Former Cencosud Ventures investor Jose Ignacio Espinoza has returned to corporate VC, in a scouting and portfolio role for Barça Innovation Hub.
FC Barcelona’s open innovation arm, Barça Innovation Hub, has hired Jose Ignacio Espinoza as scouting and portfolio manager.
Barça Innovation Hub invests in startups that can boost physical performance or the sports business through technology. Espinoza’s role will involve him scouting deals and closing investments, as well as managing an existing portfolio that includes molecular testing startup Made of Genes and Riterz, creator of an AI-powered sponsorship optimisation platform.
Espinoza had previously spent 18 months as venture capital lead at Cencosud, the corporate venture subsidiary of Chilean retail group Cencosud, before joining asset manager Inveready as a venture scout lead and, in late 2024, venture builder Zubi Labs, as a venture development associate.
“Returning to the world of corporate venture capital is exciting for me, especially in an industry that I have always been passionate about,” Espinoza said, while announcing the move in a LinkedIn post yesterday.
“I firmly believe that the corporate VC model is a key tool for companies to remain competitive over time, especially in times of great technological disruption.”
