2023 YLAI Alum from Bolivia Seeks to Expand Business in Phoenix

In May of this year, Global Ties Arizona welcomed a group of 13 Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative (YLAI) fellows as part of their fellowship programming in Phoenix. Among the fellows in this cohort was Sergio Maldonado from Bolivia, who developed a strong interest in expanding his business in the United States after a month-long exploration of entrepreneurship in Arizona.

Fast forward to October, and Sergio and his team returned to Phoenix with a mission to establish business relationships and identify opportunities for expanding their operations in the valley. Sergio serves as the Regional Manager of ixpantia, a company dedicated to creating value with data through the development of data products and optimizing their usage in production environments.

On October 19, ixpantia hosted a Data Workshop and presented at Venture Cafe to initiate relationships with potential clients, business partners, and others interested in the world of data, technology, and analytics.

Before heading back to Bolivia with his team, we interviewed Sergio to get the latest updates on his company and understand how his experience with YLAI brought him back to Arizona.

GTAZ: Hello, Sergio. It's great to have you back in the valley so soon, and thank you for meeting with me today. Can you tell our readers what brought you back to Arizona?

Sergio: I didn't expect to return so soon, but here we are! In May of this year, I came to Phoenix for the first time. I spent four weeks in Arizona, not knowing much about Phoenix and without high expectations. However, after those four weeks, it became one of the most incredible experiences I've had. The business ecosystem and the energy of the city, with its technology, innovation, other entrepreneurs, and growing companies, made it a land of abundant opportunities. So, I said to myself, 'Someday, I will be back.' We're leaving tomorrow, but I still can't believe I'm here right now.

GTAZ: We're glad to have you back. Could you tell us a bit about your company, its activities, and the opportunities you see for your company in Arizona?

Sergio: Let me briefly share how my journey started. I founded my own company, DataPipe, as an entrepreneur in my home country, Bolivia, in 2020. The aim was to assist companies in becoming more data-driven and enhancing their capabilities through data science tools and solutions. By adopting modern technology and open-source solutions, companies can enhance their competitiveness and implement more advanced machine learning models, ultimately paving the way for AI. As I built my company, I realized the need for partners to expand into new regions. I heard about ixpantia, a leading company in Latin America for data innovation. The timing was perfect, as ixpantia was planning to open hubs in Latin American countries. We formed an alliance, and ixpantia acquired DataPipe. Today, I'm a partner of ixpantia, and we support data teams and initiatives in their journey toward creating value with data. We accelerate the development of data products and ensure their optimization in production environments while maintaining transparency through project status, code, and documentation sharing.

What ixpantia does is accompany data teams and initiatives on their journey toward excellence in creating value with data. We accelerate the development of data products and ensure their optimization in production environments, all while maintaining transparency by sharing project status, code, and documentation. ixpantia primarily focuses on strategic and continuous innovation, co-developing solutions and data products, transferring knowledge, and promoting best practices.

GTAZ: Building on that, what opportunities do you see for your company in Arizona?

Sergio: At some point, companies realize the need to improve their data practices to analyze and manage larger volumes of data, make more strategic decisions, and become data-driven. ixpantia focuses on three key areas to enhance our clients' capabilities and competitiveness: Science, engineering, and strategy. Each company is unique, so we work closely with our clients to ensure knowledge and best practices are transferred to their teams. Many companies worldwide struggle with innovating their data, and hiring experienced data professionals can be costly. This is an excellent time to leverage the talent available in Latin America for cost-effective nearshoring opportunities. ixpantia collaborates with top talent from Latin America to innovate with data in a sustainable manner.

GTAZ: Could you talk about your work in Bolivia and Latin America in general? How are you working with businesses and clients currently?

Sergio: Certainly. ixpantia has been growing over the past seven years, and we now serve clients throughout Latin America and the United States. Our clients vary in size, from startups to large corporations that are nearshoring in Latin America. Each company and client has unique requirements and strategies. There's no one-size-fits-all solution but in general, projects go from dashboards and automated reports to automation of data-rich processes, to modeling and implementation of AI and sometimes we add a layer of on-the-job training as needed by our clients; we tailor our services to meet the specific needs of each client. Regardless of the industry, data plays a crucial role. Companies need to become more efficient, reduce errors, and make more predictive decisions in a cost-effective and sustainable way. 

GTAZ: What would you say to those who are hesitant to embrace the power of AI?

Sergio: chuckles AI is a train that's departing, and those who don't get on board will miss out on countless opportunities. Right now, AI and data science offer an exciting world to explore. The opportunities are not only there but also expand as you delve deeper into the field, making your business more competitive.

GTAZ: Can you discuss your return to Phoenix since your YLAI fellowship experience? What were the benefits of the program, and what inspired you to return to Arizona?

Sergio: The program provided a unique opportunity to network and build connections in an ecosystem that facilitates meeting new people. Thanks to you, Kristin and Global Ties Arizona, I had my first opportunity to connect with local organizations like Venture Cafe and AZ Tech to name a few. Arizona is currently a vibrant place with numerous opportunities and energy that drew me back.

Sergio's return to Arizona after his transformative experience with the Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative underscores the region's vibrant business ecosystem and his commitment to leveraging data innovation and AI, offering exciting prospects for both ixpantia and the broader business community.

A special thanks to Sergio and the ixpantia team.

To learn more about ixpantia, please visit their website. If you would like to contact Sergio, please connect with him through Linkedin.

To learn more about the Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative (YLAI) Fellowship, click here.