CHICAGO, IL –Dreamers Ventures leads its empowerment platform and multi-city tour, hosting a masterclass and reception featuring entrepreneurs, investors and experts in Chicago on June 11, 2018 in partnership with Accelerate with Google.
Dreamers Ventures Chicago is the second of a six-city tour taking place in 2018, across the U.S. and Latin America, encouraging Latino entrepreneurs to grow and achieve their business dreams. The interactive platform is designed to offer culturally relevant content and connections to strengthen America’s fastest growing entrepreneurial segments: minorities and primarily Hispanics. The event is FREE for attendees, by RSVP apply to attend here.
“At Google we are committed to empowering diverse communities and are excited to team up with Dreamers Ventures in Chicago,” says Lucy Pinto, Diversity Systems & Programs Design Manager at Google. “This platform supports our mission to accelerate the participation of all communities in the digital economy, providing success stories, resources, and programs that help them grow,” concludes Pinto.
According to the U.S. SBA, small businesses have created 66 percent of net new jobs since the 1970s, which is critical for the health of the economy. At the center of that growth are minority businesses representing 100 percent of all new firm creation according to the Minority Business Development Agency. There are over 300,000 minority-owned businesses in Illinois.
“As an immigrant and entrepreneur, I have experienced first-hand the challenges we face as business owners, which inspired me to create a way to democratize access to the resources and contacts we need to accelerate growth,” says Lili Gil Valletta, creator of the platform and co-founder and CEO of CIEN+ and CulturIntel. “If the segments driving new business growth are not achieving their full potential, everyone’s economy is handicapped,” highlights Gil Valletta.
Hosted by award-winning entrepreneur and CIEN+ founder Lili Gil Valletta, and co-hosted by Omar Duque, President & CEO, IHCC, the two-part interactive experience is designed to provide business knowledge and access connections for learning and growth. The expert’s panel host master entrepreneurs such as: 2017 ABA Woman in Legal Tech to Watch, and Co-founder and COO of Paladin, Kristen Sonday; CEO/Founder of Rozalado Services & RozaRoute Ricardo Regalado; President & CEO, AAR TECH, Arabel Alva Rosales, J.D.; Deputy Treasurer and Chief Investment Officer Illinois State Treasurer Michael W. Frerichs, Rodrigo García, CTP®, AIF®; Partner of Perpetua Partners, Steven Lucero; and Senior Vice President at 50 South Capital, Aaron Gillum.
To support its scale and impact, Dreamers Ventures has secured a group of advisors and supporters including Tony Lopez, CEO Azzure Group, Andy Unanue, Managing Partner at AUA Private Equity Partners, Monika Mantilla, CEO of Altura Capital and SBCC Fund, Jesse Martinez CEO of The Latino Startup Alliance, Manny Fernandez, CEO Dreamfunded/ Founder SJ Angels Group, James Perez Foster, Principal at Bainbridge Advisors, Mark Madrid Executive Director, Latino Business Action Network at Stanford University, among others.
To learn more, participate and/or sponsor this empowerment platform please visit: www.dreamersventures.com. You can also follow the hashtag #DreamersVentures for updates and follow us on twitter @DreamersVenture @Liligil and Facebook at www.facebook.com/DreamersVentures. To inquire about 2018 sponsorships please contact info@dreamersventures.com.
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About Dreamers Ventures
Dreamers Ventures is an empowerment platform and multi-city tour designed to provide minority entrepreneurs with access to knowledge, capital and opportunities to help turn their dreams into reality. The platform, created by award-winning entrepreneurs and CIEN+ founders Lili Gil Valletta and Enrique Arbelaez, leverages an alliance of experts, companies and advisors to offer culturally relevant online and offline experiences, learning events, content and access to networks throughout the U.S. and Latin America. Dreamers Ventures in uniquely positioned to offer educational and commercial opportunities to its participants, including scholarships to the Stanford Latino Entrepreneur Leaders Program and the opportunity to pitch and fast-track the launch of products airing on HSN’s American Dreams, where Gil Valletta appears as a guest host. For more information, visit www.DreamersVentures.com.
About Accelerate with Google
At Google, we’re developing innovative, internal “start-up” programs aimed at leveling the playing field for communities with unequal access to technology and economic opportunity. To accelerate their participation in the digital economy, Accelerate with Google provide success stories, resources, and free, open-to-the-public workshops on digital marketing with a curriculum focusing on the unique needs of Black and Latino entrepreneurs, developed with business owners from these communities. To date, we have held more than 300 events and reached tens of thousands of people worldwide through this program. For more information visit accelerate.withgoogle.com/
