LFF Special Edition 🎊 HHM Recap

Hola Familia

Welcome to our special newsletter recapping the end of the remarkable journey that was Hispanic Heritage Month this year. Three years ago, we never envisioned creating a community-first organization that would reach such heights, but with the tremendous support and commitment from our community, we achieved extraordinary results. This year, we celebrated under the LaFamilia Foundation (LFF) umbrella, uniting VCFamilia and FounderFamilia, now the largest organizations representing Latines in the venture and startup ecosystem. Our "Elevar" themed HHM celebration, attended by over 600 individuals, soared to new heights with the invaluable contributions of new members, partners, and emerging powerhouses. Read the full article here!

đź’˘Major Updates

đź“śOur Reglas: Community Code of Conduct

At LaFamilia, we firmly believe in cultivating a culture of respect and integrity, which is integral to creating a safe and thriving community. As a reflection of this commitment, we request that every member of our community revisit the VCF & FF code of conduct outlined in your onboarding guides from when you were accepted into LaFamilia. We place great emphasis on each community member contributing to fortify and nurture our connections, working collaboratively to establish a respectful and enriching environment for all.

Not a member yet? Learn more about our community here:

🏆Community Wins & News

The VCF Pitch Competition🎉

Congratulations Keep Company!

We held our 3rd Annual Latine Pitch Competition just a couple weeks ago. We had 100+ applications and an incredible team of reviewers made of VCFamilia member volunteers.

Our stellar panel of judges: Jeremy Liew, Lauren Kolodny, and Rachel ten Brink watched our 8 finalists pitch live as VCFamilia board member Renata Aráuz-DeStefano and FounderFamilia co-founder Renée Rosillo moderated the event.

While the judges were so impressed by all the finalists who pitched (to the extent they even asked if founders had been prepped ahead of timeđź‘€), there was one winner.

The big reveal was announced by none other than ✳️Roberto Peñacastro Ortega, CEO and co-founder of Leadsales and winner of last year's pitch competition.

The winner of this year's VCFamilia $25,000 Pitch Competition is Keep Company! 💥 🏆

Congratulations to the whole Keep Company team and Claudia Naim-Burt, Co-Founder and COO of Keep Company, who did a phenomenal job pitching!

Keep Company caught the attention of our judges thanks to their rock-star team, lived experience, clarity of thinking, and business model that addresses some of the core needs of our time: caregiving and loneliness.

Keep Company partners with organizations to give their moms, dads, and caregivers the tools to integrate the care of themselves, their families, and their work through group coaching. Their certified coaches lead groups of similarly situated parents and caregivers through a 12-week program and a year of dedicated support. These groups act as personal Boards, providing connection, inspiration, and accountability. Rooted in the science of behavior change, their curriculum gives members the tools to find fulfillment across all the dimensions of their lives.

An enormous thank you to our partners: Comcast NBCUniversal LIFT Labs and the Techstars Foundation

A huge round of applause to all the finalists that pitched đź‘Źđź‘Ź:

đź“˝Eventos Recap

Los Angeles HHM Event @ Loreto 10/05

LaFamilia, in partnership with Comcast Lift Labs and J.P. Morgan, hosted our HHM event in Los Angeles at Loreto, a trendy new restaurant in downtown LA. It's difficult to determine what stole the show that evening – the company or the food... Everyone in attendance will remember the crispy rice tuna appetizer making its rounds, you just had to be there!

Amidst the lively exchanges and new connections, our sponsors delivered heartfelt speeches about their collaboration with LaFamilia and their support for the Latine investor and founder ecosystem. The event emphasized the importance of these partnerships and the promising future ahead for our community.

A special thanks to our hosts Andres Izquieta & Carolina G. as well as the the Lift Labs Team: Isaiah Marcus Jenkins and the J.P. Morgan Team: Macielle Osterling, Ricardo M. Mexia, and Vanessa Torres for all their support! đź’›

Mexico City HHM Event @ Botanico 10/10

Our Mexico familia made a significant impact at the HHM event held at Botanico in Condesa. The feedback we've received confirms that it was a fantastic gathering of humble yet accomplished individuals who came together, and the networking opportunities were truly unparalleled compared to other events. We could not be more thrilled with the turnout and are looking forward to growing this ecosystem.

None of this would’ve been possible without our LaFamilia hosts Andrea Paz Araneda Gutiérrez, Carlos Torres de la Cuba, and Marinella Piñate- a special thanks to them as well as the Talipot Team: Victoria Angulo for all their support! 💛

San Francisco HHM Event @ LinkedIn 10/11

Our final event in SF was incredible and the location even more so. Our grand finale was grand indeed as our largest hub of founders and investors flooded LinkedIn’s lobby and rode the elevator up to the 17th floor- the famous LinkedIn rooftop!

To end our 3rd annual HHM celebration in the city where it all started was truly special, as it was a direct reflection of just how far we’ve come and how much this community has grown. We are now a community of over 800 members, but it all started with a small group of people looking for a place to call home. Because after all, home isn’t a place but the people who make it what it is.

Thank you familia.

A special thanks to our hosts Af Hernandez, Alex Ruiz, Carlos Castellanos, CFA, Cheryl Campos, and Renée Rosillo.

We would also like to thank the LinkedIn Team: Miguel Damato Vasquez & Yesenia Morales Siu as well as our partners for all their supportđź’›:

🎟Upcoming Eventos

LaFamilia Miami Breakfast & Coworking Day at Endeavor, Brought by Cooley

​​​​Join LaFamilia for a day of building, coworking, and sharing ideas at the Endeavor Miami offices with some of their later-stage founders to kick off the Culture Shifting Summit in Miami!!

​Cooley will be hosting a breakfast and programming session in the morning. Later in the day, the Endeavor team will be sharing a special presentation on an incredible study they've just completed regarding the Miami founder/investor ecosystem.

  • ​​🏙 Where: Wynwood (We will send location details to approved guests)

  • ​​📆 Date: Wednesday, November 15th

  • ⏰ Time: from 9:00am - 3:00pm PT

  • ​​🙎‍♂️🙎‍♀️ Hosts: Valerie Lopez & Juan Manuel Barrero (FF)

LaFamilia Boston Breakfast, presented by Fidelity for Startups

​Please join LaFamilia (VCFamilia + FounderFamilia) for an intimate breakfast gathering in Boston to elevate the local ecosystem of founders and VCs!

  • ​📍 Location: Boston (Details on exact location will be revealed upon approval)

  • ​​📅 Date: Thursday, November 16th

  • ​​⏰ Time: 9:00am - 10:30am ET

  • ​​👋 This event is Co-hosted by VCF member Ignacio Castro of 128vc and Kristen Craft of Fidelity for Startups.

​In the spirit of building community, you are encouraged to extend this invitation with your networks!

See you next week founders!