The optical goods retail industry in Latin America is rapidly evolving, offering a myriad of products aimed at enhancing vision and style. Key players range from online retailers like Lentesplus to brick-and-mortar chains that emphasize eye care and personalized services. A notable trend is the growing acceptance of e-commerce platforms, making eyewear more accessible to consumers across the region. Companies also focus on providing innovative solutions including prescription lenses, fashionable frames, and advanced eye care technologies. As consumer demand rises for quality and convenience, the industry is poised for significant growth and modernization in the coming years.


The list features a mix of venture capital firms and corporate investors, primarily headquartered in Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico. Founded between 2005 and 2017, these investors have varied team sizes; from small firms with fewer than ten employees to larger teams with up to fifty. In the past year alone, these firms executed a total of 84 investment deals, showcasing their active participation in the optical goods sector. Notable investors include Kaszek and Bossa Invest.


Top 12 Optical Goods Retail Investors in Latin America


1. bossa invest

  • Website: bossainvest.com
  • Type: Venture Capital
  • Headquarters: Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
  • Founded year: 2011
  • Headcount: 11-50
  • Number of deals in 2024: 56
  • LinkedIn: bossainvest

Bossa Invest is a venture capital firm based in Sao Paulo, Brazil, founded in 2011. The firm specializes in investing in innovative startups, particularly in the technology sector, and provides capital, strategic guidance, and access to a network of co-investors. Bossa Invest has been active in the optical goods retail industry, with notable investments including Ben & Frank, Eyewa, Pair Eyewear, salauno, and Quadrant Eye. These companies represent a diverse range of optical goods offerings, from eyewear to vision care services, showcasing Bossa Invest's commitment to fostering growth in this sector. Additionally, the firm offers educational resources for both investors and startups, aiming to empower entrepreneurs and enhance the startup ecosystem.


2. inQlab

  • Website: inqlab.co
  • Type: Venture Capital
  • Headquarters: Bogota, Bogota, Colombia
  • Founded year: 2013
  • Headcount: 1-10
  • Number of deals in 2024: 1
  • LinkedIn: inqlab

InQlab is a venture capital firm based in Bogotá, Colombia, founded in 2013. The firm specializes in investing in technology startups with high growth potential across various sectors, including fintech, e-commerce, and healthtech. InQlab aims to foster innovation and economic growth in Colombia and Latin America by providing strategic support and capital to early-stage businesses. Notably, inQlab has invested in Lentesplus, a Bogotá-based e-commerce platform for contact lenses, participating in multiple funding rounds including a Seed Round in 2016, a Series B in 2017, and a Series A in 2018, which collectively raised significant capital to support the company's regional expansion. This involvement highlights inQlab's interest in the optical goods retail sector, alongside their broader investment strategy.


3. Kaszek

  • Website: kaszek.com
  • Type: Venture Capital
  • Headquarters: Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
  • Founded year: 2011
  • Headcount: 11-50
  • Number of deals in 2024: 17
  • LinkedIn: kaszek-ventures

Kaszek is a venture capital firm based in Sao Paulo, Brazil, founded in 2011. The firm focuses on investing in and supporting entrepreneurs across Latin America, providing capital and strategic guidance to startups in various technology-driven industries. Notably, Kaszek has invested in eÓtica, a company that operates in the optical goods retail sector, raising an undisclosed amount in a Series A round in June 2012. Additionally, they invested in OQVestir, another retail platform, which, while not directly in optical goods, indicates their engagement in the retail space. Their investment strategy emphasizes long-term partnerships and fostering a vibrant technology ecosystem, which is evident in their diverse portfolio that includes companies like Chiper, a Colombian e-commerce platform. Overall, Kaszek's involvement in the optical goods retail sector through eÓtica positions them as a relevant investor in this category.


