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Carmen Alfonso Rico

Founder πŸ˜‡, Cocoa
London, England,United Kingdom
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Carmen Alfonso Rico's Overview

Total Experience116 years
CompanyCocoa
CountryUnited Kingdom

Carmen Alfonso Rico is a Founding Partner at Cocoa, an early-stage venture capital firm based in London, backing European founders building the future of technology. With a strong focus on SaaS, fintech, and future of work, Carmen is passionate about partnering with ambitious entrepreneurs from the earliest stages. Before co-founding Cocoa, she was a Principal at Samaipata VC and gained experience at Morgan Stanley and Felix Capital. She is known for her insightful analyses of the venture capital landscape and her commitment to supporting the European tech ecosystem. Carmen is also the author of the popular newsletter 'Todo Hierro' ('All Iron'), where she shares her thoughts on VC, startups, and market trends.

Professional Summary

Carmen Alfonso Rico's work history includes a series of influential roles in various companies. Here is a detailed list of his professional journey:

Cocoa - Founder πŸ˜‡ (2021 to Present)
Kurrent (formerly Event Store) - Angel Investor 🍫 (2022 to Present)
Speckle - Angel Investor 🍫 (2022 to Present)
ziggiz - Angel Investor 🍫 (2024 to Present)
Tilebox Inc. - Angel Investor 🍫 (2023 to Present)
Jitter - Angel Investor 🍫 (2022 to Present)
Fractile - Angel Investor 🍫 (2024 to Present)
SideQuestVR - Angel Investor 🍫 (2020 to Present)
Gladia - Angel Investor 🍫 (2022 to Present)
Loc.tax - Angel Investor 🍫 (2020 to Present)
Atlar - Angel Investor 🍫 (2022 to Present)
Fuse Energy - Angel Investor 🍫 (2022 to Present)
Twirl - Angel investor 🍫 (2022 to Present)
Faks - Angel investor 🍫 (2023 to Present)
Papaya - Angel Investor 🍫 (2022 to Present)
Kota - Angel investor 🍫 (2022 to Present)
LumiDB - Angel Investor 🍫 (2023 to Present)
secjur - Angel Investor 🍫 (2022 to Present)
Werk - Angel Investor 🍫 (2022 to Present)
Hopin - Angel Investor (2019 to Present)
Cauldron Studios - Angel Investor (2020 to Present)
Encore.dev - Investor (2021 to Present)
Cerbos - Angel Investor (2021 to Present)
Rodeo - Angel Investor (2021 to Present)
HIVED - Angel Investor (2021 to Present)
Outverse - Angel Investor (2021 to Present)
GDevelop - Investor (2021 to Present)
Qualdesk - Angel Investor (2020 to 2021)
Blossom Capital - Partner (2020 to 2021)
Debut Sessions - Founding investor (2020 to 2021)
The Fund - GP (2020 to 2021)
Samaipata - Partner (2017 to 2020)
Motley London - Board Member (2019 to 2020)
Geomiq - Board Member (2019 to 2020)
Legl - Board Member (2018 to 2020)
London Marketplace Startup (LMS) Community - Co Chair (2018 to 2020)
Techstars - Mentor (2016 to 2019)
Reconnect - Co-Founder (2017 to 2019)
Felix Capital - Investor (2016 to 2017)
Morgan Stanley - IBD/GCM, Member of the IBD/GCM Analyst Council (2013 to 2016)
TED Conferences - TEDxMorganStanley, Co-founder (2015 to 2015)
vinpho - Co-founder & CEO (2012 to 2013)
Government of Aragon - Advisor to Luisa Fernanda Rudi, President of the Autonomous Region of AragΓ³n (2012 to 2013)
Garrigues - Internship - Commercial Law (2009 to 2009)
UrΓ­a MenΓ©ndez - Internship - Mergers & Acquisitions (2009 to 2009)
Consulado General de EspaΓ±a - Internship - Notary Services (2008 to 2008)

Notable Achievements

Founding Partner of Cocoa VC

Co-founded Cocoa VC in 2020, an early-stage venture capital firm investing in European technology startups. Cocoa focuses on pre-seed and seed stage companies, providing capital and support to help them scale.

Author of 'Todo Hierro' Newsletter

Writes and publishes 'Todo Hierro' (All Iron), a widely-read newsletter on Substack and Medium, offering insights into venture capital, startup strategy, and technology trends, particularly within the European context.

Influential Voice in European Venture Capital

Recognized as a key figure and thought leader in the European VC scene, frequently sharing her expertise through speaking engagements, articles, and mentorship, contributing to the growth and development of the ecosystem.

Early Backer of Promising Startups

Has a track record of identifying and investing in promising early-stage companies across Europe, particularly in SaaS and Fintech, helping them navigate growth and achieve significant milestones.

Educational Background

Master of Arts (M.A.), Business Administration and Management, General

Universidad Pontificia Comillas - Year 2005

Licentiate degree, Law

Universidad Pontificia Comillas - Year 2005

Master of Arts (M.A.), Business Administration and Management, General

WU (Vienna University of Economics and Business) - Year 2010

Licentiate degree, Law

Fordham University School of Law - Year 2009

Summer Term, International Relations and Affairs

Georgetown University - Year 2006

Summer Term, Political Science and Government

Harvard University - Year 2004

Front End Web Development, Code

Steer

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Notable news
Hiring actively
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Corporate Finance

Company Overview

Cocoa
Total employees35
HeadquartersLondon
Founded2021

Cocoa is a modern employee benefits platform designed to help companies offer flexible and personalized benefits packages to their workforce. It aims to simplify benefits administration for HR teams and provide employees with meaningful choices that cater to their individual needs, thereby improving employee satisfaction and retention.

Cocoa Funding Information
$1.1M - Total Funding Raised
$1.1M - Most recent funding amount
1 - Number of funding rounds
Sep 1, 2021 - Latest funding round
Lead Investors:
Hoxton Ventures
Portage Ventures
Curated Capital
Octopus Ventures

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