LAV - Business Association for Latin America

Name

LAV - Business Association for Latin America

Legal name

Lateinamerika Verein e.V.

Website

https://lateinamerikaverein.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1916

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

LAV is a Hamburg-based German non-profit business association founded in 1916, connecting over 400 corporate members across Germany and Latin America through networking events, the annual Lateinamerika-Tag conference, business trips, and market information services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Hamburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: LAV generates revenue through annual membership fees from corporate members (companies from Germany and Latin America), associations, public institutions, and individuals. Membership provides access to networking, events, and information services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

LAV is a registered business association (eingetragener Verein e.V.) founded in 1916 in Hamburg that connects German companies with Latin American markets. It delivers membership services, networking events, business trips, country information, and an annual conference (Lateinamerika-Tag) to support German-Latin American trade and investment. Its activities are aimed at corporates and institutions engaged in bilateral economic relations.

Product overview

LAV (Lateinamerika Verein e.V.) is a business association offering a portfolio of networking, information, and event services. The core offering consists of the annual Lateinamerika-Tag conference (77th edition in 2026) and membership-based business networking. Supporting services include the LAV-Young Professionals sub-network for professionals under 40, the LAV-Boletín newsletter, LAV-Unternehmerreisen business trips, a free job market platform, country economic data resources, podcast content, and the newly launched LAV-Excellence Award program. The organization connects German companies with Latin American markets through events, matchmaking, and bilateral business facilitation rather than operating a technology product platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• LAV-Young Professionals: A professional network for individuals under 40 years old interested in Latin America and the Caribbean
• LAV-Excellence Award
• Lateinamerika-Tag
• Deutsches Wirtschaftsforum für Lateinamerika
• ¡Tanto Tiempo!

Products and services

• LAV Corporate Membership Annual corporate membership providing access to LAV's 400+ member network, events, business trips, and country intelligence for companies engaged in German-Latin American trade.
• Lateinamerika-Tag (Annual Conference) LAV's flagship annual conference bringing together German and Latin American business leaders, policymakers, and institutions to discuss bilateral trade and investment.
• Deutsches Wirtschaftsforum für Lateinamerika German Economic Forum for Latin America, a dedicated forum convened by LAV to facilitate dialogue between German and Latin American economic stakeholders.
• LAV-Unternehmerreisen (Business Trips) Curated business delegation trips to Latin American countries, designed to support member companies with market entry, partner introductions, and on-the-ground intelligence.
• LAV-Boletín (Newsletter) Member newsletter providing updates on German-Latin American trade, association activities, and relevant country and sector developments.
• LAV-Young Professionals Program targeting younger professionals engaged in or interested in German-Latin American business, supporting networking and pipeline development for the next generation of bilateral business leaders.
• LAV-Excellence Award Recognition award conferred by LAV to honor outstanding contributions to German-Latin American business relations.
• Stellenmarkt (Job Market)
• Country Information (Länderinformationen) Country-level intelligence on Latin American markets, provided to members as part of the association's knowledge base.

