Karta
Working with the Illuminate team has been invaluable. Many funds claim to have deep industry connections, but Illuminate genuinely delivers on that promise. Their extensive network of private and global banking relationships which is paramount to our business - has been instrumental in accelerating Karta's expansion strategy beyond Latin America into Europe and Asia. That kind of operational support is what separates truly strategic investors from the rest.
Freddy Juez, CEO & Founder
Karta
Karta addresses a critical gap in the premium credit cardmarket by serving internationally mobile, high-net-worth individuals globallywho lack traditional U.S. credit histories. The company operates on a B2B2Cdistribution model through private banks and wealth managers, who serve as thedistribution channel to end customers. Founded by Freddy Juez and OrlandoEspinoza, Karta brings together deep expertise in financial services—includingformer American Express executives—to serve a historically underserved butaffluent segment facing friction in accessing traditional credit products.
Karta's differentiation lies in its premium productoffering and customer experience model. The platform offers both consumer andcorporate card products with Visa and Mastercard networks, powered by aWhatsApp-based AI concierge as its primary customer interface. This combinationof premium card products and conversational AI creates a modern, streamlinedexperience tailored to clients who value efficiency and personalizedservice—positioning Karta at the intersection of traditional payments andwealth management for globally mobile, high-net-worth individuals servedthrough trusted private banking relationships.