TULSA, OK - Atento Capital, a Tulsa-based venture capital firm funded by the George Kaiser Family Foundation, hosted 18 founders from 11 high-potential South American deep-tech startups to visit Tulsa between November 4 and December 4, 2024. This pilot initiative, named “GridX to Tulsa,” aims to bring new science-oriented businesses and jobs to Tulsa.
Atento Capital’s inspiration for this program started with two South American companies that Atento Capital invested in and relocated to Tulsa earlier in 2024.
The first of these companies is Bioeutectics, a company that makes solvents that are safe for the environment. The founders of Bioeutectics, Tomas Silicaro, Federico Gomez, and Fernanda Silva, moved to Tulsa with their families to access the US market and be closer to prospective customers. They hired a Tulsan to run their business development. They have an office and a small lab in the WOMPA coworking space in West Tulsa, their children are in local schools, and they love Tulsa!
Tomas Silicaro, CEO of Bioeutectics, brought his wife and two children, and says:
“Tulsa is an amazing city and a hidden jewel in the US. I had the opportunity to travel around the US in many states and cities and never saw anything like Tulsa. The best part of the city is the people! Asking nothing in exchange, people are willing to help. Since we arrived in Tulsa with my whole family we felt really welcomed and more than anything we feel very at home."
Bioeutectics was followed in 2024 by Bybug, a Chilean company that uses insects to produce recombinant proteins for animal health and nutrition. Gerardo Bluske, co-founder and chief business officer, moved to Tulsa to establish a US headquarters for the business, bringing his wife and two daughters.
As a result of these two relocations, there are over 20 new people who now call Tulsa home.
Both of these companies started through an Argentina-based venture capital firm and business accelerator called GridX. GridX invests in companies focusing on global challenges in energy, climate, health, agriculture, and food. They match PhD scientists with business people to create innovative science-based startups.
Although South America is their home, these deep-tech startups need a presence in the United States to access the North American partners, customers, and investors needed to make their businesses truly global. Atento hosted these 11 companies in Fall 2024 with the aim of finding several more for which Tulsa is a great match.
According to Matías Piere, Founder and Managing Director of GridX:
“Tulsa has proven to be an exceptional launchpad for startups in our portfolio, providing the ideal environment for those aiming to unlock their full potential in the US market. The unwavering support of Atento Capital and the George Kaiser Family Foundation has been instrumental in helping our startups establish themselves in Tulsa. We are confident that this program marks the beginning of a robust bridge for a new wave of scientific startups from Latin America to thrive in the United States.”
Atento announced the “GridX to Tulsa” program in August 2024. 80 GridX companies received information on the program, 23 applied, and Atento selected 11 (information on them here) with four characteristics:
The 11 companies represent a broad range of scientific sectors; their products include a treatment that increases the safety and efficiency of fish farming; a fermentation company with a safe mushroom-derived alternative to red dyes; two companies that offer cleaner ways to process oil and gas; personalized cancer vaccines using nanoparticles; and a crop resilience treatment based on one of the only plants that grows in Antarctica.
Michael Basch, founder/CEO of Atento Capital, shared:
“When Atentan Marcos Bazzana came across GridX a few years ago, we were impressed with the leadership team and the differentiated technology they were able to source and build from. These companies had global market use cases, and would need to come to the US to achieve their full potential. Given Tulsa’s vibrant and growing Hispanic community, broad manufacturing base, and flourishing entrepreneurial ecosystem, we felt Tulsa could be the perfect place for these founders and companies to continue to build their businesses.”
During their month-long visit, the companies engaged in training and networking sessions, as well as opportunities to experience the best of Tulsa culture. Activities included:
Leandro Ciappina, co-founder and CEO of ArgenTAG, commented:
“We’re grateful for the warm welcome from Atento Capital, GKFF, and the Tulsa community. We’re excited to explore the possibility of moving our headquarters here as we continue our mission to accelerate cancer, immunology, and neuroscience research.”
