Quasar Ventures (Quasar Builders)

Quasar Ventures — later rebranded Quasar Builders — was the first dedicated technology company builder in Latin America, launched in March 2013 in Buenos Aires, Argentina with $5.4 million in outside capital led by Emergence Capital Partners. The firm was co-founded by Andy Freire, Santiago Bilinkis, and Pablo Simon Casarino, all former executives of OfficeNet, which was acquired by Staples in 2004. Quasar pioneered what it called parallel entrepreneurship in Latin America: rather than waiting for founders to pitch, the team identified scalable business models internally, assembled operating teams, and guided execution through launch. Quasar led rounds and backed at least 13 companies with check sizes typically running $500,000 to $3 million for launch-stage businesses, with follow-on capital through Series A. Cumulatively, the platform raised more than $50 million across its operating vehicles. Notable portfolio companies include Restorando (online restaurant booking, which exited in February 2019), Avenida (e-commerce and logistics), Rodati (new-car marketplace), Trocafone (secondhand electronics marketplace, which later raised a Series A in November 2015), OpenZeppelin (Web3 security infrastructure), and Plugify. Two exits have been recorded across the portfolio's history. The 2018-vintage Quasar Ventures fund is now reported as liquidated, with the firm's last documented investment in May 2022. The Quasar model demonstrated that the company-builder approach — previously most associated with European and North American venture studios — could be successfully applied in Latin America, and the team's early exits and portfolio development established a template that influenced the region's startup ecosystem for years afterward.