Hola familia,

We hope you’re taking some time to recalibrate amidst all the chaos of the past week. On our end, we’ve been busy advocating for the Latine community and making sure our voices are heard. The venture ecosystem’s systemic risk is the historic lack of diversity (including diversity of thought) that was brought to the forefront through this crisis.

Hear more from our CEO & Co-Founder, Cheryl Campos, on Bloomberg Technology Monday 👇 or read the full story on LinkedIn.

SVB has been an incredible partner to us and other mission-aligned organizations that are creating meaningful change in the venture ecosystem. Their loss will have real consequences especially in terms of access to capital and resources for diverse founders and fund managers.

VCFamilia, FounderFamilia and our sister organizations (All Raise, BLCK VC and Gold House) are committed to supporting our communities through this difficult time.

As we gear up for what’s ahead, join us for a Town Hall on March 17, 2023 at 1:30pm PT- RSVP here. We will discuss how founders and investors can prepare for the future and share our thoughts on collaborating to create an improved ecosystem.

Now more than ever, we need your support. If you are interested in partnering with us as we continue to provide opportunities to the Latine community, please reach out to [email protected]. You can also donate directly here.

Support at SXSW & Cafecito in CDMX ❤️ 

Despite the circumstances, our familia showed up in full strength at SXSW with 300 RSVPs at our Midday Mixer led by Elisa Sepulveda and Alonso Mujica. We moved mountains to create space for our community to support each other, share their feelings and navigate the crisis together. Grateful to our partners Mercury and Republic for making the event possible! ❤️

By popular demand, we hosted our very first event in CDMX with 38 attendees!  🎉 It’s so exciting to see the momentum and potential to continue expanding the impact of VCFamilia & FounderFamilia across the world. Shoutout to our VCFamilia host Susana Espinosa de los Reyes and FounderFamilia hosts Vanessa Karel and Marinella Piñate for organizing.

Check out this Tiktok video from our SXSW partner event on building wealth and wellness for diverse founders with Visible Hands! 👇

📣 Spread the Word

Join the AWS impact Accelerator Latino Founders cohort - Deadline is March 17th, 2023 🗓

Applications for the #AWSImpactAccelerator for Latino founders are now open!

AWS Impact Accelerator supports Black, Latino, Women, and LGBTQIA+ founders with equitable access to training, mentorship, and resources. 20 tech founders will be selected to develop their ventures alongside AWS technology experts, investors, and partners. Selected startups receive $125,000 cash grant and $100,000 in AWS credits*— all at zero cost and for zero equity.

*Startups must also qualify for AWS Activate

Learn more here and apply by March 17th, 2023.

Comcast NBCUniversal LIFT Labs Accelerator: Generative AI

Since LIFT Labs launched its first accelerator in 2018, 54 portfolio companies have raised more than $136 million in venture capital. More than 80% have landed a proof of concept, pilot or commercial deal with Comcast NBCUniversal — including 100% of the companies in the 2022 accelerator. Apply for the six-week, equity-free program by April 9th here!

VC University Scholarship

Cohort 13 of VC University, the virtual certificate course created by Venture Forward, NVCA, and Startup@BerkeleyLaw, begins this June. Venture Forward is offering a limited number of scholarships to aspiring and early-career VCs from underrepresented backgrounds. The scholarship covers course tuition, includes dedicated office hours, and a curated three-month mentorship component. Apply by Friday, March 24 for consideration.

👩🏾‍💻5 VC Opportunities

• VC Fellowship, Fusion Fund

• Senior VC Analyst, Flourish Ventures

• Associate (Built World), Touchdown Ventures

• Investment Associate (Infra), Bain Capital Ventures

• VC Associate, National Geographic

• VC Principal, Accelerate

Member Spotlight:

• Octavio Sandoval, Director of Investments at Illumen Capital and VCFamilia member wrote for Nasdaq about the challenges for underrepresented groups during economic uncertainty. Read his thoughts here.

• For Women's History Month we're spotlighting members who showcase the resilience of being Latina! This week, we’re highlighting Ashley Aydin, who is a powerhouse investor at VamosVentures. Follow us on Twitter and Linkedin for more Latinas to support!

Partner Spotlight: AWS

None of the work we do would be possible without our incredible sponsors. In this edition, we want to give a special shoutout to AWS - mil gracias for supporting our growing community.