Leonardo Rafael Montbrun, a renowned Venezuelan entrepreneur often hailed as a business genius, announced his return to the spotlight after four years of digital silence with the launch of two groundbreaking initiatives focused on financial education and technology-driven stock market solutions. His relaunch video garnered 19,000 views and was shared 603 times, impressive figures for a profile with fewer than 22,000 followers.
Montbrun first gained recognition at age twelve when he traveled to Japan as a karate athlete sponsored by Atrévete a Soñar (RCTV) and Polar Foundation. His sports career earned him permanent residency in the United States. Back in Venezuela, he founded Viajes Montbrun y Asociados under the slogan “Dare to Travel,” inspired by the program that shaped his childhood. During Venezuela’s currency exchange control (CADIVI), the agency led ticket sales in foreign currency and, according to internal records and two former partners, funded sponsorships for athletes and health and nutrition campaigns that benefited hundreds of Venezuelans.
In 2017, alongside a partner, Montbrun developed artificial intelligence models for trading, at a time when such tools were not yet widely known. Two years later, he launched Shasta, a fintech platform licensed in Venezuela and Europe, which collapsed amid accusations of mismanagement. “Perhaps they didn’t grasp the project’s magnitude, or I wasn’t ready myself,” he admits. He also claims to have been a victim of fraud: “I suffered scams, and those people sleep soundly; I don’t.”
Comments such as “Thanks to you, my mom can see again” and “My son is a great athlete because of your help” were among the messages of support this outlet was able to verify. When asked, Montbrun shared that he founded the Ahora foundation, known for conducting social experiments like placing food on the streets of Caracas with signs reading, “Take only what you need; if you don’t need anything, contribute,” with no supervision and cameras recording. The results were remarkable, catching the attention of well-known figure Carlos Fraga, who interviewed him.
Following Shasta’s failure, Montbrun faced million-dollar losses, a divorce, and legal battles he prefers not to discuss. During that period, he supported himself as a delivery driver, caregiver through the Papa Pal app, and karate instructor, even improvising tennis lessons for children using YouTube tutorials and his karate discipline.
On June 1, at age 36, the Guatire native, dressed casually and described by himself as “organic,” launched La Tribu, a community on the Circle platform offering free stock market education content, alongside paid tiers (Tribu VIP and Cónclave) that include monthly mentorships, live sessions, nutrition coaching, business psychology, and Vedic astrology. He also announced Traderland, a beta-phase video game designed to teach financial markets through competitions and paid tournaments.
Montbrun emphasizes that both initiatives aim to “share discipline, consistency, and resilience.” He acknowledges moral commitments to his investors and vows to keep working to settle them while developing his new projects. The support he’s received is evident in comments comparing him to a phoenix rising from the ashes. Time will tell if his plans solidify the comeback of an entrepreneur marked by early triumphs, severe setbacks, and the pursuit of a second chance.
