Puerto Rico-based family office focused on technology and hospitality-centered real estate investments, aligned with social responsibility.

Established in 2015, Grupo Brillembourg Capriles (GBC) — through its various investments — operates in 38 countries, serves 50,000 Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and over 3 million users per month, and is currently developing US$1 billion in hospitality projects, encompassing 1 million square feet of real estate.

Family History

The migration of ancestors from Europe to Curaçao, followed by their settlement in Puerto Cabello, Venezuela, laid the foundation for three generations of entrepreneurs who ultimately gave rise to Grupo Brillembourg Capriles, a Latin American family office founded in 2015 by David Daniel Brillembourg Capriles.

Book cover for Memorias de la Inconformidad

David's grandfather, Miguel Angel Capriles Ayala, played diverse roles as a journalist, editor, and entrepreneur. He actively participated in the struggle against the Venezuelan dictatorship and faced repeated prosecutions by the authorities. These circumstances eventually led to his exile to Puerto Rico in 1971, where he penned the book "Memorias de la Inconformidad" (Memoirs of Discontent). Over the span of four decades, Mr. Capriles Ayala not only managed Cadena Capriles, which was Venezuela's most influential media company but also undertook significant real estate ventures such as Torre Provincial. Additionally, he held the largest independent stake in Banco Mercantil, the second-largest bank in the country.

Miguel's son-in-law, Jorge David Brillembourg Ortega, inherited an innate entrepreneurial spirit. He began his career as a real estate developer, working alongside his father-in-law. In the mid-1970s, he ventured out independently and undertook the development of Venezuela's most remarkable real estate project of the 1980s: the 40-story Torre de David, situated in the heart of the business district, later sold to Banco Mercantil. In 1982 Jorge David established Grupo Confinanzas, which grew to become Venezuela's fourth-largest financial group. As part of this period, he developed the Centro Financiero Confinanzas. Tragically, he passed away at the age of 55 due to pancreatic cancer.

J. David Brillembourg Ortega in his plane

David acknowledges that his entrepreneurial spirit stems from the influence of his father and grandfather, but his commitment to social impact is deeply rooted in his mother's lifelong dedication to social causes. Tanya Capriles de Brillembourg is a renowned philanthropist who has long been involved in philanthropic endeavors. Initially, she focused on assisting socio-economically disadvantaged children with cancer through Fundación Amigos del Niño con Cancer. However, through her Saludarte Foundation, she now advocates for equal access to the arts, recognizing the transformative power of artistic expression. Tanya has also made significant contributions as a prominent Latin American art patron, curating the Brillembourg Capriles collection of Latin American art over a span of four decades. Sotheby's has lauded this collection, describing it as a representation of "the rich talent and artistic vitality found throughout the Americas."

Focus Areas

Technology

Investments across fintech, property technology (proptech) and artifical intelligence (AI), ranging from seed funding to pre-IPO (Initial Public Offering) stages.

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Real Estate & Hospitality

Development of large scale real estate and hospitality destinations in the Caribbean.

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Social Responsibility

Supports organizations that are dedicated to the preservation of the rainforest, community development, schools and the welfare of stray animals.

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Team

David Brillembourg Capriles, Founder

With over 30 years of experience, this seasoned entrepreneur has a track record of developing companies that capitalize on macro opportunities in finance, hospitality, emerging technologies, and demographic trends.

After completing high school in Venezuela in 1988, David pursued finance studies at Babson College in Massachusetts, where he graduated Suma Cum Laude. In 1995, under the guidance of his father, he founded CycleLogic, a company focused on providing mobile operators with technology for connecting consumer mobile devices to the Internet. CycleLogic quickly became the leading supplier of interconnectivity software for telecom operators in Latin America. In 1999, the company was acquired by starMedia, which was listed on Nasdaq at the time. David then took on a co-management role in starMedia's mobile division until the company went private in 2001.

In 2001, Mr. Brillembourg successfully raised over US$20 million in venture capital to establish Emida Technologies. Later, in 2005, he merged this company with Debisys, forming one of the largest prepaid financial networks in the Americas.

After the merger, David decided to take a one-year sabbatical and relocated his four young children to Mexico to immerse themselves in the Spanish language. However, this one-year adventure turned into a decade-long stay. During this time, David returned to his family's real estate legacy and founded Bricapital, a private equity firm focused on real estate and hospitality. Bricapital was luckily established just before the global financial crisis allowing it to acquire over US$250 million in distressed hotel assets across eight countries, including:

• The Raleigh Hotel in South Beach sold to SLS (acquired by Accor)
• The Isle de France Hotel in Saint Barths sold to LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (Nasdaq: LVMHF)
• Cap Juluca Hotel in Anguilla sold to Belmond Hotels
• One Bal Harbour Hotel sold to individual investors
• Thompson Zihuatanejo that is still in the GBC portfolio

In 2015 David founded Grupo Brillembourg Capriles as a family office focused on technology, real estate and social responsibility initiatives. The real estate hospitality portfolio currently encompasses projects worth US$1 billion under development in the Caribbean and Mexico.

In addition to his involvement with GBC, Mr. Brillembourg maintains his position as Co-Chairman of Emida Technologies, a fintech company that has shifted its focus towards promoting financial inclusion, and Chairman of Loopland Group.

David has a deep passion for nature and devotes a considerable amount of his time to supporting organizations dedicated to the preservation of Puerto Rico's rainforest. He actively engages with groups such as Friends of El Yunque, Alianza Pro Desarrollo Económico de Ceiba (APRODEC), and other local organizations that focus on the eastern region of the island, where GBC's operations are located.