Pygma

What Pygma does

Pygma is a pre-seed accelerator and investment platform that targets founders building in fintech and Applied AI for Latin American markets. Founded in 2022 and headquartered in New York with operational hubs in Mexico City and Bogotá, the company runs six-week cohort programs in which it takes a 1% equity stake — with no hidden fees or cap-table inflation — in exchange for hands-on co-building: pitch refinement, business-model work, market positioning, fundraising preparation, and warm introductions to its investor network. Across eight completed cohorts it has accelerated 148 startups, reporting a combined portfolio valuation of $602.7M and $39.3M cumulatively raised by portfolio companies.

The company's core product is the cohort program itself, supplemented by a Demo Week culminating event (now expanding to San Francisco for PY9), a content/newsletter distribution arm covering LatAm fintech signals, and a community platform hosted on Luma. Distribution is application-driven: a selective top-10% admissions process via Tally, top-of-funnel awareness through Substack, LinkedIn, Instagram, X, YouTube, and TikTok, and bottom-of-funnel conversion into the six-week program. Pygma monetizes via equity rather than cash fees and is transitioning from an accelerator model to a full venture capital fund, with PY9 (launching August 2026) positioned as the last cohort under the current structure.

Name

Pygma

Legal name

Pygma

Website

https://pygma.co

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Pygma is a pre-seed accelerator and investment platform for Latin American founders building in fintech and Applied AI. It runs six-week cohort programs in NYC, Mexico City, and Bogotá, taking 1% equity per startup and now transitioning from accelerator to full fund model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Startup Accelerator Services

akta.pro primary industry

Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated) (FSANAAAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Early-Stage Venture Capital (Pre-Seed/Seed) (FSANAAAA)

Keywords

• Pre-seed accelerator
• Fintech accelerator
• Startup acceleration program
• Venture capital fund
• Equity investment program

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Equity Investment: Pygma takes 1% equity in exchange for the 6-week acceleration program, which includes co-building support, mentor network access, and investor introductions. This is a transparent, aligned model where the accelerator's success is tied to the founders' success.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Pygma operates a 6-week pre-seed accelerator program for fintech and Applied AI startups led by Latin American founders. The program takes 1% equity in participating companies in exchange for hands-on co-building support including pitch refinement, business model development, fundraising preparation, and US market entry strategy. The accelerator connects founders with operators, investors, and executives through its network, culminating in Demo Week events held in San Francisco and Mexico City. PY9 is the ninth and final cohort before the company transitions to a full venture fund model.

Product overview

Pygma is a pre-seed accelerator and platform for Latino founders focused on fintech and Applied AI. The company operates cohort-based acceleration programs (currently PY9, their ninth cohort) where they take 1% equity in exchange for 6 weeks of intensive co-building support. The core offering includes hands-on work on pitch materials, business models, market positioning, fundraising strategy, and sales/GTM execution. The program connects founders with a network of operators, investors, and mentors, culminating in Demo Week events. Pygma is transitioning from an accelerator model to a full fund, making PY9 their final cohort.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• PY9 Accelerator Program A 6-week pre-seed accelerator cohort program for fintech and Applied AI startups led by Latin American founders. The program takes 1% equity and provides hands-on support including pitch refinement, business model development, fundraising preparation, US market entry strategy, deck and data room preparation, and warm introductions to operators, investors, and executives.

Quantifiable outcome

• 90 NPS rating from founders in 2025
• +3 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• DeelcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerDeel is a global HR and payroll platform partner providing portfolio companies with employment and contractor management solutions. Partnership likely offers Pygma portfolio companies preferential access to Deel's services for building global teams.
• Lowenstein SandlercoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLowenstein Sandler is a law firm providing legal advisory services. Partnership provides portfolio companies with access to legal counsel for fundraising, compliance, and corporate matters.
• GooglecoreTechnology or IntegrationGoogle partnership provides portfolio companies with access to Google Cloud credits, tools, and potentially AI/ML capabilities for building fintech and AI products.
• CartacoreTechnology or IntegrationCarta is an equity management and cap table platform. Partnership provides portfolio companies with tools for managing cap tables, valuations, and equity administration as they raise capital.
• Davalos MichelcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerDavalos Michel appears to be a consulting or advisory partner providing strategic guidance to portfolio companies, likely focused on Latin American market entry and growth strategies.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Y Combinator: Y Combinator is the largest global pre-seed/seed accelerator and was explicitly referenced by Pygma's founders as a benchmark ('Pygma is not far behind YC'). It offers a comparable cohort-based accelerator model, takes standard equity, and has expanded its reach into Latin America, making it the most consequential incumbent competitor.
• Techstars: Techstars is one of the world's most established accelerator operators with multiple vertical and regional programs, including fintech-focused cohorts. It operates a comparable 3-month mentor-driven accelerator model and frequently intersects with Pygma's fintech founder audience.

Direct peers

• Antler: Antler is a global early-stage accelerator with active presence in Latin America (notably Brazil and Mexico) and focuses on day-zero to pre-seed founders. Its cohort model, equity-for-program structure, and explicit regional LatAm push directly overlap with Pygma's positioning.
• 500 Global: 500 Global (formerly 500 Startups) is a large global accelerator and VC with deep roots in Latin America. Its cohort-driven programs, fintech emphasis, and pre-seed equity-for-program model make it one of Pygma's closest direct comparables in the region.
• Plug and Play: Plug and Play runs vertical- and geography-specific accelerator programs (including fintech) and accepts equity in participating startups. Its corporate-partner-driven model and regional hubs closely parallel Pygma's three-hub structure (NYC/CDMX/Bogotá).

Regional players

• Magma Partners: Magma Partners is a Latin American VC/accelerator actively investing in pre-seed and seed fintech and SaaS founders across the region. While primarily a fund rather than a cohort-based accelerator, it targets the same LatAm fintech founder segment Pygma serves.
• ALLVP: ALLVP is one of Mexico's most established venture capital firms with deep fintech exposure across Latin America. It represents the institutional VC capital Pygma's portfolio companies are trying to access, making it both a feeder and competitor for top-tier deal flow.
• Kaszek Ventures: Kaszek is the largest LatAm-focused venture firm with a strong fintech portfolio and a regional brand that competes for the same founder mindshare. Its portfolio size and follow-on capacity create both a downstream LP-style opportunity and a competitive threat for Pygma alumni.
• Valor Capital: Valor Capital is a cross-border (US–Brazil) growth and venture firm with fintech emphasis and operational ties to US/LatAm markets. It represents a comparable cross-border thesis for LatAm founders targeting US scale, similar to Pygma's NYC–CDMX–Bogotá positioning.
• NXTP Labs: NXTP Labs is one of the earliest and most active early-stage accelerators in Latin America, running cohorts targeting technology and fintech founders across the region. Its long-running regional program and alumni network overlap directly with Pygma's LatAm fintech thesis.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wearepygma
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCW1kVBcKXrhE5c0dZdSs7ig
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pygmavc
• Instagraminstagram.com/p/C2LOhNevAqk
• TikToktiktok.com/@pygmastartups
• Facebookfacebook.com/wearepygma

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments5 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Pygma