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Cámara de Comercio de Lima (Lima Chamber of Commerce)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2020LAV and Cámara de Comercio de Lima signed a cooperation agreement during the visit of LAV CEO Orlando Baquero in February 2020. The partnership aims to deepen cooperation and establish the foundation for future collaboration between German and Peruvian businesses.
• European-Latinamerican Arbitration Center (ELArb)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerELArb is one of LAV's key partners working together to improve economic, cultural, political, and social structures between Germany, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean.
• Instituto CervantescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in promoting cultural and linguistic exchange between German and Latin American communities through the Cervantes Institute network.
• German HealthCare Alliance (GHA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on healthcare sector initiatives and professional exchange between German and Latin American healthcare stakeholders.
• COHEP (Honduran Council of Private Enterprise)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLAV signed an MoU with COHEP during a web conference about sustainable growth in Honduras. The partnership aims to establish long-term, trustful, and mutual relationships between Germany and Honduras for international understanding and improvement of living conditions, promoting business opportunities in both directions.
• EU-LAC FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundation promoting bi-regional partnership between the European Union and Latin America and the Caribbean, listed as LAV partner.
• IPD - Partners in TransformationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerConsulting firm specializing in transformation and change management, listed as partner organization.
• EuroAmerica FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFoundation supporting economic and cultural exchange between Europe and Latin America, partner of LAV.
• IFC (International Finance Corporation)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIFC participated in the German Economic Forum for Latin America in May 2026, emphasizing importance of supporting regional SMEs in Latin America and Caribbean.
• CARICOMcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCaribbean Community represented at the German Economic Forum for Latin America, discussing opportunities for middle-income states in seeking new international partnerships.
• DEG - Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman development finance institution participated in forum discussions about supporting regional SMEs and potential of young diverse population in Latin America.
• German Embassy in Santo DomingocoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-organizer of the first German Week in Dominican Republic and German Economic Forum for Latin America, May 2026.
• Embassy of the Dominican Republic in BerlincoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-organizer of the first German Week in Dominican Republic and German Economic Forum for Latin America, May 2026.
• Cámara de Comercio Domínico-Alemana (CCDA)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDominican-German Chamber of Commerce co-organized the German Economic Forum for Latin America in Santo Domingo.
• ProDominicanacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerExport and Investment Promotion Agency of Dominican Republic, co-organizer of the German Economic Forum for Latin America.
• LAV Excellence Award Jury MembersminorOthersAward jury includes Monika Beck (DEG), Christian Forwick (BMWE), Alexander Busch (Handelsblatt), Michael Heinz (former BASF board), José Antonio Arrospide del Busto (EU-LAC Foundation).

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• German-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (AHK Brasil): Bilateral chamber of commerce operating in Brazil with similar event and networking services. Often co-organizes events with LAV and provides an in-country counterpart for German-Latin America business engagement.
• Cámara Mexicano-Alemana (German-Mexican Chamber): Bilateral chamber headquartered in Mexico City with German-Mexican business focus. Comparable event-driven model and partnership relationship with LAV, particularly relevant given Wilo Mexico's board representation.

Broad incumbents

• DIHK - German Chamber of Commerce and Industry: Germany's national chamber of commerce, much larger and broader in scope. Operates the AHK (German Chambers of Commerce Abroad) network that overlaps with LAV's Latin American reach, including AHK Brazil and AHK Mexico.
• BDI - Federation of German Industries: Largest German industry association representing broad industrial interests. While not focused on Latin America, BDI competes for corporate membership and policy attention in the same German business ecosystem.

Direct peers

• OAV - German-Asian Pacific Business Association: Germany's premier Asia-Pacific business association with membership, conferences, and policy advocacy. Operates the same model as LAV (events, networking, member services) for a different geographic region.
• Afrika-Verein der deutschen Wirtschaft: German-African Business Association with the same membership-based model as LAV: corporate membership, networking events, and policy advocacy for German companies operating in Africa. Closest comparable by structure, geography, and offering.
• German-Arab Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Ghorfa): German business association for Arab world relations with similar membership, events, and policy advocacy model. Comparable structure to LAV with a different geographic focus.

Others

• EU-LAC Foundation: Bi-regional EU-Latin America/Caribbean partnership foundation. Listed as an LAV partner; focuses on policy dialogue between regions rather than corporate networking, complementing LAV's offering.
• DEG - Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft: German development finance institution that co-organizes LAV events and participates in board-level forums. While not a peer, DEG's mandate to support overseas German investment overlaps with LAV's purpose and represents a key institutional partner.

Emerging players

• EuroAmerica Foundation: Foundation supporting economic and cultural exchange between Europe and Latin America. Listed as an LAV partner but operates complementary programming with less concentrated business networking focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCig9YK7kcsOgaVU7a99bltw
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lateinamerika-verein

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about LAV - Business Association for Latin America