4. Stella Maris Partners

  • Website: stellamaris.mx
  • Type: Venture Capital
  • Headquarters: Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico
  • Founded year: 2012
  • Headcount: 1-10
  • Number of deals in 2024: 1
  • LinkedIn: stella-maris-partners

Stella Maris Partners is a venture capital firm based in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, founded in 2012. The firm specializes in investing in early-stage companies that demonstrate a strong social impact, providing seed capital and support to entrepreneurs to foster innovative solutions that contribute to economic growth in Mexico. Notably, Stella Maris Partners has been involved in several funding rounds for Lentesplus, a Bogotá-based e-commerce platform for contact lenses in Latin America. They participated in the Seed Round in March 2016, followed by a Series B investment in July 2017, and a Series A investment in November 2018, totaling $6.5 million in funding for Lentesplus. This involvement highlights their engagement in the optical goods retail sector, showcasing their interest in supporting businesses that operate within this industry.


5. Fen Ventures

  • Website: fenventures.com
  • Type: Venture Capital
  • Headquarters: Las Condes, Santiago, Chile
  • Founded year: 2012
  • Headcount: 1-10
  • Number of deals in 2024: 5
  • LinkedIn: fen-ventures

Fen Ventures is a venture capital firm based in Las Condes, Santiago, Chile, founded in 2012. The firm specializes in investing in early-stage startups within the Latin American tech sector, providing not only capital but also strategic support and networking opportunities to entrepreneurs. Among their notable transactions, Fen Ventures invested $8 million in Lentesplus on December 7, 2021, during its Series E funding round. Lentesplus is a prominent player in the optical goods retail industry, focusing on providing eyewear solutions. This investment highlights Fen Ventures' engagement in the optical goods sector, alongside their broader mission of fostering innovation and positive change in the region.


6. DILA Capital

  • Website: dilacapital.com
  • Type: Venture Capital
  • Headquarters: Mexico City, Mexico City, Mexico
  • Founded year: 2005
  • Headcount: 11-50
  • Number of deals in 2024: 1
  • LinkedIn: dila-capital

DILA Capital is a venture capital firm based in Mexico City, Mexico, founded in 2005. The firm specializes in investing in entrepreneurs and companies within the Spanish-speaking world and the Hispanic market in the U.S. DILA Capital provides capital, strategic support, and operational insights to help its portfolio companies grow and succeed. Notably, DILA Capital has invested in Ben & Frank, a company that raised funds in both a Series A round in February 2018 and a venture round in October 2021. These transactions highlight DILA Capital's engagement in the optical goods retail sector, showcasing their commitment to supporting innovative companies in this industry.


7. Igah, Ventures.

  • Website: igahventures.com
  • Type: Venture Capital
  • Headquarters: Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
  • Founded year: 2011
  • Headcount: 11-50
  • Number of deals in 2024: 2
  • LinkedIn: ebricks-ventures

Igah Ventures is a venture capital firm based in Sao Paulo, Brazil, founded in 2011. The firm specializes in seed and early-stage investments in innovative startups across various sectors, including technology, healthcare, and finance. Notably, Igah Ventures has invested in eÓtica, a company that raised an undisclosed amount in a Series A round on June 26, 2013. This investment highlights their engagement in the optical goods retail industry, showcasing their commitment to supporting entrepreneurs and fostering growth in diverse markets, including optical goods.


8. Eretz.bio

  • Website: eretz.bio
  • Type: Corporate
  • Headquarters: Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
  • Founded year: 2017
  • Headcount: 11-50
  • Number of deals in 2024: 16
  • LinkedIn: eretz.bio

Eretz.bio is a not-for-profit organization based in Sao Paulo, Brazil, founded in 2017. It serves as an innovation hub associated with the Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, focusing on incubating startups in the healthcare sector, particularly in biotechnology, digital health, and medical devices. In 2023, Eretz.bio participated in a Seed round for Eyecare Health, which raised $2M to expand its operations and improve its products and services in the eye care sector. This transaction highlights Eretz.bio's engagement in the optical goods retail context, alongside its broader healthcare investment strategy. Additionally, Eretz.bio has been involved in other transactions, such as the Seed round for Phelcom, although this company does not directly relate to optical goods.


