Latino Founders

Congrats Paola Restrepo Tafur Andres Vallejo on this milestone, excited to see what 2025 has in store for you and the 360 Sierra Team ??

Make sure to book your seatrial at Pacific Marine Expo! #workboats

In celebration of Global Entrepreneurship Week, Business Oregon recognizes all of the entrepreneurs showcased at Pitch Latino! Pitch Latino took place last month and is a signature event of Latino Founders that brings together entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, and community leaders to celebrate the entrepreneurial spirit within the Latino community. The presenting businesses represented the best of Latino entrepreneurship, from education and renewable energy to childcare, fiber arts, and residential services. Each entrepreneur had 5 minutes to pitch their innovative ideas in front of a live audience, competing for the chance to win grant funding and receive valuable feedback to help elevate their businesses while networking with community members, city officials, and business leaders in the community. It was an inspiring event, and we can't wait to see these amazing businesses grow. Diana Lainez, founder of Ocata, a Salvadoran-inspired creamy sauce company, won the grand prize: https://lnkd.in/gmc7zASG

A week has passed since my time in Portland with the Latino Founders team, partners, and fellow Latinx entrepreneurs, yet the energy and inspiration remain strong! ?? Being part of this intentional community of Latinx founders—many of us immigrants, first-generation college graduates, and first-time entrepreneurs, among other firsts—was truly transformative. There is something powerful about being seen, valued, and uplifted, especially in an intersectional founder setting where diverse aspects of one’s journey are reflected in such meaningful ways. It created fertile ground for learning, support, and inspiration ?? Thank you, María Nunez Michel, Felix Izarra, Heradio Luces, Lynette Correa-Velez, M.Ed., Diana Lainez, Elba Ocasio, and all the other cohort founders, for sharing your inspiring journeys and making the experience a powerful reminder of what’s possible. I was truly in awe of the resilience, gratitude, and commitment to oneself and one’s vision that you all embodied—an invaluable mirror! You all reminded me that everything has a solution and anything is possible—mantras I’ve always carried but which took on special resonance as I witnessed you all bringing them to life through your ventures! ?? The 3-day event was also a great opportunity to connect with partners I have only met online, such as Leo Ochoa—it was great to finally meet you in person and learn more about your work and own venture! I was also struck by the scale of this year’s Pitch Latino, held at OMSI to a sold-out audience—it’s incredible to see such strong support for Latinx entrepreneurs! Special shoutout to this year’s winner, Diana Lainez and her venture, Ocata ?? The range of products and services presented by Latinx founders was remarkable, spanning digital media, heritage products, cultural foods, B2B SaaS, clean tech, and more. We are changing the landscape of culture and the economy! ???????? A special thanks to Juan Barraza, Edgar Navas, Gabriel Flores, and the wider Latino Founders team for creating this special, invaluable space that fosters authentic connection and support while uplifting Latinx innovation and strengthening the Portland economy! ?? Thank you, Sada Naegelin and the Facilitate Insight team, for holding space so well and guiding deep connections and conversations during the Zócalo event—the group buzzed about the discussions and activities for days afterwards! A big thanks to the Latino Founder supporters, partners, and sponsors who made this possible, including U.S. Bank, Delta Air Lines, Continuous Solutions, Senator Ron Wyden—among many others! I’m excited to see the incredible growth and impact ahead for the Latino Founders community, the Portland ecosystem, and beyond! ????

Pitch Latino took over the OMSI Empirical Theater on Oct. 10 where 11 founders pitched their companies to a sold-out audience. The event, which has become an annual celebration, organized by Latino Founders Thank you Malia Spencer and Portland Business Journal for highlighting our journey ??

I’m loving all the good energy for Pitch Latino! Way to go, Juan Barraza and the team at Latino Founders, for celebrating the innovative and entrepreneurial spirit of Latinos! Bravo! ??

Business Oregon staff had a great time attending the Latino Founders Accelerator Showcase where Senator Ron Wyden spoke about the importance of supporting Latino entrepreneurs in our state. This event kicked off three days of events for Latino Founders by offering an open house for attendees to tour their new space and showcasing the 32 companies in the second cohort of the Latino Founders Accelerator. With the accelerator, the group wants to support entrepreneurs to achieve $1 million in annual recurring revenue within five years through continuous mentoring and access to resources. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gXJa3gMb

Last week at the Pitch Latino 2024 edition a Salvadoran-inspired creamy sauce company called Ocata captivated the audience, winning the grand prize! Ocata won the top award, a $8,000 grant, at the competition held at OMSI, which featured eleven founders pitching products ranging from sustainable, low-waste products to Climate Tech platforms and Media and microseries enterprises. Ocata’s unique creamy sauces, which blend Salvadoran flavors with modern branding, stood out. Founder Diana Lainez said she aims to use the prize money to continue product development in preparation for an initial product launch in 2025. The event saw over 272 votes cast, with the audience selecting the winner. All participants received $2,000 grants, and the prize funds came from a combination of sponsorships and ticket sales. Read more about the event here:https://buff.ly/3NnyQ4n

And the winner of Pitch Latino 2024 is! Diana Lainez, founder of Ocata, took home the top prize at this year's event with her Salvadoran-inspired creamy sauce brand. Held at OMSI, the competition featured 11 dynamic founders presenting a diverse range of businesses, from sustainable goods to climate tech. Lainez's Ocata, blending traditional Salvadoran flavors with modern branding, captivated the audience and earned her the $8,000 grand prize, which she plans to use for product development in preparation for a 2025 launch. “Our products allow us to tell a story about flavor, culture, and heritage,” Lainez shared with the crowd. https://lnkd.in/gmc7zASG

Pitch Latino 2024 edition is tomorrow! For this year’s edition we will have 11 people pitching their ideas to a live audience. We will also have space for presenting and interacting with some of the products and services. Additionally there will be plenty of time for networking and connecting with participants and other attendants. Date is tomorrow (October 10th) Venue is at MSI 1945 Southeast Water Avenue Portland, OR 97214 Registration opens at 5:30pm Pitches start at 6:00pm Tickets can be purchased here https://buff.ly/3XJJQO4 See you all tomorrow!!