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- đ From Cafecitos to $1M Pitches
đ From Cafecitos to $1M Pitches
From free access to a premier investment conference to legal insights for startups and major community milestonesâdonât miss our must-read updates!
Hola Familia!
Every two weeks, we connect youâalongside 3,500+ subscribers and 16,800+ social media followersâto the latest inside scoop on the Latine venture scene.
Follow us on LinkedIn (VCFamilia + FounderFamilia + AngelFamilia) and Instagram. Join our Whatsapp community, which we wonât put the link because bots, but reply to this email with the subject line [WHATSAPP].
Major Updates
When to Hire a Lawyer - MoFo x LaFamilia Service Series E1
Many founders perceive legal support as inaccessible or only necessary in times of crisis. And believe us, legal missteps at the early stages can be costly but good counsel shouldnât be. Thatâs why weâre teaming up with Morrison Foerster on a tactical series designed to bridge the gap between startups and legal services đ
This initiative aims to demystify legal processes, establish trust, and integrate legal strategy into early-stage decision-making. The next monthâs newsletters will feature early insights into legal best practices, risk mitigation, and long-term planning. Youâll also get the chance to form relationships with MoFoâs experienced legal advisors đđ˝
If youâve read this far, the first episode above probably applies. So letâs get started before the beginning: When to Hire a Lawyer (& How to Be a Good Legal Client).
Founders! Apply to Stronger Together Groups by April 4th
The founder journey isnât just about expanding your networkâitâs 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 systemâensuring youâre not just meeting the right people, but building a community that helps you thrive. We tried a pilot back in 2023 to resounding success, so we finally have the funding to run it at scale!
How It Works:
đĽ Founder Trust Circles: Small, curated peer groups designed for deep connection, mutual support, and candid conversations.
đ¤ Storytelling & Investor Alignment Workshops: Learn how to pitch not just your company, but your vision, values, and impact.
đ¤ Warm Introductions that Matter: Get connected to investors and mentors who align with your stage and sector.
đ Founder-to-Founder Support & Accountability: A space where you can be real about the challenges and winsâwithout judgment.
APPLY HERE to join one of the Stronger Together Groups - letâs turn trust into traction!
Celebrating Familia Winsđ
2024 saw a 14% increase in funding to Black & Latino founders â despite the market climate! Read more in Harlem Capitalâs report to help spread the success of diverse founders.
Our Austin chapter leads, Eddy HernĂĄndez and Alonso Mujica, brought LaFamilia to SXSW '25 in the chapterâs inaugural event. It was a night that brought together founders, investors, and operators in a space where real conversations happened. Shoutout to FounderFamilia Steering Committee Lead AJ DeLeĂłn as well for his support!
Thank you to all of our SF Familia who have already donated in our kick-off month! Keep reading on for more SF-related programming we have upcoming!
FounderFamilia member Babba Canales Rivera made the latest cover of Inc. Magazine's Female Founders issue.
AlleyCorp is holding 5 spots for VCs within our Familia community that would like to attend its PEERLESS April 3rd event. 5 finalists will compete for a $1M investment (and 2 of the finalists are FounderFamilia members!). If youâre a VC, please apply to join!

Muchas gracias to SEO, who generously provided 5 free tickets ($1,000 value each) to its 16th Annual Alternative Investment Conference (AICON) in NYC on March 13th. Another huge thank you to all applicants and attendees of the conference.
The Responsible AI Committee (AI LA) is looking for an LA-based founder to be a guest panelist and discuss the intersection of responsible AI fundraising, tech startups, and what tech investors are looking for from startups. More information on the panel can be found here. Reply to this email if youâre available and interested!
đď¸ Eventos!
FYI â as weâre getting bigger as a community, we will prioritize event entry to members that have been active in building community. This includes being active in the Slack/Whatsapp, volunteering as a city lead/supporter, becoming a mentor for our VCFamilia fellowship (see below) etc. We can only continue to provide free resources if we have the community support along the way. La uniĂłn hace la fuerza!
San Francisco:
Our SanFran chapter is kicking off this month! RSVP are now open for the Rise Together: LaFamilia x Finix community event on March 25th.
Come by our cafecito with Latinx MBA immediately before the LBAN State of Latino Entrepreneurship event (3/27). After, weâll head directly over to LBAN's open networking event that officially kicks off the State of Latino Entrepreneurship event at Stanford!
Our VCFamilia LP/GP dinners are BACK! First one is in SF (3/26) in partnership with LBAN. âThese curated gatherings provide an excellent opportunity to connect with decision-makers from leading investment firms.
Los Angeles:
AngelFamilia is proud to be linking up with Latina Squad, the LA network for Latina executives in TV / Film! Weâre partnering on their monthly meet up dinner to host an intimate conversation on angel investing and personal finance on April 17. Reply to this email if youâd like to attend, and apply to AngelFamilia if youâre interested in more of these intimate dinners!
Our second signature LP/GP Dinner is in LA (4/22) in partnership with Bank of America! Raul Anaya, President of Business Banking, will be in attendance.
Make sure to subscribe to LaFamilia Monthly Calendar to stay up to date with not just our latest events and programming, but also opportunities to engage with the broader comunidad!
