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Key people at Acsendo.
Acsendo is a Bogotá, Colombia-based B2B software company that provides cloud-based human resources and talent management platforms for large Latin American enterprises. The company operates a SaaS business model, generating subscription revenue through digital tools designed to track employee performance, measure workplace climate, and manage objectives and key results. Prior to its corporate restructuring, the software platform expanded its operations to serve hundreds of corporate clients across 14 countries throughout the Latin American region. In September 2020, the company merged with the employee engagement platform GOintegro, backed by early investments from the startup accelerator Wayra, to create a comprehensive human resources technology suite. Following this recent strategic transaction, the combined entity reported serving over 800 corporate clients and approximately one million daily active users. Acsendo was originally founded in 2008 by technology entrepreneur Carlos Santana.
Key people at Acsendo.
Ascendo Venture Capital is a Miami-based venture capital firm founded in 2021 that invests in Seed to Series A early-stage companies led by underrepresented founders (Latin, Black, or female) nationwide, targeting disruptive technologies in FinTech, EdTech, HealthTech, Future of Work, and Enterprise Software to serve underserved demographics and drive inclusive growth.[1][2][4][7] The firm's mission centers on pursuing alpha through inclusion, innovation, and trust by backing post-revenue startups at the intersection of technological disruption and opportunity-rich demographics, such as the Emerging Majority and women as economic catalysts; it emphasizes hands-on partnership with cultural affinity to close the funding gap for diverse founders.[1][2] With a first fund targeting $50 million and 4 known investments (e.g., LeapFinancial's $3.5M Seed VC in December 2024), Ascendo impacts the startup ecosystem by providing capital, business acumen, and networks to scalable overlooked companies, fostering equitable outcomes in high-growth sectors.[2][4]
Ascendo Venture Capital was founded in 2021 in Miami, Florida, by co-founders Laura I. Maydon (General Partner), John Hall (Venture Partner), and Stephen Edwards (Venture Partner), drawing on their extensive operator and investor experience.[4][7] Maydon built her expertise at Endeavor Miami, scaling its portfolio to 23 companies generating over $250M in 2019 revenue, and started in M&A at Banc of America Equity Partners; Edwards screened applicants for Goldman Sachs 10KSB, turned around a NASDAQ-listed bank, led M&A deals over $300M, and managed a 10-year angel fund for Black-owned businesses (Howard BA, Harvard MBA).[1] The idea emerged amid a major technological shift where demographic growth and economic power converge, positioning diverse founders to address underserved markets; early focus evolved on post-revenue, tech-driven firms in key sectors, with the team leveraging 20+ years of experience for integrity-driven support.[1][2]
(Note: Distinct from unrelated entities like Ascendo Ventures in Korea/Seoul or Ascendo Resources in staffing.[3][5][6])
Ascendo rides the trend of demographic shifts and inclusive innovation, where the Emerging Majority (diverse populations) drives economic growth amid technological disruption in finance, health, education, and work—funding gaps here represent prime VC opportunities.[1][2] Timing aligns with post-2021 VC evolution toward diversity as performance edge, amplified by Miami's rise as a tech hub (e.g., women in VC news Mar 2025); market forces like digital transformation and women-led growth favor their thesis.[2][4] They influence the ecosystem by catalyzing underrepresented founders, boosting portfolio revenue/exits (inspired by Endeavor model), and rewriting VC rules through equitable access, potentially unlocking billions in overlooked scalable tech.[1][2]
Ascendo is poised to close its debut fund and ramp deployments, building on 2024 investments like LeapFinancial amid Miami's VC surge and rising demand for diverse-led tech in exploding demographics.[2][4][7] Trends like AI-driven inclusion, ESG-aligned growth, and Emerging Majority markets will shape them, potentially evolving influence via larger funds, more exits, and ecosystem leadership—transforming "overlooked" into alpha-standard.[1][2] This hands-on bet on visionary founders ties directly to their pursuit of alpha through inclusion, positioning Ascendo as a pivotal player in equitable tech disruption.[1]
