UGLY TALK: BUILDING IN MEXICO AND THE REALITY BEHIND THE PITCH

Building in Mexico looks different from the pitch deck.

Capital comes with expectations. Production gets complicated. Data gets messy. Deciding whether to stay or relocate has no easy answer.

This Ugly Talk brings that reality into the room. Three Mexican founders share the gap between what international investors hear and what building here actually takes—the hard calls, setbacks, and trade-offs that never make it onto LinkedIn.

• Hear what building in Mexico actually takes beyond the investor pitch.
• Learn how founders handle capital, production, and data when the plan meets reality.
• Take away lessons from three Mexican founders still making the hard calls.
• Get an honest look at the decision to stay, relocate, or build across both.
• Meet builders who know the version that never makes it onto LinkedIn.

• The pitch and the reality. What investors outside Mexico hear, and what it takes to deliver on it here.
• Capital with conditions. How raising money shapes what you build, where you build it, and what comes next.
• Getting it into production. The gap between a promising idea and something customers can actually use.
• AI beyond the demo. What happens when the product has to work with real business data and everyday constraints.
• Stay or relocate. What founders weigh when deciding where they and their companies need to be.
• The version you never post. The setbacks, doubts, and difficult calls behind the public milestones.

Sofia De la Mora Tostado - CEO, Intelital

Sofia De la Mora Tostado builds Intelital, the decision layer that gives AI agents judgment by combining a company's internal data with external signals and probability models. She has spent seven years working with graphs, from the Central Bank of Mexico to her award-winning ITAM thesis, which modeled a human trafficking network to find where to break it apart. She holds an MS in Data Science from Columbia and is a Techstars NYC alum.

David Saavedra Ponce - Founder, DS Intelligence

David Saavedra Ponce is a Mexican entrepreneur and the founder of DS Intelligence, which he started at 17. He built INTELLI from scratch, his own Spanish-language AI model that runs locally without internet, even on a Raspberry Pi. On that foundation he created RIDEN, an all-in-one platform for motorcycle dealers and brands, now used by 20+ dealers and brands across 200+ dealerships, and SOLVEN, an AI-powered core financial platform for microlenders, SOFOMs and SOFIPOs. Expansión named him one of its 30 Promesas de los Negocios 2026, the youngest on the list.

Tamara Chayo Romo - CEO, Rose Labs

Tamara Chayo is an entrepreneur and innovator recognized by Forbes 30 Under 30 and as a Thiel Fellow. She has built companies across three fronts: healthcare technology, longevity, and artificial intelligence. Her work brings together science, creativity, and technology. As a speaker, she shares her experience of leadership, resilience, and purpose, encouraging others to build boldly and innovate without permission.

Christopher Martinez - Founder & CEO, Ziora Copilot

Christopher Martinez is the Founder & CEO of Ziora Copilot and Chapter Leader for AI Tinkerers, Health2Tech and Ugly Talk in Mexico City. He splits his time between Mexico City and New York and has produced founder and healthtech events at Google, One World Trade Center, BBVA and Tecnológico de Monterrey, IBERO, each bringing together 50-150 founders, operators and investors from across the local ecosystem

Started in 2019, Ugly Talk has been transforming business setbacks into breakthrough "aha!" moments by hosting unfiltered, no-nonsense events where battle-tested entrepreneurs share their raw lessons and insights.

With a growing presence in cities like New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and Miami, we've built a vibrant community of thousands of founders and industry leaders making a profound impact on the entrepreneurial landscape.

Official Website: UglyTalk.com

Admission & Confirmation

Attendance is by approval only. Approved guests will receive a confirmation email along with a calendar invite. Invitations are non-transferable. Additional event details will be shared as the event approaches.

Code of Conduct

By attending, you agree to:

• Maintain respect and professionalism, adhering to all venue rules, policies, and applicable laws.
• Refrain from harassment, discrimination, unwelcome sexual advances (verbal or physical), intimidation, or inappropriate photography/recording.
• Report any violations to the event hosts immediately.

Violations may result in immediate removal from the event and exclusion from future invitations.

Liability & Risk

Participation is voluntary and at your own risk. The event organizers, hosts, sponsors, and venue are not liable for personal injury, lost or stolen belongings, or any other damages incurred during the event.

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If you do not agree to this Code of Conduct, please refrain from attending the event.

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Av. Álvaro Obregón 64, Av. Álvaro Obregón 64, Mexico City, Mexico

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