FounderFamilia

Apply to Stronger Together Groups by April 4th! | Founder Peer Groups Built on Trust and Real Support ?? The founder journey isn’t just about expanding your network—it’s about building meaningful relationships with people who genuinely support your success. Stronger Together Groups (STG) go beyond traditional networking, creating a space where Latine founders connect through trust, shared experiences, and collective growth. Inspired by the Stanford Method for Trust-Based Networking, STG fosters deep connections, collaborative learning, and a strong support system—ensuring you’re not just meeting the right people, but building a community that helps you thrive. Why Stronger Together? ? Peer Learning & Support – Build meaningful relationships where founders who understand your unique journey and can support each other beyond just business deals. ?? Learn from Those Who’ve Been There – Peer-led mentorship and guidance throughout the founder journey rooted in real-world experience. ??? A Safe Space for Growth – A founder community where vulnerability is welcomed, and honest conversations lead to actionable breakthroughs. ?? Strategic, Supportive Networking – Move beyond cold introductions to warm, high-value connections that translate into real opportunities. ? Accountability & Shared Success – A network that not only believes in your vision but helps you stay on track to achieve it. How It Works ?? Founder Trust Circles – Small, curated peer groups designed for deep connection, mutual support, and candid conversations. ?? Storytelling & Investor Alignment Workshops – Learn how to pitch not just your company, but your vision, values, and impact. ?? Warm Introductions that Matter – Get connected to investors and mentors who align with your stage and sector. ?? Founder-to-Founder Support & Accountability – A space where you can be real about the challenges and wins—without judgment. Who Should Join? ?? Founders Ready to Fundraise with Confidence ?? Entrepreneurs Seeking a Real Support System, Not Just a Network ?? Visionaries Who Want to Give and Receive in a High-Trust Community At Stronger Together, we don’t just open doors—we build relationships that last. Apply to our Stronger Together Group and let’s turn trust into traction! https://lnkd.in/g6AsqEJQ

BEYOND honored and honestly surprised(!) to be on the cover of Inc. Magazine's Female Founders issue. This recognition means so much to me as a solo founder, building against what sometimes feels like all odds; less than 2% of VC funding goes to women to begin with, and only 0.1% ends up with black and Latina founders. It is my mission to create a trailblazing brand that breaks through these barriers, and I hope to one day serve as a living proof that investing in minority founders does indeed pay off. The founder journey can be a very lonely rollercoaster, why having benchmarks that look like yourself is so incredibly important. Thank you Inc. Magazine for investing so much in highlighting female founders and for including me in such a remarkable way. Forever grateful. https://lnkd.in/eQMz9rkA

?? Big moves at SXSW 2025! ?? This weekend, we had an incredible lineup of events where impact, innovation, and community took center stage. Our co-founder & CEO, Adrian J. (AJ) DeLeón, M.Ed., took the stage at Startup Casa Inicio, diving into the Latino Startup Ecosystem—because representation in entrepreneurship matters. AJ also connected with mission-driven leaders at the EdLoC Education Leaders of Color Happy Hour, discussing how data and strategy can drive real change in education. ?? And, of course, AJ and and our co-founder Nicholas Freeman joined LaFamilia Foundation to celebrate and strengthen the Latino startup community. Because building impact starts with building connections. Innovation. Community. Equity. That’s the work. That’s the mission. LaFamilia Foundation Inicio Education Leaders of Color #SXSW2025 #LatinoStartups #EdTech #KnowBetterDoBetter #DataDrivenLeadership #AboutLastWeekend

?? In uncertain times, community is everything. ?? The 2025 LBAN Alumni Conference is more than just an event—it’s a call to action for LBAN alumni from every cohort. Now more than ever, we must come together, share insights, and strengthen the powerful ecosystem we’ve built. As our businesses grow, we don’t just lift ourselves—we lift our communities and drive the country forward. ?? Why Attend? ?? ? Network with top entrepreneurs, bankers, investors & experts who understand your journey. ? Learn from Professor Hayagreeva (Huggy) Rao and gain cutting-edge business insights. ? Get ready for the 2025 SOLE Summit (the next day) with the best minds in the game. ? Early Bird pricing ENDS Friday, Feb 28—Don’t wait! ? ?? March 26 | ?? SF Airport Marriott Waterfront | ?? 11:30 AM - 7:00 PM PT ?? Register now: https://lnkd.in/eAEzSuCJ ?? **Let’s rise, build, and lead—**together. ?? #LBANstrong #LatinoEntrepreneurship ??

Thanks for the conversation, Kim J. Hernandez, through FounderFamilia. Being gay, Latino, and first-generation—odds aren’t in our favor when it comes to entrepreneurship or executive placements. We’re seeing it play out in real time, in our country’s political systems. Pero, that’s exactly why we’re being targeted. We’re a threat to existing systems—systems that use words like 'professionalism' to keep us out. As much as I loved my alma mater, DePaul University, I still remember getting in trouble for working, even though they knew I couldn’t afford tuition. I was a top-three athlete but didn’t receive the same scholarship opportunities as my teammates. So, I worked overnight shifts after college races, babysat nearby, and commuted three stops away from campus because that’s all I could afford. I kept wondering—when will I catch my break? I transferred to DePaul my sophomore year, which became the excuse to deny me the same scholarship my teammates got. Pero, it wasn’t a choice—I left my first university after a hate crime was reported against LGBTQ students on day one of school. So, I stayed in the closet my entire first year. I’m really proud of my parents. I grew up watching my mom come home from third-shift gas station jobs while my dad worked first shift as a truck driver. I’ve had to defend my identities my entire life, and it seems like I always will. It’s exhausting. It’s not okay, but I think ya’ll can see—I’m not letting anyone gatekeep me from what I’ve been dreaming of building since I saw the ripple effect in my mom’s family after my papá slowly died over ten years from dementia. If you need a reminder to keep going, I got you. Rimas Music—me ayudas, por favor?

