Hey team! What a couple of weeks it’s been! We launched our new HQ, celebrated Alejandro’s pitch competition win, watched Manuel move 20,000 pounds of frijoles like a legend, and welcomed some awesome new teammates. Everything is finally coming together—huge congrats! On that note, here’s a fantastic opportunity. Even if you think you’re not ready yet, go for it. The Brink SBDC is hosting a pitch competition, and I strongly recommend you apply! 🚀 Founders: Applications are OPEN for the ACE Pitch Competition 2026! Compete for your share of $250,000 in Acceleration Grants, pitch in front of expert judges, and showcase your company at the Elevate 2026 Conference. If you're ready to scale, this is your moment. 🗓 Deadline: December 12 🔗 Apply here: https://conta.cc/3M3Ce7b Hosted by The Brink SBDC at USD and funded through CalOSBA’s Accelerate California program. Even if you’re not applying, come join us! Get a firsthand look at the pitch competition experience, soak in the energy, and maybe spark a little inspiration of your own. General Ticket Link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/elevate-2026-tickets-1748625107769

Good evening everyone I hope everyone is doing well. I have been M.I.A. these past few weeks. In truth I was out of the states the past month. I spent half of November in Durango Mexico harvesting my frijol, it was an amazing experience full of learning opportunities and hard work. I must of shoveled over 20,000 pounds of frijol, breathed in insane amounts of fine dirt, and acquired a sick sun tan it was a total experience. I am thankful for the production yield, estimates stayed true 1 ton per hectare, which is amazing considering we used zero fertilizer and zero pesticides. Also, frijol negro requires more water and one additional month of growing. Glad to be back and reincorporate myself to the Latino StartUP. I put together a one minute video of all the pictures and videos taken during our growing season 2025. We tried to capture the different stages of the growing season.

Bad news & some great news!

Join us this Tuesday from 6-9 PM PST at Cocinas Del Monte for our second Moneda® x The Latino Startup Business Bless Up! We’re introducing Moneda® , a Veteran Owned platform to accelerate our movement to help Latino Owned Businesses save money on transaction fees, unlock digital growth, and strengthen community support. Moneda® is bringing together Families, Small Businesses, and Community Builders to empower the backbone of our economy. This isn’t just an event — it’s a movement. A movement to lower costs, strengthen local businesses, and equip entrepreneurs with the tools they need to win big. Make sure to Download Moneda®: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/moneda-scan-and-pay/id1582605685 Here is your opportunity to support America’s Small Businesses by Voting with your Wallets!

Good morning, everyone! We have a few important updates to keep on your radar. Our Pitch Party is scheduled for January 29th (date subject to change), which gives us roughly 10 weeks to prepare. As we begin working toward building our Pitch Decks, remember that everything starts with a strong Problem Statement. Over the next little while, we’ll be revisiting some key steps to help you refine, clarify, and confidently present the inspiration behind what you’re building on these slides -- No pressure 😎. 👉 Please submit your Problem Statement in the comments below. This will give everyone the opportunity to provide constructive, honest feedback and also help us all learn more about the ideas our peers have been developing. It’s a great way to support each other as we move toward Pitch Day. On another exciting note, the TLS Christmas Party is officially set for December 14th! This will be a wonderful opportunity for those who haven’t been able to make previous events to finally meet in person. We still need to decide on a location for this event, but we already have a few options in mind. We’ll be discussing these over the next couple of weeks. For those who have recently joined our community—WELCOME! We’re excited to have you here. Please take some time to get familiar with the SKOOL platform. Many of us didn’t realize at first that there’s a built-in calendar where you can add community events directly to your personal schedule. In there you will find we have phenomenal speakers coming in to provide powerful insights. Looking forward to seeing your Problem Statements—and to celebrating together soon! 🎉