Reciprocal
Reciprocal is a Stanford-born venture platform that builds, invests in, and supports climate and nature tech startups across Latin America and the Caribbean via accelerator programs, catalytic funding, and proprietary ecosystem research.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2023
- HeadquartersProvidencia, Chile
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Reciprocal does
Reciprocal is a venture platform that builds, invests in, and supports climate and nature tech startups across Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). Founded at Stanford University in 2023 by Benjamin Zehr, Daniel Gajardo, Gabriela Carrasco, and Waldo Soto, the firm positions itself as an institutional co-founder to early-stage environmental entrepreneurs and serves four customer groups: climate and nature tech startups (primary), investors and funds seeking climate-aligned theses, impact-driven organizations and governments, and the broader environmental innovation community. The platform addresses a structural capital gap in a region that holds 40% of global biodiversity and 57% of remaining primary forests but receives a disproportionately small share of climate venture funding.
The company's core technology and products comprise three offerings: the LAC Edge Report, a proprietary research publication and database covering 772+ LAC startups with 25 investment theses organized across a four-pillar taxonomy (Regenerative Land/Water/Oceans, Mobility & Energy Systems, Sustainable Industry & Infrastructure, and Market Infrastructure for Carbon & Nature); the Upwell program, which provides up to US$20,000 in catalytic funding plus structured corporate pilot access for prototype-to-pilot ocean startups; and the AgroTech Studio, an intensive bootcamp for Chilean early-stage agrifood founders. Supporting capabilities include a network of 110+ research collaborators and a partnership with Capital 4 Climate covering 300+ Nature-Based Solution opportunities.
Reciprocal operates through bespoke, relationship-based engagements rather than a self-serve model, distributing services via accelerator applications (Upwell, AgroTech Studio), direct consulting with investors and impact organizations, and ecosystem referral channels through partners including UC Davis Chile, Corfo, ProChile, Seedstars, Breakthrough Energy Discovery, Builders Vision, SIMMA Capital, Aqua Chile, Arca Continental, and Yield Lab Latam. The team is distributed across San Francisco, New York, Houston, Mexico City, Santiago, and Barcelona, with 1-10 employees including co-founders, a Director of Blue Economy, Program Coordinators, and Fellows. Revenue is not publicly disclosed and is likely a mix of grants, corporate sponsorships, and advisory mandates at an early-stage scale.
Reciprocal firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Reciprocal
- Legal name
- Reciprocal
- Website
- https://reciprocal.studio
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2023
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Reciprocal is a Stanford-born venture platform that builds, invests in, and supports climate and nature tech startups across Latin America and the Caribbean via accelerator programs, catalytic funding, and proprietary ecosystem research.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Reciprocal industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Climate Tech Venture Platform
- akta.pro primary industry
- Independent Sponsor / Fundless Sponsor ETA (FSANALAB)
Keywords
Where Reciprocal is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Providencia
- HQ country
- Chile
- HQ region
- Latin America
Offices6 records
Markets served
Reciprocal business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Venture Platform Services: Reciprocal builds, invests in, and supports climate startups. They provide technical and strategic tools to founders from early phases, structure innovative investment vehicles, and work with investors, governments, and NGOs to strengthen the LAC ecosystem.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Reciprocal product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Reciprocal is a Stanford-born venture platform that builds, invests in, and supports climate and nature tech startups across Latin America and the Caribbean. The company operates as an institutional co-founder, providing hands-on technical and strategic support from the earliest phases of entrepreneurship, structuring innovative investment vehicles to deploy capital into regional climate ventures, and delivering structured accelerator programs (Agrotech Studio and Upwell) along with proprietary research such as the LAC Edge Report.
