Latino Founders
Above: Diana Lainez, founder of Ocata — a Salvadoran-inspired creamy sauce company — poses with her large check after winning Pitch Latino 2024.
Latino Founders is a culturally specific Oregon-based nonprofit organization launched in 2023 to address a persistent gap in the entrepreneurial landscape: the lack of representation, resources, and support for Latino entrepreneurs in the Pacific Northwest. In a state where Latino-owned businesses have grown by 144% over the last decade — more than four times the national average — it is clear that the entrepreneurial spirit is alive and thriving. What’s missing is the infrastructure to help these businesses scale.
Their vision is simple yet ambitious: help 100 Latino-led startups reach $1 million in annual recurring revenue within five years. This milestone isn’t just about business success. It’s about creating generational wealth, developing high-wage employment, and catalyzing growth and innovation into Oregon’s broader economic engine.
Building a Pipeline for Growth
At the heart of this effort is the Latino Founders Accelerator, which provides entrepreneurs with an avenue for product scaling and business model education. The 2024 program had an innovative cohort of 32 national startups working in several dynamic industries. The 10-week program connects entrepreneurs to training, mentorship, business-community resources, and prototyping — and culminates in a showcase event.
“The spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship is equally spread across our region; the opportunity is not, and we are looking to support entrepreneurs in scaling and accelerating their ventures across any sector,” says Executive Director Juan Barraza.
Pitch Latino: Where Community and Innovation Collide
The accelerator culminates in Pitch Latino, a high-energy event where entrepreneurs take the stage to present their businesses to the public and compete for funding. Equal parts competition and celebration, the event gives participants exposure to capital providers, customers, and collaborators. It also inspires the next generation of entrepreneurs, offering aspiring founders a glimpse into what’s possible when talent and opportunity meet.
What began in Portland is quickly growing into a statewide movement. In the coming year, Pitch Latino will expand to other Oregon regions, showcasing the incredible diversity and ingenuity of Latino entrepreneurs statewide.
The businesses highlighted through the accelerator reflect the richness of this entrepreneurial community: ergonomic tech devices for firefighters and construction workers, sustainable sneakers made from recyclable materials, and electric propulsion systems for marine vessels.
The journey to scale 100 Latino-led businesses to $1 million in annual revenue is already underway. As Latino Founders expands across the state and more founders step into the spotlight, they are looking to collaborate with organizations across the state to support a more resilient entrepreneurial ecosystem.
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