9. Columbia Ventures Brazil


Columbia Ventures Brazil is a corporate startup accelerator based in Sao Paulo, Brazil, founded in 2021. The firm connects entrepreneurs with investors, providing mentorship, capital, and networking opportunities to foster the startup ecosystem in Latin America. While their primary focus has been on industries such as Fintech and Healthtech, they have also made notable investments in the optical goods retail sector. For instance, they participated in a Series A funding round for Central da Visão, which raised $1,700,000 on November 6, 2024. This investment highlights their engagement in the optical goods retail market. Additionally, they were involved in a funding round for Zissou, raising $1,969,471 on March 16, 2022, although the relevance of this transaction to the optical goods sector is less clear. Overall, Columbia Ventures Brazil is positioned as a versatile investor with a growing interest in diverse sectors, including optical goods retail.


10. TM3 Capital

  • Website: tm3.capital
  • Type: Corporate
  • Headquarters: Cidade Industrial De Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
  • Founded year: 2011
  • Headcount: 11-50
  • Number of deals in 2024: 3
  • LinkedIn: triv%c3%a8llam3

TM3 Capital is an investment management firm founded in 2011, located in Cidade Industrial De Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil. The firm specializes in long-term investments across various sectors, including venture capital, asset management, and real estate. TM3 Capital serves both individual and institutional investors, aiming to optimize portfolios and achieve superior returns through innovative investment strategies. Notably, TM3 Capital has been involved in the optical goods retail sector, having invested in Opto, which raised an undisclosed amount in a Series A funding round on September 1, 2011. This investment highlights TM3 Capital's commitment to actively participating in the businesses they invest in, particularly in the optical goods market, while still maintaining a diverse investment portfolio.


11. Hangar 8 Capital

  • Website: hangar8capital.com
  • Type: Corporate
  • Headquarters: Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
  • Founded year: 2018
  • Headcount: 1-10
  • Number of deals in 2024: 1
  • LinkedIn: hangar8capital

Hangar 8 Capital is an investment group based in Sao Paulo, Brazil, specializing in angel investments in startups. Founded in 2018, the firm focuses on providing capital and support to early-stage businesses across various industries, helping entrepreneurs access the necessary resources to grow and succeed in the market. In 2024, Hangar 8 Capital made a notable investment in Central da Visão, raising $1,700,000 in a Series A round. This investment highlights their engagement in the optical goods retail sector, showcasing their commitment to supporting businesses that operate in this industry.


12. VOX Capital

  • Website: voxcapital.com.br
  • Type: Venture Capital
  • Headquarters: Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
  • Founded year: 2009
  • Headcount: 11-50
  • Number of deals in 2024: 1
  • LinkedIn: vox-capital

VOX Capital is an impact investment firm based in Sao Paulo, Brazil, founded in 2009. They specialize in managing investments that generate positive social and environmental outcomes, focusing on sectors such as healthcare, education, and climate solutions. In 2023, VOX Capital led a Seed round investment of $2 million in Eyecare Health, a company dedicated to enhancing eye care services and products. This investment aims to expand Eyecare Health's operations and accelerate its growth, showcasing VOX Capital's active role in the optical goods retail industry while aligning with their mission to support impactful ventures.



Optical Goods Retail Insights: Key Investors in Latin America


InvestorHeadquarterSizeFoundedDeals 2024
bossa investSao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil11-50201156
inQlabBogota, Bogota, Colombia1-1020131
KaszekSao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil11-50201117
Stella Maris PartnersMonterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico1-1020121
Fen VenturesLas Condes, Santiago, Chile1-1020125
DILA CapitalMexico City, Mexico City, Mexico11-5020051
Igah, Ventures.Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil11-5020112
Eretz.bioSao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil11-50201716
Columbia Ventures BrazilSao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil1-1020213
TM3 CapitalCidade Industrial De Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil11-5020113
Hangar 8 CapitalSao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil1-1020181
VOX CapitalSao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil11-5020091


Want to find more investors focusing on the optical goods retail industry?

If you want to find more investors that are active in the optical goods retailindustry, you can do that with Inven. We built this list and analysis throughInven's Investor Search, and there are a lot more private equity, venturecapital, and corporate investors like these globally.

With Inven, you'll also get to know:

  • Deal History: Number of deals and their sizes.
  • Portfolio: Companies they've invested in.
  • Contact data: Key dealmakers, including their emails and phonenumbers.
  • ...and much more!