Product overview
Reciprocal is a venture platform that builds, invests in, and supports climate and nature tech startups in Latin America and the Caribbean. The company operates three core offerings: (1) Agrotech Studio, an innovation bootcamp for early-stage agrifood founders developed in partnership with UC Davis Chile and Corfo; (2) Upwell, a venture program providing catalytic funding and corporate partner access for ocean innovation startups at the prototype-to-pilot stage; and (3) the LAC Edge Report, a research publication analyzing the regional climate tech ecosystem. Reciprocal also provides advisory services for startups, investors, and impact organizations, and facilitates ecosystem connections through mentorship networks and stakeholder engagement.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Upwell: A deployment-oriented venture program designed to support ocean innovation startups in Latin America and the Caribbean as they cross the commercialization step of real-world deployment with industry partners.
- AgroTech Studio
Products and services
- Agrotech Studio An intensive bootcamp innovation program for the next generation of founders in agriculture and climate, designed for Chilean entrepreneurs with early-stage solutions (proof of concept to pre-commercial validation) addressing decarbonization and sustainability challenges in agrifood systems. Delivered in partnership with UC Davis Chile, Corfo, and AgroTech Chile, the program provides formation, mentorship network, industry connection, and peer collaboration.
- Upwell A deployment-oriented venture program designed to support ocean innovation startups in Latin America and the Caribbean as they cross the commercialization step from prototype to real-world deployment with industry partners. Provides up to US$20,000 in catalytic funding per startup, pilot design support, access to corporate partners, and mentorship for prototype-ready companies.
- LAC Edge Report A comprehensive landscape analysis and roadmap for Latin America and the Caribbean's climate and nature tech ecosystem. Analyzes 772+ nature & climate tech startups headquartered in LAC, organizes investment opportunities across four pillars (Regenerative Land/Water/Oceans, Mobility & Energy Systems, Sustainable Industry & Infrastructure, and Market Infrastructure for Carbon & Nature), and identifies 25 unique investment theses with multi-billion-dollar market opportunities by 2030. Synthesized from insights contributed by 110+ collaborators including founders, funders, corporate leaders, policymakers, academics, and accelerator representatives. Supported by Breakthrough Energy Discovery.
Quantifiable outcome
- Analyzed 772 nature & climate tech startups to produce 25 investment theses with multi-billion-dollar market opportunities by 2030
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Reciprocal
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Reciprocal technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Reciprocal partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- UC DaviscoreUC Davis Chile collaborates on the AgroTech Studio program as co-organizer. Provides scientific expertise, research capabilities, and connects the Chile-California innovation ecosystem.
- CorfocoreChile's development agency supports AgroTech Studio program and broader ecosystem building efforts in Chile, providing funding and institutional backing.
- ProChileminorChile's trade promotion agency has worked with Reciprocal on ecosystem building initiatives.
- SeedstarsminorCollaborated on the Seedstars Youth Climate Innovation Lab, enabling a mentorship network for young innovators to refine ideas, test market potential, and prepare for real-world impact.
- Capital for ClimateminorReciprocal serves as LAC partners of Capital 4 Climate, mapping over 300 investment opportunities and stakeholders promoting Nature-Based Solutions to facilitate better investments into the sector.
- Builders VisioncorePioneering organization taking a leading role in ocean innovation, providing real collaboration and deployment opportunities for startups in the Upwell program.
- SIMMA CapitalcorePartner in the Upwell ocean innovation program, contributing to industry collaboration and deployment pathways for pilot-ready ocean startups.
- Aqua ChilecoreLeading aquaculture company in Chile participating as an industry partner in Upwell, providing real operational environments for ocean innovation startups to test and deploy solutions.
- Arca ContinentalcoreMajor beverage company participating in Upwell program, offering industry-defined challenges and deployment pathways for ocean-climate solutions.
- Yield Lab LatamcoreAgriFoodtech investor in Latin America serving as partner in Upwell, contributing to the venture program's ability to connect startups with capital and industry collaboration.
- AgroTech ChilecoreCo-organizer of AgroTech Studio program alongside Reciprocal and UC Davis Chile, focusing on transforming how science and technology entrepreneurship is learned in agrifood systems.
