1st Place

InternBytes: diversity internship platform (https://www.internbytes.com) InternBytes is a dedicated platform for minorities searching for internships, mentorship, and professional guidance. Hispanic students have the lowest participation rates in internships in the country, creating a disadvantage as completing internships increases the odds of employment by 50%. Observing this issue, InternBytes creates a supportive community of minority professionals, mentors, resources, and various opportunities. The platform has recently launched and has a growing community of users bringing insight and valuable advice to those searching for professional growth and development opportunities.

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2nd Place

Sentinel Delivery: drone delivery technology (https://sentineldelivery.com) Sentinel Delivery is developing software and hardware to launch an autonomous, drone-based delivery system for a variety of business categories. The team has recently registered to participate in the IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation and shows great promise. The team would like to install manufacturing locally as well, and is planning to create learning opportunities for drone maintenance and repair to develop local industry.

3rd Place

Innovare: EdTech software (https://innovaresip.com/) Innovare empowers leaders of organizations in the education ecosystem with the technology, support, and community of peers they need to achieve a positive and sustainable impact on education. Gaining fast recognition and securing with companies like Google, the Kauffman Foundation, and various charter school associations. Innovare is growing quickly, and has become the most recent addition to the STTE community.

El Paso Pitch Startups

FatBat: sports product (https://fatbatgrips.com/) FatBat has developed a wide grip for baseball bats that increases strength in hands, wrists, and forearms while the player swings. Bobby Lopez, the founder of the startup, initially saw a need for this product as a parent of 2 young children dedicated to learning the sport. He noted a similar trend around players during team practices and developed a solution to strengthen players and accelerate results.

OTEN Medical: medical product (https://otenmedical.com/) The OTEN Medical team has over 44 years of healthcare experience in the ICU, dialysis, telehealth, and wound care settings. Ernesto Holguin and his founding team focus on developing products and technology to help improve the way nurses deliver patient care. OTEN Medical is intent on manufacturing and assembling our products locally. They will pitch a CPAP hose holder to create a safer and more comfortable experience for users.

Klevy Tea: beverage brand (https://www.klevytea.com/) Klevy Tea founder Marco Vallejo has created a functional beverage line, providing a zero sugar, nutrient and antioxidant rich alternative to the existing beverage market. With the help of chemists, family, and a vertically integrated company strategy, Klevy Tea is gaining attention with their high local presence and health conscious practices.

PM Technologies: advanced manufacturing (https://www.pmtechs.com/) After identifying an industry gap in the manufacture of customized, scalable goods, founder Phillip Morton developed an agile manufacturing platform with a modular system architecture incorporating robotics, artificial intelligence, 3D printing, and internally developed software. The company is incrementally incorporating additional technology to automate manufacturing to increase capacity and expand capability. Phillip is also the Product Development Lab Manager at the MCA Foundation. He has researched the development of new manufacturing systems at the Keck Center for 3D Innovation at UTEP, giving him a unique and well-informed view of the industry.

MusicStar.Ai: artificial intelligence entertainment (https://musicstar.ai/) MusicStar provides a new tool for those developing new lyrics. With the assistance of AI, MusicStar considers previous work and the sound of your preferred artist to bring creations to life, improve the songwriting process, and facilitate the creative process.

CryptoLotería: NFT (Non Fungible Token) game (https://linktr.ee/cryptoloteria) CryptoLotería is bringing the traditional Hispanic board game, “Lotería”, to the blockchain through an NFT collection filled with fun and utility; spicing up the classic game with a crypto flair for a modern audience. We are inspired by a vision to showcase Hispanic art and culture to the crypto community while making NFTs attractive and accessible for Hispanic people who desire to learn more about the industry.