Early-Career Latine VCs: This One’s for You! ?? We’re back with an even stronger program designed just for early-career Latine VCs! After an incredible response to last year’s mentorship initiative, we’ve taken your feedback and elevated the experience—bringing you real technical training, hands-on learning, and direct access to industry leaders. What You’ll Gain: ?? 1:1 Mentorship – Learn from top Latine VCs who’ve been in your shoes. ?? Technical Skill-Building – Master financial modeling with exclusive access to Modeling for Venture Capital by Zach Brauer (Founder, Pivot Education & Finance Partner, GV). ?? Practical Experience – Sharpen your skills through investment memo writing, IC shadowing, and deal analysis. ?? A Powerful Network – Connect with a like-minded community shaping the future of VC. Who Should Apply? ?? Latine VCs with 0-4 years of experience ? 9-month mentorship & learning journey (1-2 hrs/month) ?? 1-month intensive financial modeling training (5-8 hrs/week) If you're ready to level up and make your mark in VC, don’t wait—applications close at the end of the week ??? Tag a friend and apply below! Become a mentor: https://lnkd.in/dh-4htBG Become a fellow: https://lnkd.in/d9SEU2Dp Learn more about the fellowship: https://lnkd.in/eqim77-T

Meet the Founder - Omar Alvarez????????? A proud Latino and gay founder, Omar’s journey spans Nike, Hilton, and Hims & Hers, but his passion for connection and legacy was born from personal loss, losing his grandfather to Alzheimer’s and a close friend to cancer. Kinnect is the product of that journey: a way to help families capture their stories before they’re lost. ??I’ve been dreaming of solving the complexities of connection and legacy since 2008. From running Division I track at DePaul while working two part-time jobs to selling shoes at NikeTown Chicago, where a chance conversation led to a career breakthrough, his story is one of grit, hustle, and heart. About Kinnect: ? Kinnect helps you capture and share memories through a digital app and personalized books. ? After months of refining the platform, gathering real feedback, and ensuring stability, Kinnect is now live on the App Store. They received a Letter of Intent (LOI) during their first-ever memory care product demo, midway through the session. ? Beyond product success, Kinnect is expanding and welcoming?Dr. Evan Ciarloni, MD, as their Medical Advisor to lead clinical partnerships. ? A lesson they learned is that?boundaries matter.?Blending friends, family, and startup life can get messy. Keeping them separate brings clarity, balance, and better decision-making. Read the full interview in our newsletter -- link below! Massive shoutout to LaFam team member?Kim Hernandez?for ideating and interviewing for this new section in our newsletter.

CONGRATS to Carolina Rojas and Juan Manuel Barrero for making it to the top 5 of the PEERLESS competition! This $1m competition is known to be very selective - out of 600 applications, there are 5 finalists and 2 are FounderFamilia! Shoutout to Desiree Almodovar (VCFamilia) and AlleyCorp for supporting visionary founders, and we are so excited to cheer them on in the finals.

?? LaFamilia @ SXSW ‘25 – Let’s Kick It Off! ?? We’re excited to welcome ?????? Eddy, our new Austin City Lead for LaFamilia Foundation! His and Alonso's dedication to building a thriving Latine founder and investor ecosystem aligns perfectly with our mission to change the game. Join us for our (unofficial) SXSW Kickoff Party – tacos, tequila, music, and the best Latine VCs and founders! ?????? ?? RSVP here: https://lnkd.in/gef4h9ub #LaFamilia #SXSW

Yesterday, we finally launched the beta of our Capital matching tool! Why is this exciting? 1. After YEARS of manually connecting founders to investors, this is now a scalable and sustainable way to do so! 2. This connects VCFamilia members with FounderFamilia members that makes sense given their investment criteria and your current funding needs 3. It's been a full year of alpha trials, founder and VC feedback, and backend optimization. Also making sure we have enough funding to finally paying tech talent to make this a top tier product!!! Because we deserve!! Shoutout to all those LaFamilia Foundation members that helped get this off the ground - Aaron Perez Jonathan Chavez ? Amora Miller How do you sign up? If you got the profile update request from Jan 30 you can OPT into our beta! If you didn't get it you probably are not a FounderFamilia member - here is the link to apply https://lnkd.in/dkehAHTw I'm not fundraising? We're prioritizing those that are fundraising at the moment, however you could still be a part of it to create relationships with investors so that when you're ready you know who to call. We already have matches in the past 24 hours! So excited to see the impact and your feedback is super important. Let's go ?????? Adrian J. (AJ) DeLeón, M.Ed. Alex Ruiz