Trez, the first U.S. Latine payroll platform company, is reshaping the financial landscape for Latine businesses in America. Trez Recognized by notable institutions like Techstars, Forbes, Inc., and Stanford GSB, Trez provides specialized payroll, benefits, and financial services solutions. The platform is specifically designed to support the burgeoning Latine business community. Trez emerges at a crucial time when Latine-owned businesses, contributing $500 billion in annual sales and millions of jobs, are becoming vital in the U.S. economy. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Hispanics will constitute 78% of the new workforce entrants between 2020 and
10Pearls, a global, purpose-driven digital technology partner, is launching a “Women in Tech” program for Latin American women in Costa Rica on February 10th. Founded by brothers Imran and Zeeshan Aftab, 10Pearls partners with clients to imagine, design, build, and deliver innovative mobile and digital products. The company has a diverse clientele that includes Global 1000 enterprises and high-growth startups and has offices in the US, Costa Rice, Colombia, the UK, Pakistan, and Peru. Women in Tech Program The Women in Tech launch event in Costa Rice will consist of a series of
Black-owned tech accelerator Plug In Ventures has secured a new $1 million grant from the California Office of Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA). Plug In is the space for Black and Brown entrepreneurs and VCs to reimagine the innovation economy across the US and beyond. Founded by Derek Smith in 2014, the accelerator investing mentors and expands early-stage entrepreneurs. Since 2019, companies in his firm’s ecosystem have raised over $22 million in VC dollars from climate, sustainability, the creator economy, and athletic apparel. The Funding Plug In Ventures will receive $250,000 annually from CalOSBA over
Tech Nation has revealed the startups selected for the 2024 cohort of their Libra program, which aims to champion underrepresented founders. Based in the UK, Tech Nation is the leading growth platform for tech insights, connections, collaboration, and talent. It empowers ambitious founders and their teams with the access and knowledge they need from their seed stage to their end goal. Over the past decade, Tech Nation has engaged with over 5,000 businesses and accelerated 1,250 through 48 growth programs. The Libra Program Libra is the growth program for underrepresented tech founders
In 2023, the tech industry witnessed both advancements and persistent challenges concerning the experiences of Black and Brown individuals. Some companies are making strides in diversity and inclusion efforts, incorporating initiatives such as mentorship programs and targeted hiring practices. However, the sector has grappled with the complex intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) issues and ongoing legal battles against affirmative action. Concerns regarding biased algorithms and AI systems perpetuating discrimination have prompted discussions about the ethical use of technology in hiring and workplace practices. However, no matter how good or bad
The nation’s leading science and education organizations have partnered to launch the Action Collaborative on Transforming Trajectories for Women of Color in Tech, paving the pathway in tech education and careers. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine launched the action collaboratively alongside 35 other institutions representing higher education, national laboratories, and government. Action Collaborative The action collaborative is guided by the findings and recommendations from the 2022 consensus report Transforming Trajectories for Women of Color in Tech. Using an intersectional approach, the collaborative aims to transform the pathways in tech
SoftBank is selling its Open Opportunity Fund to its chairman and managing partner, Paul Judge, and Marcelo Claure, who is being appointed the fund’s vice chairman and general partner. The Open Opportunity Fund SoftBank Group is a Japanese multinational investment holding company focusing on investment management. It announced the launch of its second fund under the Opportunity Growth Fund this year, rebranded as the Open Opportunity Fund (OOF). Judge took the reins as chairman of the second fund. Claure, who initially launched OOF, previously served as SoftBank’s COO until 2022
New York-based fintech startup Comun is redefining the bank experience for Latine immigrant communities in the US and reimaging local banking for the digital world. Founded in 2021 by Andres Santos, CEO, and Abiel Gutierrez, CTO, both of whom experienced financial exclusion upon migrating to the US, Comun has secured $9 million in funding to date. Banking Disparities in the Latine Community The Latine population contributes a staggering $3.2 trillion to the US GDP. This makes it the world’s fifth-largest economy, more than the GDPs of India, the UK, and
Fuse Media has turned to AI dubbing for a Spanish-language version of its FAST channel Backstage. Fuse Media is a Latino-owned, global entertainment company, leading in the creation and distribution of inclusive, purpose-driven stories and experiences for and with culturally diverse young adults. Some of the shows have won awards such as the Peabody, Emmys, Critics Choice, and Candian Screen Awards as well as their diversity awards from NAACP, Imagen, GLAAD, the Gracies, and NAMIC. The Latino-owned platform has now teamed with UK-based AI dubbing company Papercup to launch Backstage
Online dating and networking app Bumble has announced it is replacing founder and CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd with Slack’s CEO, Lidiane Jones. Bumble was designed for women to make the first move, aiming to shift old-fashioned power dynamics and encourage equality in dating. Over the years, the company has also taken a more feminist and safety-oriented stance than its counterparts by enacting policies that crack down on ghosting and the sharing of unwanted sexual photos. Meet Lidiane Jones São Paulo-born Jones grew up in a small neighborhood in Brazil. According to