EP Pitch Networking Mixer

Thank You Judges

John Chavez, Managing Director at Startup Factory

John Chavez has been part of New Mexico’s economic development ecosystem since 2008. He was the President of the New Mexico Angels from 2008-2020. He created technology showcase forums that allowed technology partners like Los Alamos National Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratories, the University of New Mexico, and New Mexico State University to have the opportunity to present technologies available for licensing to Angel Investors and venture capitalists. In 2013, he co-founded the New Mexico Start-Up Factory, a company that spins out technology startups based on innovations developed by New Mexico scientists and entrepreneurs. He was the lead PI on an EDA Grant for the “Access to Capital” program in New Mexico from 2017-2020, and on a United States Small Business Administration Growth Accelerator Fund Competition award to the New Mexico Start-Up Factory in 2021.

Noreen Gillen, Wealth Management Advisor

Noreen is a Wealth Management Advisor and oversees the Wealth Planning experience for a boutique-style banking and investment group inside of Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in Manhattan, New York. She and her team advise on complex financial issues to help clients achieve their long term goals. Areas of focus include investment strategy, cash flow analysis, pre-transaction planning, estate and tax planning, risk management, wealth transfer and charitable planning. In the community, Noreen has several philanthropic endeavors, with a focus on creating multi-generational wealth in underserved communities. She is a frequent speaker on the topics of financial literacy and business succession planning. Noreen serves as a mentor to the CEO's in the Stanford University Latino Entrepreneurship Initiative, a business scaling executive curriculum for Latino/Hispanic CEOs of privately held/family owned companies. Noreen also serves on the board of the Latino Corporate Directors Association's Board Ready Institute., whose strategic mission is to prepare, position, and grow the supply of Latino C-Suite executives prepared for corporate board service. Additionally, she is an SEO alumnus and an advisory board member of the Hispanic Scholarship Fund.

Laura M. Lucas, Partner at Lat VC

Laura Moreno Lucas, Partner at LAT VC a $100M purpose-led venture fund that invests in the earlystage U.S Latino-led and owned businesses. Laura was previously a Managing Director of the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, the founder of Pandocap, a strategic financial advisory services firm, and Ladada, a fashion subscription company. She also mentors at 500 Startups and several non-profits. In her role at LAT VC, she wants to focus on changing the investment landscape for Latino entrepreneurs. Born in Guadalajara, Mexico, she immigrated to the U.S. when she was seven years old, and she understands the difficulties faced by Latino business owners.

Holly Trubowitsch, CFO, Main Strike

Born and raised in New York, Holly Mindich Trubowitsch earned a Bachelor of Science degree, magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. After college she joined the New Ventures Group of Deloitte, Haskins, and Sells where she became a Certified Public Accountant. Solomon Brothers then hired her as the Vice President of Finance of Liberty Brokerage, a startup blind broker for primary dealers. Holly is currently the Co-founder and Chief Financial Officer of Main Strike Telecommunications and serves on the boards of BioMedical Institute of the Americas, Inc. (part of the Medical Center of the Americas), the YWCA, and El Paso Ballet Theater.

Manuel Yanez, Associate, LEAP Global Partners

Manuel Yañez is an Associate at LEAP, where he manages the financial and legal due diligence process for potential investment opportunities. In addition, Manuel is responsible for interfacing with our back-office partners, including our fund accountants, legal counsel and auditors. Manuel has been working with both US and Mexico VCs since 2014. He worked in the Nacional Financiera (NAFIN), which as the “SBA of Mexico” was instrumental in jumpstarting the Venture Capital industry in Mexico by investing in both US and Latin American funds. Manuel worked on the committee that selected and invested in over 14 Venture Capital Funds and participated in the Board of Directors for companies in which NAFIN invested directly.

El Paso Pitch Kick Off

On Wednesday, March 16, 2022, STTE kicked off El Paso Pitch, the second startup pitch event that aims to provide access to capital. To prepare the startups to pitch in front of investors STTE provided technical assistance with partners and helpful information. Thyroid HQ also provided a brief demonstration of how to pitch. El Paso Pitch will take place May 21, 2022 at the University of Texas at El Paso.

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Contact Us

If you have any questions about the event please email [email protected]

Call 915.240.5571