Tech:NYC ✈️ Puerto Rico: 2024 SOMOS Recap

Last week, the Tech:NYC team, alongside a dynamic group of startup founders and leaders from our member network, attended the annual SOMOS conference in Puerto Rico. This year’s trip once again gave us an invaluable opportunity to connect with New York’s business, government, and advocacy communities as well as partners from Puerto Rico, all working toward expanding opportunities for Latino communities in New York and beyond.

About SOMOS

SOMOS is a unique gathering of New York’s civic, business, and government leaders, presented by the New York State Assembly and Senate Puerto Rican & Hispanic Task Force. It’s more than just a conference — it’s a collaborative forum where New York’s elected officials and advocates and local organizations work closely to make a tangible impact on issues affecting both New York and Puerto Rico’s tech ecosystems.

Spotlight on Latino Founders

At the heart of our conference experience is always our founder panel, which this year we organized in collaboration with Assemblymember Yudelka Tapia, NYC Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), and Google for Startups. The panel brought together Latino founders from Google’s Latino Founders Fund, who shared insights on building thriving startups, navigating the ecosystem, and confronting the persistent gaps in funding that Latino founders continue to face. 

Panelists included:

• Yamillet Payano & Nikolas Kelly, co-founders of Sign-Speak – An AI solution that empowers deaf and hard of hearing individuals to interact freely.

• Stephanie Grayson, co-founder and CEO of Cambio AI – A product focused on decarbonizing commercial real estate.

• Samantha Rodriguez, U.S. Lead, VC Partnerships, Google Cloud

• Hector Jirau, Executive Director, Parallel 18

Moderated by NYCEDC’s Jennifer Montalvo, the discussion highlighted the importance of networks, mentorship, and the need for more Latinos in startup roles. 

Key takeaways included:

• Bridging the funding gap remains critical for Latino founders, who face significant disparities in access to capital. Black and Latinx workers make up more than 20% of NYC's tech workforce, but according to NYCEDC, in 2023, Black and Latinx-founded companies in the city each received just 2.9% of VC funding in New York.

• Creating more equitable pathways to funding and investment can empower Latino entrepreneurs to scale their businesses and fully contribute to the innovation economy.

• Building a diverse workforce leads to a stronger founder pipeline: Ensuring that Latinos have opportunities in tech roles helps cultivate a community of potential founders. 

• Inclusive hiring and development practices can directly address the lack of Latino representation at the leadership level.

• Access to mentorship and professional networks plays a pivotal role in a founder’s journey. 

• Expanding access to these resources can close the knowledge and connection gaps, equipping Latino entrepreneurs with the tools and support to navigate challenges and achieve sustained growth.

A huge thank you to our panel’s moderator, Jennifer Montalvo, and to our session sponsor, Assemblymember Yudelka Tapia.

Connecting Ecosystems: Tech ’Tinis

Photos credit: David Vassel

This year’s trip also included our annual Tech ’Tinis happy hour — *the* tech cocktail party at SOMOS — hosted by Tech:NYC and several of our member companies. It provided a fantastic space for elected officials and tech leaders from both New York and Puerto Rico to connect, share ideas, and build cross-ecosystem partnerships.

👀 Spotted at the party: Council Members Gale Brewer, Rita Joseph, Keith Powers, Erik Bottcher, Mercedes Narcisse, Susan Zhuang, Chris Banks, and Farah Louis, Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine, Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, Assemblymembers Steven Raga and Micah Lasher, NYC Comptroller Brad Lander, Second Lady Lacey Schwartz Delgado and the teams from Parallel 18, InvestPR, and Deca PR.

We’re especially grateful to our sponsors Airbnb, Amazon, DailyPay, DoorDash, Google, Lyft, and Salesforce for making this event a success.

Strengthening Partnerships Across Puerto Rico

Throughout the conference, we engaged in productive discussions with a range of elected officials and advocates from across New York. With topics ranging from workforce development and tech training to AI ethics, these discussions helped reinforce our commitment to policies and partnerships that will help Latino founders thrive.

With another year of SOMOS in the books, we’re already looking forward to building on these connections. Until #SOMOS2025!