We're really excited to bring Inicio onto our Cap Table! Jacob (Jake) Lefker, MBA and Jorge M. Calderon have been wonderful advisors and partners since we won a Campus Fund grant from Inicio last year, so we're really excited to be working even closer moving forward! For those unfamiliar, Inicio is an impact investing platform that provides resources to startups that benefit the Latinx/e community and manages programs that grow the Latinx/e startup ecosystem. As part of Hispanics in Philanthropy, Inicio leverages the broader startup economy to overcome the systemic challenges that have often disproportionately impacted Latinx/e founders. In their funding capacity, Inicio has invested in 19 startups, >60% founded by Latinas, across the US in a variety of sectors including healthcare, education, financial services, CPG and hardware. Using a founder advocacy mindset, Inicio actively celebrates, champions, and supports the ongoing development of their portfolio’s Latinx/e startup leaders. #socialimpact #lastmileconnectivity #socialentrepreneurship #impactinvesting
Inicio is pleased to announce our investment in Los Angeles based Beamlink. Co-founded by Mateo Abascal (Cuban heritage) and Arpad Kovesdy, Beamlink makes the BentoCell, a lunchbox-sized cell tower that brings wireless connectivity to low-income and rural communities around the world. We are excited about Beamlink's potential to fill the accessibility gap where traditional cell towers are historically cost prohibitive to build and manage. In these typically under-resourced communities, a successful Beamlink opens up opportunities for improvements in disaster relief, education, healthcare, job creation, and more. We are grateful to partner with founders like Mateo and Arpad who are inspired and shaped by lived experiences that provide them a unique perspective on the challenges their startup’s are addressing. Join us in supporting this high purpose venture as they ramp up Bentocell production and distribution in 2024. #fundlatinxfounders Jorge M. Calderon Monica Martens Jacob (Jake) Lefker, MBA Hispanics in Philanthropy