Now a word from our newsletter sponsor (Feel free to support LaFam by clicking and checking it out. Weâre' not saying this ad will change your life, but your future self might send you a thank you note. Just saying. đ)
This Smart Home Company Grew 200% Year-Over-YearâŚ
Ring and Nest transformed security and climate controlânow RYSE is doing the same for window shades.
With $10M+ in revenue, 127 Best Buy locations, and expansion into Home Depot in 2025, RYSE is positioned to dominate the smart shade market. Their patented retrofit technology makes automation easyâno costly replacements needed.
The smart home market is booming, and RYSEâs public offering is live at $1.90/share. Invest now before their next phase of growth.
Past performance is not indicative of future results. Email may contain forward-looking statements. See US Offering for details. Informational purposes only.
Meet the Co-Founder - Carolyn TreviĂąo Jenkins đ˛đ˝
Carolyn TreviĂąo Jenkins is a Latina tech executive, serial entrepreneur, and cancer survivor with over 25 years of leadership experience. She has co-founded and exited multiple technology companies, earned national and international recognition for her work, and served on corporate and nonprofit boards.
Just 60 days into a new CEO role, she was diagnosed with cancer. She had already been a caregiver for loved ones, but now she was facing the same broken system herselfâa system filled with financial, logistical, and emotional barriers.
Weâve all walked this journey, and we are building what we neededâand still need.
Determined to create change, she co-founded We Are Here, an AI-powered platform that connects cancer patients to financial assistance, treatment access, and clinical trials, ensuring they get the support they need when they need it.
About We Are Here
We Are Here provides AI-powered cancer navigation, ensuring patients receive the financial, logistical, and emotional support they need to access care.
We Are Here joins the prestigious CancerX Accelerator Cohort 2025âone of only 14 companies chosen globally!
Signed their first Letter of Intent (LOI) with a healthcare organization to integrate its AI-powered patient support platform.
Lesson learned: Hiring for a startup requires careful screening. Some people are passionate about the mission but are not suited for the stress and risk-taking required in an early-stage company.
Community Ask - Partners and supporters to help them scale their mission:
We Are Here is raising its current seed funding round and seeking aligned investors. (Reach out: [email protected]).
Seeking a lead investor to anchor the round, with a third already soft-circled.
Exploring strategic partnerships with hospital systems and pharmaceutical companies to improve patient adherence and expand access to care.
(Massive shoutout to LaFam team member Kim Hernandez for ideating and interviewing for this new section. You can show her some love too!)
Funding & Resources for Early-Stage Founders and VCs đŤ°đ˝
The VCFamilia Fellowship is the sole one tailored for early-career Latine VCs. Apply before 3/13 to be considered for a fellow or mentor position.
LBANâs Business Scaling Program and Startup Accelerator at Stanford | programs designed for Latino founders and supporters to establish crucial business principles, accelerating growth and traction - apply here!
Apply now for a $100K investment + accelerator admission or a $250K investment with Forum Venturesâ AI Venture Studio.
Latitud Fellowship: $25k to start your company in LatAm. Apply here.
AWS, NVIDIA, and Microsoft for Startups: 3 programs to join - learn more here from our FounderFamilia member Santiago Carvajal.
Givepact just launched an API that you can integrate into your products to increase sales, retention and reputation.
We (LaFamâs Kim Hernandez) found a full list of funding opportunities here.
Open Positions in VC & Startups đź
VamosVentures is hiring Scouts! (Remote)
Danone Ventures is hiring a Junior Ventures Analyst! (NYC)
Portal Innovations is hiring Venture Fellows! (Remote)
MongoDB Ventures is hiring a Ventures Analyst! (NYC)
Primary Venture Partners is hiring a Senior Associate, Healthtech! (NYC)
25madison is hiring a Health Analyst! (NYC or Nashville)
25madison is hiring a Health Associate! (NYC or Nashville)
MetaProp is hiring a Summer MBA Associate! (NYC)
Radical Ventures is hiring a Community Manager! (San Francisco)
Zinc is hiring a Portfolio Fundraising Lead! (London)
Distributed Ventures is hiring a Principal! (Chicago)
Distributed Ventures is hiring an Associate! (Chicago)
NextLegacy Partners is hiring their new Investment Analyst (SF)
Bessemer Venture Partners is hiring a 2026 Summer Analyst! (NYC)
SignalFire is hiring an Associate or Senior Associate! (SF)
Ada Ventures is hiring a Founderâs Associate! (London)
Quona Capital is hiring an Investment Associate! (Asia)
Geek Ventures is hiring a VC Analyst! (Europe, remote)
Fitch Ventures is hiring a Principal! (NYC)
Restive Ventures is hiring an Investment Associate! (SF)
Acumen is hiring a Summer VC Associate, Acumen America! (SF)
Foothill Ventures is hiring a Deep Tech Investment Intern! (Los Altos, CA)
Techstars is hiring a Managing Director in SpaceTech! (LA)
LDV Capital is hiring an Analyst! (NYC)
Village Global is hiring a FinOps Analyst! (CA)
Gold House Ventures is hiring an MBA Fellow! (Remote)
Trilogy Equity Partners is hiring a VC Analyst! (WA)
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