- Carozzi CorpminorFood and beverage company supporting AgroTech Studio as a collaborator, providing industry perspective and potential pilot opportunities for agritech innovations.
- Araucaria VenturesminorVenture firm contributing expertise to AgroTech Studio. Karina Von Baer, Managing Partner, serves as mentor with experience in agribusiness and entrepreneurship.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Reciprocal competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- New Ventures Mexico: Mexico-based accelerator supporting clean tech and sustainable business startups. Comparable as a regional accelerator with similar climate/environmental focus and corporate partner linkage.
- Acumen Latam Impact Ventures: Impact investment fund with dedicated Latin America vehicle focused on early-stage entrepreneurs addressing poverty and climate. Directly comparable regional focus and impact-first mandate.
- Vox Capital: Brazilian early-stage impact VC investing in solutions for low-income populations. Comparable as a LAC-focused impact venture investor with similar environmental and social mandate.
- EcoEnterprises Partners: Latin America-focused fund investing in sustainable businesses and nature-based solutions across the region. Directly comparable to Reciprocal as a LAC impact investor deploying capital into early-stage environmental companies.
- Agora Partnerships: LAC-focused impact accelerator supporting early-stage social and environmental enterprises. Comparable in operating accelerator programs and providing venture-building support for impact founders in the region.
Broad incumbents
- Builders Vision: Climate impact investor with dedicated ocean strategy and corporate deployment focus. Comparable in deploying catalytic capital to ocean innovation, and operates as a Reciprocal Upwell program partner.
- IDB Lab: The Inter-American Development Bank's innovation and venture lab, supporting LAC entrepreneurs through grants, equity, and acceleration. A larger institutional incumbent in the LAC entrepreneur support ecosystem with similar regional focus.
Emerging players
- Village Capital: Global impact venture accelerator supporting early-stage entrepreneurs in sustainability, agriculture, and climate. Comparable accelerator model with peer-selected cohort structure and corporate partnership pathways.
- Elemental Excelerator: Climate impact accelerator deploying non-dilutive capital and connecting startups with corporate partners for pilots. Comparable accelerator model to Upwell and AgroTech Studio, though primarily US-focused.
Others
- Antler: Global venture studio that provides institutional co-founder support from day zero and deploys pre-seed capital worldwide. Comparable in operating an institutional co-founder model, though focused more broadly than LAC climate.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Reciprocal social profiles
Digital presenceReciprocal financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Reciprocal leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Reciprocal funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Reciprocal M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Reciprocal
What does Reciprocal do?
Reciprocal is a Stanford-born venture platform that builds, invests in, and supports climate and nature tech startups across Latin America and the Caribbean. The company operates as an institutional co-founder, providing hands-on technical and strategic support from the earliest phases of entrepreneurship, structuring innovative investment vehicles to deploy capital into regional climate ventures, and delivering structured accelerator programs (Agrotech Studio and Upwell) along with proprietary research such as the LAC Edge Report.
Is Reciprocal a public or private company?
Reciprocal is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Reciprocal founded?
Reciprocal was founded in 2023. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Reciprocal based?
Reciprocal is headquartered in Providencia, Chile, in the Latin America region.
How does Reciprocal make money?
One revenue line is on record: venture Platform Services.
Who are Reciprocal's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are New Ventures Mexico, Acumen Latam Impact Ventures, Vox Capital, EcoEnterprises Partners and Agora Partnerships. Broad incumbents are Builders Vision and IDB Lab. Emerging players are Village Capital and Elemental Excelerator. Antler is listed as an others.
Does Reciprocal have an API?
No public API is recorded for Reciprocal.
What industry is Reciprocal in?
Reciprocal's product category is Climate Tech Venture Platform. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSANALAB, Independent Sponsor / Fundless Sponsor ETA.