Argentina-based YPF has set up a corporate venture capital subsidiary, YPF Ventures, and will conduct international and local deals respectively through Argentina Energy Bridge Fund and YPF Early Stage Fund.

Argentina-based oil and gas producer Yacimientos Petrolíferos Fiscales (YPF) has created a corporate venturing arm called YPF Ventures that will invest through two vehicles: Argentina Energy Bridge and YPF Early Stage Fund.

Growth equity fund Argentina Energy Bridge will focus on cross-border investments while the seed-stage YPF Early Stage Fund will partner local entrepreneurs to strengthen the energy and cleantech innovation ecosystem in Argentina.

YPF Ventures intends to provide up to $4m for each deal, having already invested in Argentina-based renewable energy provider Sustentator and US-based micro-mobility company Bird Technologies.

Miguel Gutiérrez, president of YPF, said: “In the current scenario, leading an energy business requires anticipating what is coming, combining vision and innovation – two key assets that will allow us to deepen our purpose of transforming the lives of Argentinians through energy.”

YPF chief executive Daniel González added: “YPF Ventures captures and recovers the entrepreneurial spirit of our company, projecting it into the current scenario of innovation and technological disruption.”

Edison Fu

Edison Fu is head of Asia development at Global Corporate Venturing.