For Latinos Gaining Access to Capital is Like Climbing Mount Everest

Capital is a critical resource for accelerating ideas and keeping entrepreneurs on the path to changing the world. However, a recent study highlights significant discrimination in the land of plenty. 

Conducted by business school professors at Utah State University, Brigham Young University and Rutgers University, the study featured nine businessmen—three white, three black, and three Hispanic. Similar in size and stature, donning the same outfits, and armed with similar education levels and financial profiles, they visited numerous banks seeking a roughly $60,000 loan to expand the very same business.

The Hispanic and black business owners were provided far less information about loan terms, offered less application help by loan officers, less frequently handed a business card, and asked more questions about their personal finances. (Washington Post)

Despite the fact that Latinos make up the fastest growing entrepreneurial segment in the U.S., these barriers in financing prove as a stark reminder of the need to amplify awareness around the real challenges that exist for minority entrepreneurs.

In an arena where only 1-2% of VC money finds its way to African American and Latino entrepreneurs, there is still plenty of work to do and kudos to those who are raising the flag of awareness.

Sony Electronics Inc. and CHISPA To Host "Latino iConnect" a Digital Marketing Conference in San Diego

Sony Electronics Inc. and CHISPA To Host "Latino iConnect" a Digital Marketing Conference in San Diego

The Hispanic Chamber of E-Commerce encourages business owners and entrepreneurs to attend the Latino iConnect Conference on February 26, 2014 in San Diego, California. The impressive event will be hosted by Sony Electronics Inc and the CORE Hispanic Sony Professional Alliance (CHISPA).

San Diego, CA (PRWEB) November 25, 2013 -- Sending out a call to all business owners, professionals and entrepreneurs the Hispanic Chamber of E-Commerce (HISCEC) announces the Latino iConnect Conference hosted by Sony Electronics Inc and CHISPA.

The digital marketing conference will be held on February 26th, 2014 at Sony’s corporate building in San Diego, California and will highlight the latest in internet marketing trends and best practices. Tayde Aburto, Founder of HISCEC said of the conference “It's an honor to work with CHISPA at Sony to organize Latino iConnect. The conference will help small business owners and professionals make the most of their time and resources through the Internet marketing tools that are so necessary in today’s competitive marketplace. Without the integral knowledge the conference will impart, it’s so much more challenging to take a company’s marketing efforts to the next level.”

Speakers for the event include Ramon de Leon who is a social media visionary and a global keynote speaker with a focus on inspiration. Additionally, Neal Schaffer a social media strategist, consultant, and the author of “Maximize your Social” will speak at the event. The founder of the AdAge Top 100 Global Marketing Blog “Maximize Social Business” is also a Forbes Top 50 Social Media Power Influencer. In the following days more speakers are going to be announced.

Topics addressed at the Latino iConnect Conference in late February will be Advanced Strategies to Content Marketing, How to Boost Engagement on Facebook, Google+ for Business and Twitter Tactics and Strategies. Other engaging topics include LinkedIn for Lead Generation and Networking as well as Visual Storytelling via Instagram and Vine. Careful to offer a broad range of subjects the conference will also tackle YouTube Marketing for Small Businesses and Blog Monetization Strategies among various other needful topics.

Latino iConnect is supported by several organizations such as the Oceanside Chamber of Commerce, CANIETI, University of San Diego, San Diego Red, Crowdismo and many more.

For more information about the Latino iConnect Conference visit http://www.latinoiconnect.com. For more information about the Hispanic Chamber of E-Commerce visit http://www.hiseb.com. If you are interested in exhibiting or becoming a sponsor please contact Tayde Aburto at (858) 768-2483 or via e-mail tayde.aburto[at]hiscec.com

Latino Startup Alliance to Host 1st Annual Innovator Summit in San Francisco

The Latino Startup Alliance, created to encourage the inspiration and cultivation of U.S. Latino led technology startup ventures by providing a strong support network of fellow entrepreneurs, investors, innovators, & mentors, is hosting their 1st annual Innovator Summit at the Mission Bay Conference Center in San Francisco.

About the LSA Innovator Summit
The 1st Annual summit in San Francisco that brings together Latino tech entrepreneurs for two days of startup pitches, keynotes, lighting talks, workshops, networking, and the fostering of both partnerships & friendships to help support Latino startups globally.

The LSA Innovator Summit will focus on three principals: Access, Acceleration, and Awareness. This summit will be the catalyst in providing a platform for startups, entrepreneurs, investors, and partners to connect and take action.

The Latino Startup Alliance is holding an open invitation where startups can apply to pitch at the upcoming Innovator Summit.

With a robust set of partners like the Kauffman Foundation, Latinas Think BIG, Lean Startup Circle, and many others, the LSA Innovator Summit is a landmark event playing front and center in today's "Latino Tech Moment."

Registration: http://summit.latinostartupalliance.org/#!/register

Latino Startup Estereobit.tv delivers hip music videos and real-time interaction to musicians and fans of Latin indie music.

Estereobit.tv brings back the nostalgia of watching music videos while using the most up-to-date technology and taking on an international mass appeal.

AUSTIN, TX—Estereobit.tv is an early-stage Latino startup that provides music lovers with a music video jukebox in the cloud. Along with tapping into the deep nostalgia people have of music videos—remembering the heyday of MTV—Estereobit.tv is the trusted source of the latest hits in Latin indie music. Estereobit.tv goes beyond the normal music app by building their collection in the cloud, giving users access to their personal music video collection at any-time and anywhere. Imagine spicing up a dull party by having your music video collection handy online or even from your phone!

“I was tired of the endless Youtube and music blog searches” says Estereobit.tv founder and developer, Ulises Ramirez-Roche. “I wanted to keep track of my favorite artists and watch cool music videos, so I built a music video robot, who lives in the cloud.”

With the limited resources and competition for the limelight, new artists don’t always have a way to reach their audience; Estereobit.tv gives musicians a better platform from which to reach their fan base and easily promote their music to their target market. With a lack of industry attention towards international and Latin music here in America, Estereobit.tv lends itself as a simple and direct distribution channel for Latin music fans around the globe.

“With the growing Hispanic population in the United States, there should be a site or channel devoted to young, hip Latino music” adds Ulises Ramirez-Roche. “A lot of talented Latino musicians go unnoticed because they simply don’t have the resources that American or European artists do.”

Estereobit.tv is a free music app available to users via www.estereobit.tv on their web browsers and mobile devices.

Estereobit.tv features: 

• Presents trendy, curated music video collection and personal playlist built in the cloud.
• Gives users access to their personal collection from anywhere on their mobile devices or web browsers. 
• Like videos from a curated video collection and add them to your personal playlist. 
• View the latest videos from indie pop artists from Latin America. 
• Vote for videos and track the real-time popularity of a video on the ‘Leader Board’.
• Quickly find your favorite videos and add them to your playlist with the quick search feature.
• Currently in development, Estereobit.tv is working on a live Twitter feed for each band, to be displayed on each music video page. 
• Also in development, ‘Late Night Channel’ where it displays the top dance music videos and a list of nearby clubs or concerts near the user location. 

About Estereobit.tv:
Founder, Ulises Ramirez-Roche first thought of Estereobit.tv because he missed regularly tuning into a music video channel and saw the need for a promotion source for Latin music in the United States.

The State of Latino Startups: Exploring the Challenges

In this second post in a series on Latino startups, Oxford SBS Seed Fund co-founder Mark Hand explores some of the obstacles that Latino-run and Latino-focused startups face. Read the first post in the series here.

Startup struggles, generally speaking

If there is one topic that entrepreneurs love to talk about more than any other, it is be the trials and tribulations of being a founder. You work impossibly long hours; you wake up with cold sweats knowing that every moment you’re not working on your idea, your competitor is. You spend more time managing people than you do with the product that you wanted to build; you are constantly reminded by more ‘reasonable’ friends and family members that you are sacrificing prime earning years to chase a dream. Money is always in short supply, and no one--no one--can ever truly give you the peace of mind that you are doing it right.

In nearly one hundred conversations about Latino startups over the last eight months, I’ve also heard and identified a handful of other hurdles specific to Latino startups. Some of them are relevant to Latino founders; others are particular to startups whose primary customers are Latinos.

Latino founders' uphill fight for funding?

Latino founders, just like their non-Latino counterparts, point to the lack of high-risk capital as a significant barrier to the growth of Latino startups. Unlike in conversations with white founders, however, hints at racial bias among funders are pretty common in conversations with Latino founders. Few accuse venture capital investors of outright racism. Instead, they make two arguments. The first, voiced by at least one venture-funded entrepreneur, is that venture investors have the same subconscious racial bias that Chicago Booth researchers discovered among hiring managers in Boston and Chicago. Venture capital (VC) investors retort that if they see a strong team with a good idea in a growing market, they don’t care about someone’s race or country of origin. In fact, Silicon Valley is so dependent upon foreign talent that they now lobby ferociously for immigration reform.

The second, related argument is that the nature of many VC investors’ networks is such that black and Hispanic entrepreneurs are excluded not due to racial bias but because of the nature of social networks. In a recent conversation about the opportunity for a Latino-focused startup fund, one VC asked me if I was saying all VCs were racist. “No,” I said, “We’re lazy.” When some VCs proudly trumpet that a resourceful entrepreneur will find the right introduction to them, they are trusting their network to complete the first round of vetting of potential startups. In the aggregate, such a closed-network approach to deal-sourcing means out-of-network ideas are shut out until someone (a “broker” in network theory) connects them.

Before they approach VCs for scale-up funding, however, Latino founders point to another gap in funding. Unlike founders from well-connected, wealthy backgrounds, Latino founders have fewer wealthy friends and family members waiting in the wings to pump $20,000 into their startup. One Latina founder told me that, as the most educated and successful member of her extended family, asking her family for money would be laughable; instead, she is expected to be the one with a steady job providing cushion for everyone else. In this way, Latina founders, already carrying much of the weight of the growing Latino startup community, may be loaded down even more than their male counterparts by familial expectations. 

The Latino market: large, nuanced, tough

What of startups that are not run by Latinos but focus on the Latino market? They too, face special struggles both in financing and execution. In seeking financing from VCs, Latino market startups struggle to get attention from investors rightly inclined to fund what they already know--e.g. tech, life sciences, solar, mass market retail, defense. Why educate yourself on a new, unproven market, exposing yourself to even greater risk? The answer, of course, is that not only are Latinos a large and growing group of upwardly mobile young consumers, but they are early adopters of new technologies and bellwethers for shifts in consumer trends; but as Antonio Altamirano points out, this case has yet to be made in a clear and compelling way.

Even given funding, Latino-focused startups face a special challenge: the Latino market may be huge, but it is incredibly nuanced and diverse. Most obviously, Latino market startups have to balance the needs of English-dominant and Spanish-dominant customers; the fluently bilingual customer support and content creators required to do this are tough to find and harder to retain.

Yet both Latino founders and those interested in the Hispanic market are plowing ahead. One example of such forward momentum is Manos Accelerator, which has recently accepted their first cohort of Latino startups. In our next article, we’ll take a closer look at a few of the Latinos and Latino-focused entrepreneurs blazing the trail--if you know of a few, send them our way!

Mark Hand (@markchand) is the cofounder of the SBS Seed Fund, a student-run startup fund within Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford. He spent two years with Gray Ghost Ventures investing in early-stage companies in the US and India. Mark is currently researching startups in the US Hispanic market. Photo by Phil Roeder from Wikimedia Commons.

Latino Startup Alliance Expands Presence to the Central Coast

Latino Startup Alliance Expands Presence to the Central Coast

Focused on encouraging the inspiration and cultivation of Latino led technology startup ventures

August 21, 2013 -- Latino Startup Alliance (LSA) based in San Francisco, CA is excited to announce that it will be expanding its presence to the California Central Coast.

The Central Coast has been very active in the tech ecosystem with recent Startup Weekends being held in Santa Maria, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo. Spanning some of the most beautiful coastline in California from Monterey to Port Hueneme, the Central Coast is home to a vibrant collective of change agents, dynamic entrepreneurs, and forward-thinking educators. Highlighting the Latino entrepreneur and tech community's need for a bigger platform is what a global organization like LSA can provide.

In addition, leading LSA Central Coast's (LSA CC) efforts will be Jose Huitron - Founder of Hub 81 and Co-Founder of Crowdismo, the first Latino-focused crowdfunding platform. Jose has been very active in the local tech community through efforts such as Startup Weekend Santa Maria helping to accelerate the conversation on entrepreneurship and increase startup activity.

"The Central Coast is fast becoming a booming tech and entrepreneurship corridor. An opportunity to help foster increased diversity in tech and entrepreneurship is a welcome challenge. The Latino Startup Alliance brings an important bridge to the region with direct access to Silicon Valley and vital support that will help increase the number of Latinos in tech and entrepreneurship locally." says Jose.

To register for this upcoming event visit: http://latinostartupalliancecentralcoast.eventbrite.com

About the Latino Startup Alliance
LSA launched over a year and half ago and has proudly grown to over 400+ innovators. LSA's mission is to encourage the inspiration and cultivation of Latino led technology startup ventures by providing a strong support network of fellow entrepreneurs, investors, innovators, and mentors. For more information visit: http://latinostartupalliance.org/

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Where are all the Latino Startups?

We are excited to announce a special segment on Vista Hispano focused on shedding some light on the state of Latino entrepreneurship. Joining us is Mark Clayton Hand, an MBA from Oxford University and a cofounder of the SBS Seed Fund, a student-run startup fund within Oxford's Saïd Business School. Mark brings a unique set of investment perspective to the table and is focused on helping to illuminate the dynamics around the current state of affairs that is the exciting state of Latino startups. A huge shout out to Mark for joining Vista Hispano.

Where are all the Latino startups? By Mark C. Hand

The US Hispanic consumer market is big. Really big. $1.3-trillion-dollars-and-counting big. Major corporations like Best Buy, Yahoo, and The Home Depot are paying attention and have piled in, attempting with varying degrees of success to capture a piece of this large and growing market.

Over the course of the last six months, my colleagues and I have researched the Hispanic market with a specific hypothesis: Given its potential, surely there are dozens of startups launching clever, scalable businesses serving Hispanic consumers. As it turns out, we were (mostly) wrong.

Over a series of posts on Vista Hispano, I’ll discuss three elements of the Latino startup ecosystem: What barriers are blocking the creation of a Latino startup market? What startups are already plowing through those barriers? Where do they find the capital they need to start their business?

First, let’s clear up a bit of confusion about what we mean by Latino startups. When people say Latino startups, they mean one of two things: either startups operated by Latinos, or startups serving the Latino market. And when they say Latino startups, they mean either small companies with huge growth potential, or small businesses. The result is a conversation about four different types of companies, often all in the same conversation.

The vast majority of businesses in the US fit into the bottom half of this matrix. Venture capitalists sometimes derisively refer to these small businesses as “lifestyle” businesses. But they are the blood pumping through the American economy, and Hispanics start such small businesses at a faster clip than non-Hispanics.

These companies are very different than the high-growth entrepreneurs on the hunt for venture capital or private equity investment--the companies we're interested in here. Some of those companies, such as Marc Barros’ Contour, are Latino-owned but not Latino market-focused. Others, like pre-paid phone provider MetroPCS, find success by reaching out directly to Latino customers; but they are not Latino-owned. A handful of companies, such as Alicia Morga’s previous company Consorte Media, are both Latino-owned and Latino-focused.

Why do these distinctions matter? Because each type of business faces unique challenges, taps different sources of capital, hires a different type of employee, and demands a different set of skills. If we want to build a Latino startup ecosystem, driving resources to the entrepreneurs who create value and wealth in the Hispanic community, clarity of conversation is key.

In our next post, we'll take a look at some of the challenges--both real and imagined--faced by Latino startups.

--

Mark Hand (@markchand) is an MBA from Oxford University and a cofounder of the SBS Seed Fund, a student-run startup fund within Oxford's Saïd Business School. He spent two years with Gray Ghost Ventures investing in early-stage companies in the US and India. Mark is currently researching startups and investors in the US Hispanic market.

Crowdismo Unveils Pioneering Platform Aimed at Launching Innovative Ideas Throughout the Latino Community

Crowdismo Powering Latino Genius Everywhere via Crowdfunding 

Crowdismo Launches Pioneering Platform Aimed at Launching Innovative Ideas Throughout the Latino Community

The Heartful Giving Project, Crowdismo's first crowdfunding campaign. 

SANTA BARBARA, CA - June 18, 2013 - Crowdismo, an online crowdfunding platform, today announced the launch of a new online website aimed at helping the Latino community activate creative and innovative ideas.

Maintaining an overall positive outlook on the economy and future of America, Latinos are champions of possibility and agents of change placing a priority on collective impact. Crowdfunding is a mechanism of activation allowing today’s tinkerers and inspired inventors an opportunity to launch fresh ideas of global relevance.

Recent data outlines a Latino audience that starts businesses two to three times the rate of non- Latinos. However, access to capital and traditional barriers in the financing sector comprise a serious threat to creativity, invention, and entrepreneurship. Crowdismo hopes to change that by offering a unique bilingual and bicultural online destination.

“It’s imperative that we foster a community of synergy and build both intellectual and financial capital driven by access to powerful economic resources that will enable continued momentum throughout the Latinosphere in the U.S.,” said Jose Huitron, Co-Founder of Crowdismo. “Crowdfunding levels the playing field in an arena where only 1% of VC money goes to African Americans and Latinos.”

On the cusp of a unique opportunity to take idea investment and new venture priority to another level, Crowdismo is aimed at leading the charge in innovation funding, idea powering, and community impact. Crowdismo eliminates barriers to entry by providing a mechanism for collective financing via the collaborative web.

Crowdismo is founded by two individuals with similarly identifying characteristics but diverse and dynamic talents. Together, Jose Huitron and Jose Guevarra comprise a powerful duo combining a robust technology skill-base and integrated marketing communications prowess.

Crowdismo’s mission is to power bold ideas throughout the Latino community across the arenas of culture, education, social impact, entrepreneurship, music, design, technology, and creativity.

Leading the pack of unique purpose-driven Crowdismo campaigns, is the Heartful Giving Project, a crowdfunding project aimed at supporting international folk art by providing a community arts center where local artisans can practice and teach their skills in Sua, Ecuador.

“The Heartful Giving Project is an example of the type of creative and globally relevant projects that we hope to activate and serves as a landmark of hope and possibility.” said Jose Guevarra, Co-Founder of Crowdismo.

ABOUT CROWDISMO
Crowdismo is a disruptive online platform aimed at powering creativity and innovation within the Latino community via modern collective financing known as crowdfunding. As a fresh destination for launching bold ideas, Crowdismo allows individuals to join a groundswell of people driven by inspired genius and help power projects in the areas of education, entrepreneurship, social impact, music, film, technology, and more. For more information, visit http://www.crowdismo.com

Contact:
Jose Huitron 

info@crowdismo.com 805.214.8281

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URBAN TxT’s Secret Sauce Turns Teens Into Tech Entrepreneurs

“I guess we’re used to a teacher coming in and telling us what to do. When it was just us, nobody really knew what to do.” This answer resonated with everyone of the 31 teens accepted into URBAN Teens eXploring Technology (URBAN TxT) summer program, also known as the Summer Hackaneer Academy. The new participant was explaining why some teens stepped up to the plate and others did not during a teambuilding activity that happened earlier in the day.

URBAN TxT students during first program activity.

Creating an environment that allows young adults to explore their talents, insecurities, attitude towards leadership, reflect on daily achievements and failures, and openly discuss these amongst the entire team takes a lot of work. Interestingly enough, South Los Angeles’ URBAN TxT has that environment. More importantly, the organization is using computer programming to develop the best and brightest minds in the inner city into technology entrepreneurs.

Founder, Oscar Menjivar, and Bagel, URBAN TxT mascot.

This unique environment comes out of a curriculum based on peer-to-peer and projectbased learning. Oscar Menjivar, co-founder of URBAN TxT, has been perfecting the curriculum for more than a decade. The program’s secret sauce needs many ingredients. The ability to teach technology concept without technology is key. For the first few weeks it’s all about team and leadership building. On the first day of the 2013 Hackaneer Academy the teens were given a problem. It was up to them to find the solution. The only rule was no verbal communication. Along the way students learned about communication, trial and error, troubleshooting, the frustration that small errors bring about and the satisfaction a coder gets after finishing a perfectly crafted project.

As students and staff get to know each other, basics of computer programming are incorporated into the activities that make URBAN TxT the only South LA technology organization that does leadership development. URBAN TxT’s secret sauce also needs personal investment from every member of the leadership team. None of the directors, coaches or volunteers are in it for a paycheck. They put in their time, creativity and commitment because they believe in the organization and, more importantly, the teens that are in it. This “students first” mentality helps the leadership team overcome obstacles, grow their own leadership and technological skills and push the boundaries of creativity.

Now, don’t think you know all there is to URBAN TxT, though. After all, the secret sauce remains secret for a reason. If you get to know the organization enough you might learn a little about the other ingredients, like a talking duck, furry hat, foam ninja or the pup named Bagel.

Blog written by Juan Vasquez, Communications Coach for URBAN Teens eXploring Technology. URBAN TxT is a nonprofit organization that encourages inner city teen males to become catalysts of change in urban communities. The organization develops teens from South LA and Watts into a new generation of leaders through technology. To learn more about URBAN TxT visit www.urbantxt.com. Follow Juan on Twitter at @JuanSVas and URBAN TxT at @URBANTxT.

Sabio.la Hosting Developer Bootcamps for Women and Minorities

How can we encourage more diversity in the arenas of entrepreneurship and technology? It begins with a sense of identity and community where each of us play an important role in recognizing that talent and possibility know no boundaries. Nobody has a monopoly on good ideas and we must take advantage of opportunities to turn our passions into rewarding careers. Advocates of Science Technology Engineering Math (STEM) and proponents of technology and innovation in the startup arena are charged with the task of providing pathways for increased diversity in tech. As we speak organizations like March for Innovation are pushing for smart immigration reform to attract and keep the best and brightest to fuel innovation and American jobs. This is a great step forward. However, we must recognize that women and people of color are continually faced with unique challenges in the tech space. At least, that was the featured topic of a recent Diversity in Tech Panel at the LAUNCH Festival in San Francisco. Below is the video of a pioneering discussion on increasing diversity in the technology space.

Open discussion is a catalyst for idea generation, societal reflection, and community development. Collaboration and synergies among women and people of color is a token for advancement, innovation, increased creativity, and awesome ideas.

Several Latinos and Latinas come to mind who are doing some great work in encouraging open collaboration and opportunities for all in the startup and technology arena. Pioneering communities like Ellas 2.0, a unique content platform where female founders, investors and innovators share their startup stories, tips and tricks and guidance, is a prime example of progress and fundamental fairness.

"If the U.S. wants to maintain its current economic standard of living it's got to figure out how to use all of the talent available..." - Freada Kapor Klein, Ph.D.

Our goal at Vista Hispano is to highlight those who are addressing these issues and championing possibility and diversity in the entrepreneurial and startup environment. Sabio.la is a perfect example of what can be when individuals come together to promote diversity in tech and create new pathways for sustainability.

Sabio was born out of necessity, desire and hope. The necessity to bring more women and minorities into the world of programming through developer bootcamps. A desire to see a superior and more diverse workforce. And a hope to uplift the communities that suffer from the highest rates of unemployment and worst educational resources.

Developer bootcamps are basically accelerated learning programs where you take someone with little to no programming experience and in a short period of time (3-6 months) make them employable as an entry level programmer.

Perhaps, one of the most exciting aspects of a career in technology is that we have the ability to create our own success and (in the case of a startup) be part of a unique team environment and overall industry that is charting the future of America's place in the global arena.

Kudos to the team at Sabio who are beginning a journey in real possibility and positive outcomes for women and minorities. Interested in supporting Sabio? Check out their profile here or visit http://sabio.la/site/home.

Crowdismo: Fueling Innovation and Creativity in the Latino Community through Crowdfunding

If the U.S. Hispanic market were a nation, it would boast one of the largest economies in the world with spending power of $1.2 trillion. The realities of today's Hispanic market are that of opportunity, motivation, aspiration, altruism, and hustle. The power and influence of the U.S. Latino collective is undeniable. Many awesome individuals and organizations from the West Coast to the East Coast are launching new ideas, connecting communities, and genuinely shaking the status quo. How can we build upon this momentum and continue to fuel innovative ideas and new opportunities throughout the U.S. Latino market? Enter Crowdismo. (Disclaimer: I'm a co-founder of Crowdismo and believer in bold possibility.)

Crowdismo is a disruptive platform aimed at powering creativity and innovation within the Latino community through crowdfunding. A digital destination and site for individuals to join a groundswell of people driven by inspired genius and help power the prolific. Our goal is to eliminate barriers to entry for gente with bold ideas. By tapping into the power of the crowd, Crowdismo connects you to awesome possibilities in the form of funding.

How it works:

1. Pitch your project to an online community of early adopters and believers.
2. Incentivize backers to pledge to your project with unique rewards.
3. Hit project’s funding goal and get one step closer to activating the incredible.

Age Factor
Overall, those between the ages of 25 and 34 are most likely to make investment decisions via crowdfunding platforms. The median age of Latinos is 27.6 making them the youngest demographic in the U.S. and perfectly aligned to adopt crowdfunding as a means of powering projects across a wide array of arenas including: Education, Technology, Social Impact, and Entrepreneurship to name a few.

Explosive Growth
"...the unassailable fact is that Latino-owned businesses in the United States are growing at a blistering pace." Latinos are three-times more likely to start businesses than the general population. Nielsen's State of the Hispanic Consumer report offers additional insights into the reach and growth of Latinos in America.

Philanthropic
Looking at Experian Simmons data, we know 47% of U.S. Hispanics donated to a charity or philanthropic organization in the last 12 months (Experian Simmons, Fall 2011 NHCS Adult Survey).

According to a recent post in Forbes online, "Sixty-nine percent of Hispanic respondents ranked “help people who are in need” as No. 5 on their list of aspirations compared to only 27% of non-Hispanics, who ranked this at No. 14. They want to make a difference, and if you can facilitate that, you can endear your brand to these consumers."

It's imperative that we foster a community of synergy and build both intellectual and financial capital driven by access to powerful economic resources that will enable continued momentum throughout the Latinosphere in the U.S. Crowdfunding levels the playing field in an arena where only 1% of VC money goes to African Americans and Latinos.

We're on the cusp of a unique opportunity to take investment and new venture priority to another level and Crowdismo is targeted at leading the charge in innovation funding, idea powering, and community impact.

Crowdismo coming soon 2013! Sign up for early access. Or join Crowdismo on Facebook.

Latino Startups to Watch in 2013

"Create a prototype and get it to market as soon as you can. Ignore the naysayers. Revise fast." - Guy Kawasaki, Author of The Art of the Start.

Perhaps it's this kind of a mindset that has led to a rising surge in entrepreneurship activity among Latinos. Hispanic entrepreneurs opened twice as many businesses as the national average in the 2000s, according to U.S. Census data. What's even more exciting is a trend where Latin American-born entrepreneurs, a previously invisible cohort, are beginning to make their presence known in Silicon Valley. Bet you didn't know that the co-founder of Instagram, Mike Krieger, is Brazilian. But where is the rest of the startup collective and what problems are they trying to solve?

To no surprise, Latino startups are rising in number and influence. Part of this explosive growth is fueled by Latinas who are vital to startup success. In fact, there are numerous success stories of Latinas who are making some big strides in entrepreneurship activity and blurring the lines of gender difference building huge momentum. And we love it.

Following are a few Latino(a) startups of note that we feel are sure to continue the upward trend in entrepreneurship activity in 2013 and fuel real impact across a multitude of industry verticals.

Parranda.org

A new online/offline community opened its virtual doors this morning with an invitation to all Puerto Ricans to help remap "The Greater Puerto Rico." Parranda.org -- which takes its name from the popular Puerto Rican Winter holiday pastime -- aims to "remap, remake, and remobilize the Greater Puerto Rico" through a series of coordinated efforts involving both people on the island and people in the Puerto Rican diaspora (i.e., people who have moved to the mainland US and other countries). The first focus for Parranda.org is a global project where the community will draw an interactive map of where Puerto Ricans live today. A first look at this map will be published in January.

Dubalu

Dubalu (Pronounced DOO-bah-loo) is the world’s first Social Network Marketing Site—a unique, exciting and valuable new concept in networking that combines the most popular features and benefits of the Internet’s top-ranked social and marketing destinations in one. What's interesting about this site is the fact that they've amassed a huge social media following in a matter of months. It will be exciting to see if Dubalu can capitalize on a subscription based model fueled by the power of social media.

StudentMentor.org

An innovative national mentoring program based on a pioneering technology platform where college students can conveniently find and collaborate with mentors from diverse industries and professions to achieve their academic and career goals. StudentMentor.org has amassed an audience of students from 1,000+ colleges and counting including a network professionals from all industries contributing 40,000+ years of experience is part of the reason the site has been able to partner with none other than the White House.


Latino Startup Alliance

Based out of San Francisco, the Latino Startup Alliance is leading the charge in new ideas. The mission of the LSA is to encourage the inspiration and cultivation of Latino led technology startup ventures by providing a strong support network of fellow Latino entrepreneurs, investors, innovators, and business owners. A hub of startup activity and leadership sure to thrive in 2013 and increase the amount of Latino led technology innovation not only in Silicon Valley but across the United States.

The breadth of Latino startup activity is fuel for the visionary and a symbol of opportunity. If you have an idea, forget about fear and move fast because the crowd is waiting, watching, and looking for opportunities to fuel innovation and power genius throughout the U.S. Here's to continued momentum and positive iteration in 2013!

The Muy Interesante Future of Latino Entrepreneurship

There's no denying it, minority entrepreneurship matters in the United States. And for the budding Latino business entrepreneur, embracing technology and social media is invaluable. When it comes to the future of Latino entrepreneurship, why not start them young with an innovative approach similar to SparkAmerica.us?

Better yet, why not learn from some of the most dynamic Latino entrepreneurs that are building interesting things and amassing a growing user base while developing innovative technologies.

Say hello to Interesante.

The place to discover and share Latino interests. Interesante is a unique startup in beta focused on immersive cultural shear-ability and fueling diaspora-driven commerce. It's a gateway to cultural interests in its most beautiful visual form. Interesante places a special focus on the deeper cultural nuances of social engagement commanding a user base representing over 41 countries including Argentina, the United States, Spain, Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, Chile, Venezuela, Brazil, and Peru.

Interesante is the brain child of Rebecca Padnos Altamirano (CEO) who gracefully assembled a team of approximately ten individuals, largely based in Argentina.  These professionals are led by Antonio Altamirano (COO), Pablo Gamba (CTO), Claudio Cossio (VP Marketing), and Leandro Henflen (Design).  Antonio is also the co-founder of virtual postcard startup Dabble.

Our founder Jose Huitron, recently caught up with Antonio, one of the most prolific Latino entrepreneurs amassing a cross-national track record of unique startup activity.

Antonio arrived in the U.S. 13 years ago armed with a keen focus on the huge potential and possibility of entrepreneurship. "I needed to prepare myself to be the best I can be and be ready to launch and test my ideas in the real world. Not only by building a company but helping the community as a whole and in particular, the Latino community," said Antonio.

The allure of possibility combined with a passion for action has fueled an environment where Latinos are the future of entrepreneurship in the U.S. Latinos are now trendsetters, cultural icons, successful business people and are at the core of the American cultural fabric. However, no tool has placed the Latino consumer at the top of their pecking order. Enter Interesante.

"There are huge highs and massive lows. You go from a place where you feel you're going to conquer the world and some days it looks as if you are climbing Everest. Preparation is paramount to succeed in this environment. The fluctuation is so big you have to be careful, but that is what makes it fun." said Antonio.

"Other tools were born out of necessity for a particular need. Facebook doesn't even provide Open Graph in Spanish. We want to be the largest database of interests that are Latino based in the world.

For many budding Latino(a) entrepreneurs, the road to real impact requires a focus on identifying, enabling, and mobilizing champions and committed advisors. A real challenge lies in trying to bridge the gap between Latinos who want to do something big and Latinos in the U.S. who can invest and nurture the nascent Latino startup community. Interesante is a benchmark in how to bridge this gap and move inspired Latinos with bold ideas to a place where passion meets action.

