Ruut

Ruut is a Mexican investment platform founded in September 2021 by Carlos Diaz and Rodrigo Verduzco, both alumni of ITAM's Financial Management program. The company positions itself as an investment platform designed for non-investors, addressing the significant gap in Mexico's investment market where only approximately 4% of the population holds investment accounts. Ruut provides Mexican retail investors with access to the United States stock market through a user-friendly mobile platform that requires no prior financial knowledge. The platform leverages artificial intelligence to offer personalized investment advisory services, automated currency conversion, and customized portfolio strategies tailored to different financial goals such as retirement planning, large purchases, and vacation savings. Approximately 75% of Ruut's users are first-time investors, demonstrating the platform's success in democratizing investment access. As of early 2025, Ruut serves over 27,000 users, with more than 23,000 investing for the first time. The company is registered with Mexico's CNBV (Comisión Nacional Bancaria y de Valores) as an Independent Investment Advisor under registration number 30174. In the United States, Ruut operates through Alpaca Securities LLC, which is regulated by the SEC and FINRA, with user accounts protected by SIPC insurance up to $500,000 USD per client. The platform charges a 1.05% fee plus VAT for currency conversion and a fixed $3 USD withdrawal fee. Ruut has raised approximately $3.92 million in seed funding from investors including 500 Startups LatAm and 99 Startups. In early 2025, Ruut became the first Latin American fintech to win the Nasdaq Fintech Trailblazer Contest, gaining international recognition for its innovative approach to financial inclusion. The company is headquartered in Mexico City and employs between 2-14 people according to various sources.