Latino entrepreneurs have the drive, but are blocked from accessing the tools to succeed

“When you say the word 'Latino,' what’s the synonym that comes to mind?”

Sol Trujillo asks this question, then pauses for a second. A brightness creeps into his voice as he simply states, “My answer is ‘entrepreneur.’”

Trujillo, a highly successful Latino businessman who helped develop the Stanford Latino Entrepreneurship Initiative (SLEI), is a passionate advocate for Latino owned businesses, seeing them as an opportunity of economic growth.

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What it’s like to be a Latino entrepreneur in Silicon Valley

SAN JOSE, Calif.—Alex Murillo leans forward in his seat, sipping coffee from a shot glass and waving his hands as he talks. He points to the screen of his MacBook Pro, explaining the genius behind Audive, the mobile application he is developing that allows users to record cover songs and mix tracks with music enthusiasts around the world.

“This is the secret sauce,” says Murillo, hitting a key on his computer that fills the air with the sound of a man singing in Italian. “You can bring in vocals from a guy in Italy or you can bring in the flamenco guitar from Spain.”

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Online Hangout Sept. 25 about new course for young entrepreneurs in Spanish

Young entrepreneurs have a new tool to help determine if they’re ready for business ownership and help them get started. Young Entrepreneurs: An Essential Guide to Starting Your Own Business (Jóvenes Emprendedores) is a free, self-paced online course in Spanish that gives an overview of basic business principles and introduces resources available from the U.S. Small Business Administration.

“This month, the SBA recognizes the vital contributions Hispanic American small business owners have made to our economy as we observe National Hispanic Heritage Month,” said Maria Contreras-Sweet, SBA administrator. “As a proud Hispanic-American, I believe that providing financial, educational and technical assistance to Hispanic entrepreneurs is a major means to create jobs and stimulate the economy. The new course is an essential business development tool for young entrepreneurs that can be central to the future success for many generations to come.”

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Latino Entrepreneurs Get Ready to Pitch Their Startup Ideas at Demo Day Event in Silicon Valley

Manos Accelerator, a startup accelerator program with the vision to be recognized as an international hub in Silicon Valley where Latino entrepreneurs from across the globe can come to convert their big ideas into reality, is having six startup teams from their 2014 Summer batch pitch their ideas at an upcoming Demo Day event on Wednesday, August 27th, at Yahoo headquarters.

“From week one to week twelve, it has been great to see the overall development and progression of our 2nd batch of startup companies,” said Edward Avila, Co-founder and CEO of Manos Accelerator. “Part of what we do here is not only to assist these early-stage startups with their solutions but to inspire Latino entrepreneurs and have them see what is possible and to think big about what they can go do. We are also thrilled to have Manos be embraced by top-tier high tech companies in Silicon Valley like Yahoo and Google.”

Manos Accelerator is a tech accelerator that has partnered with Google for Entrepreneurs since 2013. It provides mentoring, training and investment connections for startup companies. Their 12-week accelerator program selects Latino-led startups and then helps to develop them into marketable, functional companies that are then displayed at the program-concluding Demo Day.

"Manos is building a strong community in Silicon Valley that nurtures and enables Latino entrepreneurs," said Mary Grove, Director of Google for Entrepreneurs. "Google is passionate about helping build inclusive communities with diverse perspectives and we support Manos' mission of providing resources and mentorship to help more Latino entrepreneurs excel globally. The entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well in the Manos community."

These companies that have been selected and developed under Manos Accelerator’s program these last 12-weeks get ready to pitch their business solutions to a distinguished panel of judges on August 27th at Yahoo headquarters starting at 5:30 PM. Participating startups include Audive, CoupleCare, Cuestiona.me, FashionTEQ and saySquare. The event is a day of celebration that gives these startup teams the opportunity to promote their companies to a cross section of the Silicon Valley community that includes entrepreneurs, media, mentors and prospective investors. These presentations are a showcase of their business models and the great progress that have been made due to their participation in the Manos Accelerator program.
About Manos Accelerator, LLC 

Manos Accelerator creates a Latino ecosystem of entrepreneurs, mentors, industry experts, leaders and investors. Through a mentorship-driven program, it provides education, resources and guidance for promising startup companies led by Latinos. For more information, please visit http://www.manosaccelerator.com.

About Google for Entrepreneurs. 
Google for Entrepreneurs provides financial support and the best of Google's resources to dozens of coworking spaces and community programs across 125 countries. We also create Campuses: physical hubs where entrepreneurs can learn, connect, and build companies that will change the world. To learn more about Google for Entrepreneurs, visit google.com/entrepreneurs or follow us on G+ (+GoogleForEntrepreneurs) and Twitter (@GoogleForEntrep).