Jake Crowley

About Jake Crowley

My name is Jake Crowley and I think I have a story you might be interested in. As companies navigate return-to-office mandates, tighter margins, and a more cautious funding environment, pandemic-born startups are facing a new challenge: proving they can be successful beyond the conditions they were born in.

One of those companies is DEUNA, the largest checkout and payment infrastructure in Latin America. Founded in 2020 to help merchants sell online during lockdowns, DEUNA now powers 20% of Mexico’s digital economy and supports global brands like Sony, Starbucks, and Levi’s.

Backed by $40M from SoftBank, Activant, and Valor Capital, DEUNA has grown 24x in revenue over the past year and is now betting big on AI to power e-commerce and payments in Latin America.

CEO Roberto E. Kafati (REKs), a Stanford GSB grad and former McKinsey consultant, offers a unique perspective on how pandemic-born companies are adapting to today’s economic realities (including tariffs), and how AI is reshaping enterprise infrastructure in Latin America and beyond.

If you’re exploring stories around post-pandemic innovation, AI in fintech, or Latin America’s digital transformation, I’d love to connect you with REKs and DEUNA for an interview or further insight!