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- T-25 Days Until Hispanic Heritage Month! 🪅 - ¡Levántate! by LaFamilia Foundation
T-25 Days Until Hispanic Heritage Month! 🪅 - ¡Levántate! by LaFamilia Foundation
Final days to apply to our Pitch Competition + exciting updates on HHM City Kickoffs and VCF Inaugural Awards! 👀
LaFamilia Newsletter
22 Aug • Estimated Reading Time: 12 minutes
👋 Hola Familia!
Welcome to the second edition of ¡Levántate! by LaFamilia, your bi-weekly dose of community buzz, where we serve up the freshest updates and insights with a side of Latine sass. Along with other 2,300+ subscribers and 13,000+ social media followers, get ready to learn about the world of Latine investors and founders, discover can't-miss events and golden networking opportunities, and meet the incredible people making waves in our vibrant community.
🚨 Major Updates 🚨
🚧 Instagram Under Construction
We’re extremely excited (and a bit scared) to introduce to you our new Instagram account! Follow us @LaFamilia.Foundation to stay connected with our community through Reels, get real-time updates through Stories, and see the faces of all our good-looking members. Follow our journey as we build and explore a vibrant platform to better reach all of you!
🌟 VCFamilia Rising Star Award Nominations
We're calling for nominations for our VCFamilia Rising Star Award! Do you know a rising star in the Latine VC community? Someone who embodies leadership, innovation, and a commitment to advancing our community? We want to hear from you! Submit your nominations and help us recognize the next generation of VC trailblazers at our inaugural VCFamilia Awards Reception. Read more about the event in our Event Hub section.
🗞️ Ecosystem Scoop 🗞️
📝 State of VC Workforce Biennial Report: VCFamilia is asking all active, U.S.-based VC firms to complete the 2024 VC Human Capital Survey, conducted by NVCA, Venture Forward, and Deloitte, by submitting their workforce demographics and talent management details by the September 27 deadline. If you're an LP or founder, please encourage your VC fund managers or investors to complete the survey. This biennial survey is a critical component for understanding the state of the VC workforce, talent management, and demographics of the industry. Learn more about the survey.
🇻🇪 Critical UN Report on Venezuela’s Presidential Election: UN experts have condemned Venezuela's recent presidential election for lacking "basic transparency and integrity." The opposition claims their candidate, Edmundo González, won by a large margin. Protests and criticism have led to over 2,400 detentions and at least 23 deaths. The UN demands an urgent investigation and calls for accountability in Venezuela's electoral process. Read more here and here.
💼 Tech Layoffs in 2024: The tech industry continues to face significant layoffs in 2024, with thousands of employees affected as companies navigate economic pressures and shifting market demands. According to Techqueria, while Latines make up just 5% of tech jobs, we represent a disproportionate 11% of these layoffs, highlighting the need for greater support and inclusivity in the industry. We’ve added a Tech Layoffs Tracker in our Resource Corner so we can all stay informed and support each other in navigating these challenging times.
💻 First-Ever Lima Tech Week: FounderFamilia member Alonso Mujica has just announced the official launch of Lima Tech Week 2024, an event that will transform Peru into a leader in innovation and technology in the region. This week-long event will bring together industry leaders, entrepreneurs, and global investors to explore business opportunities, AI trends, and how to propel startups with a global mindset from Peru to the world. See Alonso’s announcement!
🎟️ Event Hub 🎟️
🌟 Inaugural VCFamilia Awards Reception: We’re thrilled to invite you to this black-tie celebration of Latine excellence in venture capital with support from Pivotal Ventures. This dinner will take place during LA Tech Week, just as we wrap up Hispanic Heritage Month. Expect amazing food, stunning venue, dancing, and of course, our incredible community. Specifics below:
🗓️ October 14th at 6 PM
🤝 Consider becoming a sponsor! Contact our Partnerships Lead at [email protected].
💌 If ticket costs are a barrier, email us at [email protected], and we’ll do our best to accommodate.
🫶 Can’t make it? You can still support our mission by donating here.
Ticket prices will rise on August 25th, so get yours now!
🤑 $35K Pitch Competition and ¡DALE! Summit: The application deadline for our Annual National Pitch Competition is fast approaching! Don’t miss the chance to be one of the top 8 finalists who will pitch live at the ¡DALE! Summit for a shot at a $35K non-dilutive cash prize. And while you’re at it, grab your early bird tickets for the summit to ensure you’re there to witness all the action and connect with the best in the industry!
📖 Application Criteria:
At least one Latine founder
33% founder stock owned by Latine founders
Maximum $2.5M in capital raised
U.S. incorporated
🗓️ Deadline: August 28th at 11:59 PM PT
📍 ¡DALE! Summit: October 15th, Los Angeles
💃 Hispanic Heritage Month City Kickoffs and Theme: Hispanic Heritage Month is just around the corner, and we’re kicking things off in style with our City Kickoffs with the theme: “Gratitud: Celebrating the People that Support Us”! Learn more about why we chose this theme in our LinkedIn post and read our HHM 2023 and HHM 2022 recaps!
🗣️ Share Your Story at the L’ATTITUDE Conference: We have an exciting opportunity in partnership with LatinxMBA for one of you to speak at a L’ATTITUDE panel! They are looking for a Latine founder who has raised more than $1M in funding to join a panel called "Cultivating Authenticity: The Journey of Latinx Founders." This panel is a chance to share your journey of building and growing your business while staying true to who you are.
🗓️ September 12th
📩 DM our Community Lead, Pilar Zárate, on Slack if interested!
🔎 Familia Focus 🔍
👉 Seeking his next opportunity: FounderFamilia member Martin Sajon is looking for a new challenge to dive into! Thank you, Martin, for being vulnerable and open about sharing your journey of unwinding your startup. Read more about his experience here.
🎉 Speak_ Raises Investment Round with 100% Latine Investors: FounderFamilia member and CEO of Speak_ Andrea Guendelman announced that their most recent investment round was 100% subscribed by Latine investors! See her post here.
✅ Respiris Certified by SoCal Supplier Development Council: Respiris, founded by FounderFamilia member Angel Cruzado, is now officially certified as a National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) by the Southern California Minority Supplier Development Council (SCMSDC). This certification unlocks new opportunities to collaborate with top corporations, expand their reach, and continue making a positive impact on people’s lives and careers. Show Angel your support here!
📚 Resource Corner 📚
💼 Open Positions
Venture Fellow at Palm Ventures Studios (Austin, TX)
Investor at Offline Ventures (San Francisco, CA)
Investment Associate at Octopus Ventures (London, UK)
Investment Analyst at Interplay (Remote)
Intern at Azolla Ventures (Cambridge, MA)
Chief of Staff at South Park Commons (San Francisco, CA)