The Demo Day!
On Wednesday, December 4 starting at 5 pm, Atento hosted a GridX to Tulsa Demo Day at the Atlas School downtown. The 11 visiting companies plus the 2 GridX companies that are already in Tulsa shared what they’ve been building with local, national, and international investors. 25 investors attended from 4 countries across 3 continents.
After the program, there has been great interest among the companies in establishing US offices in Tulsa. Here are some of the LinkedIn notes that our GridX visitors have shared: Aquit, Food4You, FungiLife, and SphereBio from Argentina; and Qnity from Brazil. A few quotes from their LinkedIn posts:
From Aquit:
Since November 4th, Aquit has been part of this #groundbreaking pilot program designed for #startups with disruptive #technologies entering the U.S. market. Tulsa now holds a special place in our hearts and minds. We leave with invaluable learnings, meaningful #connections, and fresh ideas to keep #innovating!
From Food4You:
The GRIDX to Tulsa program was transformative for Food4You! Over the past five weeks, we've explored exciting opportunities to expand into the United States, with a focus on Tulsa's innovative ecosystem. The program culminated in an incredible two-day venture capital marathon, where our COO, Francisco Gil Garbagnoli, pitched Food4You to over 30 VCs during Demo Day. The tasting of our plant-based cheese product generated tremendous excitement for our groundbreaking approach to next-generation food technologies.
From FungiLife:
An Experience to Remember. These past 5 weeks have been filled with learning and unforgettable moments, thanks to the #GridXtoTulsa program by GRIDX and Atento Capital. We explored #Tulsa and #Oklahoma with our families, enjoyed the beauty of nature, met incredible people, and strengthened our team. We’re excited about the potential to grow our startup in 2025. Beyond the professional gains, we built trust, created meaningful relationships, and connected with inspiring people from across the U.S. and the world. Thanks to the Atento team and the GridX team!
From SphereBio:
SphereBio took a bold step forward as our CEO, Julieta Luz Porta, and CMO, Martin Guerrero MD., Ph.D., participated in the #GRIDXtoTulsa program, organized by Atento Capital and GRIDX. Over five transformative weeks in Tulsa, Oklahoma, they connected with top U.S. investors, mentors, and fellow Latin American startups. But this program wasn’t just about building connections, it was about exchanging ideas, fostering collaborations, and embracing growth as a team .
And finally, from Qnity:
Over the past five weeks, Qnity has had the incredible opportunity to participate in the GridX to Tulsa Program, organized by Atento Capital and GRIDX. We were honored to be one of the 11 cutting-edge startups from Latin America selected to join this unique program aimed at bridging the gap between Latam innovation and U.S. venture capital.
From November 2 to December 5, we immersed ourselves in an ecosystem that offered invaluable exposure to North American investors, customer introductions, and the vibrant entrepreneurial energy of Tulsa. The program wasn’t just about raising capital—it was about building connections, refining our strategy for scaling into the U.S., and dreaming big for Qnity’s future.
A special thank you to the incredible organizing team at Atento and GridX for creating a program that made every moment count, from thoughtful mentorship to the much-anticipated Demo Day. The curated connections with investors, paired with the warm Tulsa welcome, made this an unforgettable experience.
For Qnity, this program has been transformative. It reinforced our mission to revolutionize drug discovery with quantum electrochemical sensors and inspired us to envision our next chapter—potentially with a U.S. office!
To my fellow founders in the cohort: your stories, grit, and vision made this journey even more inspiring. I’m grateful for the camaraderie and the shared passion for innovation that transcends borders. ¡Muchas gracias, mis amigos!
Here’s to more partnerships, big wins, and proving that Latam deep tech can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the best in the world.
Tulsa, thank you for showing us your heartland hospitality. And to everyone who made this pilot possible—your efforts are creating a lasting impact not only for Qnity but for the global startup ecosystem.
Let’s keep building the future!
Meet the GridX to Tulsa Visiting Founders:
