The number of early stage start-ups and accelerators are thriving, however, the success of these initiatives are tied to reliable funding sources.
My Start-up Story
I recently completed a 10 week intensive program with 10xelerator, a mentor-driven investment program in Columbus Ohio designed for energetic and game-changing entrepreneurs. The first day in the incubator I was pleasantly surprised to discover that out of the 10 selected teams from around the globe there were two other Latinos in the program.
During the 10x program I had the opportunity to travel and meet entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley. Prior to my trip I searched for any Latino group in the Valley to connect and network with and I discovered the Latino Startup Alliance, a dynamic group with the mission to cultivate, encourage and support technology start-up ventures and Latino innovation.
The 1st Annual Innovator Summit in San Francisco hosted by the Latino Startup Alliance is scheduled for December 5th and 6th, startups can still apply to pitch or conversations can be followed by using #LSASummit13 on Twitter.
What’s next
My last thought for anyone considering launching a start-up, technology is the future, and as the Hispanic demographic grows, the need to support our community is imperative. Let’s build a solid network structure beyond our geographical location that fosters Latino innovation, leadership and mentorship.