Rebecca and her team at Interesante are a legitimate force to be reckoned with. They stand as a great example of an innovative startup that is built for Latinos by Latinos.

For Antonio and his team, Interesante is much more than a hub of diaspora-driven commerce. It is also a rallying cry for Latino entrepreneurs to step into the arena of innovation with confidence and a belief that your identity fuels the prolific.

The future of Latino entrepreneurship is already here.

The Coming Storm of Latino Startups Has Arrived

Where are all the Latino innovators? That's a popular question but the answers may be closer than they appear. There's a storm of Latino entrepreneurship activity happening in the U.S. and south of the border. Perhaps, the collectivist nature of Latinos may be a unique factor contributing to the somewhat quiet rise of startup dominance.

Hispanic entrepreneurs opened twice as many businesses as the national average in the 2000s, according to U.S. Census data. And recent data from the Kauffman Index of Entrepreneurial Activity highlights an interesting surge in entrepreneurship activity by Latinos.

The American dream is alive and well.  In 2010 immigrants accounted for nearly 30% of new business owners, versus 13% in 1996, according to the Kauffman Foundation. No matter how you cut it, Latinovators are enjoying their share of the entrepreneurship pie.

Of particular note, is the work of Jesse and Edwardo Martínez who founded the Latino Startup Alliance which was launched New Year’s Day 2012, now a budding network of over 240 innovators. However, the question remains. Where are the rest of the Latinopreneurs?

A mere 20 results show up for "US Hispanic Market" on AngelList which is the de facto standard for keeping tabs on the burgeoning startup arena in the U.S. and beyond. What does this mean? Perhaps, there's a ton of Latino startups listed on the site but are working under the radar with their profile hidden as they move close to launch or a point of desired product/service development. The truth? We need more Latino startups who are not afraid of their identity and the arena of possibility. Inc.com has its own list of Top Latino entrepreneurs who've achieved some striking marks of success and are actively blazing a trail of entrepreneurship activity.

There's no denying it, the Latino startup crowd is here and it's kind of a big deal capturing the attention of many, including some of Silicon Valley's most engaged venture capitalists as confirmed by the recent purchase of Mexican.vc by 500 Startups. If we look closely, there's something much bigger in the works. There's a real dynamic taking place where Latino innovators are playing the lead role in the U.S. and beyond.

And...it's only just beginning.

10 More Must Follow Prolific Latinos on Twitter

"Mend your speech a little, lest it may mar your fortunes." - Shakespeare, King Lear

We have the good fortune of highlighting some of the most dynamic Latinos causing shockwaves of influence and engagement across the digital landscape. Twitter is a valuable tool for staying on top of your interests. As a follow up to our 10 Must Follow Prolific Latinos on Twitter post here are an additional 10 must follow dynamic Latinos and Latinas tweeting their way to social domination...eh, adding value to the conversation stream. Celebrity is not a prerequisite for true impact. The following individuals help their followers and interested parties with unique insights that help move the Latinosphere forward.

1. Chiqui Cartagena
Chiqui Cartagena is a seasoned journalist and a Hispanic market guru. She is the author of LATINO BOOM and has done ground-breaking work in Hispanic media.

2. Melanie Edwards
Working mom blogging since 2006 on parenting & life balance. She is also the Owner of Ella Media. Not to mention she was part of a select few of Latina bloggers who had the awesome opportunity to chat with Michelle Obama!

3. Andy Checo
PR pro, US Hispanic market insider, and social media enthusiast. He is the founder of #hprchat (Hispanic PR Chat) a fabulous resource for all things related to connecting more effectively with the burgeoning Latino demographic.

4. Eliana Murillo
Hispanic Community Outreach Lead at Google and the CMO for Tequila Alquimia. She is a Harvard grad and an advocate for social change. A direct connection for Latinos into the world of Google technology.

5. Eva Smith
A prolific entrepreneur, foodie, innovative engineer and the CoFounder of Latina Mom Blogs (@LatinaMomBlogs. Her focus is on education, startups, advocacy, and technology. Her tweets bring a bicultural and bilingual flavor to the digital landscape. She also tweets some of the most stimulating visual images of food you've ever seen! Foodies unite!

6. Miguel Corona
Passionate about helping organizations tap the Latino workforce. He is an educator, researcher, mentor, entrepreneur, father, and one of the best resources for insights on how to understand, reach, and develop Latino talent.

7. Engel Fonseca
Futurist blazing trails from Miami to Mexico and back. He is a public speaker, marketing professor, techpreneur, and the Founder of Neurona Digital and the man behind Hispanomics.info, a research platform for finding the best data about the U.S. Hispanic Digital Advertising Market.

8. Ariel Coro
A technology expert and the author of El Salto. His passion for education and clear vision of the future has helped ordinary people embrace technology and capitalize on its limitless benefits. He is the founder of Tutecnologia.com and the man behind Tecnifícate.

9. Aurelia Flores
Founder and Host of PowerfulLatinas.com a powerhouse of wisdom focused on leadership and empowerment. Her work fosters a community of Latinas re-imagining culture together by blending a mix of personal empowerment messages with community involvement and current, relevant information for the modern Latina woman.

10. Claudia Havi Goffan
A true motivator and recognized expert in Latino Marketing by CNN en Español. She has been named one of the Top 48 PR professionals by the American Express Open Forum. Her stream is rich in valuable information for understanding and connecting with Latinos. She is the Founder of Target Latino. Her energy is contagious.

