The top 50: Héctor Shibata, director of investments and portfolio, AC Ventures

Héctor Shibata serves as the head for Mexico-listed beverage distributor Arca Continental’s corporate venturing fund, AC Ventures (ACV).

The fund invests directly in companies operating in the verticals of financial technology, retail technology, advanced analytics, logistics, distribution, supply chain and manufacturing as well as sustainability. It also makes limited partner commitments to VC funds.

With Arca Continental’s financial and network prowess combined with the need to be exposed to innovation, disruptive business models and new technologies, ACV was formed in 2018 in a bid to back and partner technology companies that have passed their product evaluation stage and have market traction.

Among ACV’s current portfolio companies are LoveLocal, which is digitising and organising local retailers in India; Zippin, a developer of autonomous shopping technology in the US; GetJusto, which provides custom-built e-commerce websites; and Olaclick, a web-based digital menu solution in Latin America.

In addition to his ACV role, Shibata is a director at the board of directors for the Mexican Association of Private Equity and Venture Capital (Amexcap) leading the CVC group and he is also an adjunct professor at ITESM’s EGADE Graduate School of Business.

Shibata earned an MBA at New York University’s Stern School of Business and received distinction having been inducted to Beta Gamma Sigma honour society and Golden Key International Honour Society. He holds a bachelor of science degree in industrial engineering from ITESM with honours.