workshops, and conferences to founders and active community members during events in Panama City, Lima, Santiago, Medellin, and Bogota
Business Innovation Consultant
2018 - 2019
• Created their own corporate venture program to help the company to create new business models and improve the financial performance • Created an acceleration program to get the best entrepreneurs, providing them services, mentorships, and network to help the company through innovation and new business models • Found and involved allies, investors, partners and mentors to get the best quality for the programs
Finance Manager
2019 - 2019
• Created important relations with banks, investors, institutions, and allies in order to improve the financial operation of the business • Created financial and pricing strategy of new business models of the company • Improved the financial management of the currency risk through forecasting & budgeting • Helped the company to get funding from financial institutions and get acquired through financial models and forecasting • In charge of legal operations consolidating the company between the subsidiaries in the United States, Mexico, Peru, Brazil, and Colombia
Entrepreneur In Residence (Volunteer)
2018 - 2018
• Professional volunteer program • Helping to build and sustain a business culture in emerging entrepreneurship hubs worldwide • The goal is to help up-and-coming entrepreneurs and their communities to rise to global standards of excellence • Consultant in Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos and in Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas (UPC) helping them to improve their entrepreneurial programs
Country Manager
2014 - 2018
• Started the Business Development area from scratch to have a team of 5 and getting B2B sales from 0% to 20% of the total revenue (2017). • Created the Management area: developing financial strategy including from model pricing to taxes, human resources processes, office management and legal operations. Opening offices in Mexico and Colombia. (2014 - 2015). • Helped Platzi to get into Y Combinator (2015), Endeavor (2015) and raise the Series A Funding (2018) through financials models and reports to investors. • Closed important partnerships and deals for Platzi such as Colombian Government, IBM and Bancolombia (2017 - 2018). • Speaker in main events around the world including Campus Party in Mexico (2016), Design Tour –Tour del Diseño– with INACAP in Chile (2015 and 2017), International Republican Institute events in Sri Lanka, Guatemala, United States and different events with the Colombian Government.
Research Analyst
2013 - 2014
• Created the Economic Research area and built strategies and reports for clients. • Developed daily investments strategies using fixed income assets, equity, commodities and derivatives. • Leader in the process to list shares of Facebook, Twitter and Tesla Motors in the Colombian stock market. • Broadcast in TV daily reports of what’s going on with fixed income markets.
Financial Planning Analyst
2012 - 2013
• Reporting to the Financial VP about the management of the various businesses of the company • Development and consolidation of financial information from holding companies to control costs and expenses • Consolidation of the income data of the companies to forecast and budgeting
Global Markets Analyst
2011 - 2012
• Preparation of economic reports from international economic situation • Development of strategy in international assets • Participation in daily economic committees to the commercial area • Support the commercial area for the interpretation of economic events and reporting • Covering media
Junior Research Analyst
2009 - 2010
• Analysis of economic events for the development of financial strategies • In charge of economic and technical reports and analysis of financial assets • Development of databases for business valuation