We could literally be here all day showcasing some of the best and brightest but we understand that you  have work to do so we'll save it for another post. Stay tuned for follow up posts on additional game changers, motivators, influencers, and genuinely friendly prolific Latinos(as) doing big things on Twitter and beyond.

10 Must Follow Prolific Latinos on Twitter

The following is a breakdown of the most dynamic, inspiring, engaging, thought-provoking Latinos and Latinas in the digital space who not only add value to the conversation but also make the new media arena fun, exciting and informative! (By no means does order convey rank, importance, etc.)

Follow these awesome gente on Twitter and be inspired to make big things happen:

1. Frankie De Soto

Frankie is a consistent voice of knowledge and know-how. He is a specialist in SEO, Social Media, Wordpress, Cyberculture, and all things digital. 

2. Jesse Luna

Social innovation and communications specialist with a genuine interest in helping people achieve and move past the status-quo. He brings a fresh perspective to the meaning of groundswell activity.

3. Antonio Altamirano

One of the most dynamic entrepreneurs on Twitter. He is not only the founder of Dabble and Tangelo but a resource for staying on top of all things related to startups between Silicon Valley and South America. 

4. Elianne Ramos

Perhaps, one of the most dynamic Latinas in social media. She is the CEO of Speak Hispanic and the Vice-Chair, Marketing at LATISM. Her name says it all. She's the Universe's 1st and only geek goddess. It's hard not to be inspired by her activity and efforts across the Latinosphere.

5. Joe Kutchera

He literally wrote the book on connecting and engaging with Latinos online. Joe is the author of Latino Link and a social/digital marketing advisor. His tweets offer unique insights into the areas of storytelling, cultural branding, and digital marketing.

6. Juan Alanis

A window into the sphere of cultural expression. Follow Juan and have a blast with fresh perspective that is sure to engage the senses. Think awesome blog posts about Manzanas Enchiladas and the art of doing 'Nada' among other topics most easily classified under the Hispanic Lifestyle umbrella, but by no means exclusive for only a Latino audience.

7. Jes Sofia Valle

Along the path of unstoppable productivity comes a necessary voice of reason and reminder to stop, sit back, relax, and enjoy life. Jes knows the meaning of paying it forward and offers her followers gems of wisdom, motivation, and information. She is the Director of LATISM Los Angeles.

8. Joe Ray

We all need a bit of creative inspiration. He is the VP-Multicultural Marketing at EB Lane, an artist, speaker, writer, self-proclaimed Nopalista, and the Director of LATISM Phoenix. Joe offers a bit of reality and artistic flair to the conversation. "Tweet tweet little birdies..." - Recent tweet.

9. Jennifer Arguello

Project Manager at Mozilla, S.H.P.E. Region 1 Vice-President, and edu tech fan. As one of the faces behind @Latino_Startups, she offers those looking to start something fresh real-world experience in a 140 characters or less.

10. Giovanni Rodriguez

Entrepreneur, author, and public speaker on organizational leadership, marketing, and social technology. We can talk about his articles over at ClickZ and Forbes but the real value comes from Giovanni's affinity with the intersection of marketing and human empowerment.

We couldn't compile a list without leaving perhaps one of the most prolific and successful Latinas on Twitter...

+1 Ana Roca Castro
Ana is a social entrepreneur and the founder of Latinos in Social Media (LATISM), the largest organization of Latino professionals engaged in social media. She is also a serial entrepreneur, education tech developer, proud Latina, and is genuinely interested in helping others make big things happen.

These are just a few of the many dynamic Latinos and Latinas in social media. We know we left off tons of talented gente and will follow up with subsequent posts highlighting some of the best and most prolific Latino voices on Twitter and beyond!

5 Awesome Must Have Tools for Latino Startups

Latinos are passionate, driven, and fully engaged in driving their own measure of success. Entrepreneurship across the Latinosphere is hot as confirmed by dynamic activity taking place on Twitter, the blogosphere, and beyond. Some of the startups that come to mind include Refleta, Gizmo, and Dabble.

The number of small Hispanic businesses is set to keep growing, say experts. The Hispanic population is expected to triple in size by 2050, according to the Pew Center. And the revenue from Hispanic businesses is expected to surge more than 39 percent, to more than $539 billion in the next six years, based on estimates by HispanTelligence, a market research firm.

And we're not even talking about the drive of Millennials.  Fifty-four percent of the nation's Millennials either want to start a business or already have started one according to the Kauffman Foundation. Considering that Latinos are the youngest demographic in the U.S. this makes perfect sense and helps to explain why gente are so passionate about changing the world, giving back, and commanding the proverbial entrepreneurial ship.

Perhaps this trend fueled by Millennial and Latino entrepreneurial passion is also the result of the hot bed of activity taking place in Latin America. Joe Kutchera, author of Latino Link, recently talked about how Latin America’s Internet entrepreneurs are ramping up.

With all this fabulous activity, we thought it would be a great idea to share our five must have tools for Latino Startups. Consider the following a starting point or merely some of our favorites that have proven to be user friendly, cost-effective, and just plain cool.

LaunchRock 
Setup a social launching soon page in minutes.

FreshBooks
An online tool for creating, tracking and sending invoices.

Dropbox
Always have your stuff when and where you want it.

Evernote
Remember your stuff and keep it in a simple easy to use digital notebook.

Google+ Hangouts
Collaborate all in realtime.

We love these tools because they help entrepreneurs focus on what matters...making big things happen.