Sebastián Piña, CEO of Impulsa Mendoza, spoke alongside Stelios Papagrigoriou (IN-VR and Theros Capital), Guillaume Légaré (Toronto Stock Exchange and TSX Venture Exchange), and Alejandro Berney (BYMA – Bolsas y Mercados Argentinos) during the webinar “Mobilising Capital for the Andes: Inside the Andean Bridge.” In his remarks, he outlined Mendoza’s strategy to position the province as a regional financial hub and to strengthen the connection between Andean mining projects and global capital markets.

As part of its broader strategy for regional financial integration and international positioning, Impulsa Mendoza participated in the webinar “Mobilising Capital for the Andes: Inside the Andean Bridge,” a forum that brought together leaders from capital markets, international stock exchanges, and investment promotion agencies involved in the development of projects across the Andean region.

The central focus of the webinar was the creation of a financial bridge capable of more efficiently connecting global capital with strategic projects in the Andes, enhancing coordination among markets, issuers, and investors.

In addition to Piña, the panel featured Stelios Papagrigoriou, Founder and Executive Chairman of IN-VR and CEO of Theros Capital; Guillaume Légaré, representative of the Toronto Stock Exchange and TSX Venture Exchange; and Alejandro Berney, Director at BYMA – Bolsas y Mercados Argentinos S.A.

Sebastián Piña: Efficiency, Capital, and Accelerating Exploration

Piña explained that Mendoza aims to position itself as a financial center capable of connecting global capital with projects across the Andean region. He emphasized that a sustainable mining sector requires strong exploration activity, and that exploration depends directly on access to capital markets.

In this context, he stressed that mining development cannot be viewed solely from a geological perspective, but must also consider the ability to structure competitive financing and attract international investment.

“We understand our comparative advantage, which can help the entire region connect capital and projects more efficiently and accelerate exploration,” Piña said.

He also highlighted Mendoza’s differentiating strengths: highly qualified human capital, well-developed tourism infrastructure, strong air and logistics connectivity, and the presence of universities, banks, and financial intermediaries.

Piña underscored that Mendoza has a skilled workforce and an institutional ecosystem that facilitates coordination between the mining sector and capital providers.

Financial Education and Risk Management

Piña emphasized the importance of educating project owners on how to access financing, referencing models such as the TSX Venture Exchange.

He also noted that Argentina has developed a culture of risk management as a result of operating in complex economic environments. This experience, he argued, can become a competitive advantage for high-risk investments such as mining and exploration.

Finally, he stated that the success of the Andean Bridge initiative will depend on the private sector’s commitment to continue driving it forward, consolidating it as a platform that creates value, connects stakeholders, and generates concrete investment opportunities.

Stelios Papagrigoriou: Closing the Financial Gap

Stelios Papagrigoriou explained the conceptual origin of the Andean Bridge as a response to a structural gap between opportunity and financing.

“The Andean Bridge was created precisely to address this gap. Today’s discussion brings together the institutions that are helping design that bridge to explore how the Andes can evolve from a collection of isolated opportunities into a connected financial ecosystem.”

His remarks focused on the need to transform individual opportunities into a coordinated system capable of providing scale, predictability, and confidence for international investors.

Guillaume Légaré: Integrating Global and Local Capital

From the Canadian market perspective, Guillaume Légaré emphasized the importance of coordination among stakeholders to expand access to financing.

“There is a very significant base of retail investors in Canada, but also in Argentina. If we work together and connect the different actors, I believe this will help issuers access capital, not only global capital through TSX Venture and TSX, but also local capital funds in Argentina and other regional markets.”

His presentation underscored the complementary potential between mature capital markets and emerging financial ecosystems.

Alejandro Berney: Growth in Argentina’s Capital Market

Alejandro Berney presented indicators reflecting the recent evolution of Argentina’s capital market.

“We have seen our market grow very significantly. In just the past two years, local issuance volume increased by 90%, surpassing $33 billion, nearly $34 billion last year. Investor accounts grew from 5 million to 21.6 million over the same period, demonstrating the strong interest among local investors.”

These figures reflect a more dynamic financial ecosystem with broader investor participation, a key condition for strengthening financing for productive projects.

Next Step: Andean Capital Forum in Mendoza

As a continuation of this regional integration process, Mendoza will host the Andean Capital Forum, an international conference scheduled for April 20–22, 2026. The event aims to connect Andean mining projects with leading global sources of financing.

The Andean Capital Forum will take place as part of the Andean Bridge initiative and seeks to establish a direct channel between mining projects in Argentina, Chile, and Peru and major international funding sources, including institutional investors, capital markets, banks, and specialized funds.

Over three days, the forum will bring together mining companies at various stages of development, investment funds, banks, stock exchanges and capital markets, government authorities, and institutional leaders linked to productive and mining development.

The core objective is to facilitate access to financing, promote quality investments, and strengthen regional integration, positioning Mendoza not only for its geological potential, but also as a hub for institutional, technical, and financial coordination to support the sustainable development of Andean mining.