Targeted investment for Latinx startups? Discover how Cheryl Campos has brought together the entrepreneurial ecosystems with the Latinx investor communities in the United States

There are as many entrepreneurs as there are models of entrepreneurship (or more), and the perfect example is our next guest: Cheryl Campos. On the upcoming Explorer’s TalkX, she will talk about all her facets, especially the one that led her to found a non-profit organisation that bridges the gap between Latinx entrepreneurs and investors. We promise you this will interest you.

When your passion is that middle ground where finance, technology and social impact meet, it’s clear that you have every chance of becoming an entrepreneur. That’s what happened to our next Explorer TalkX guest, Cheryl Campos, CEO and co-founder of La Familia. 

This non-profit organisation bridges the gap between investors and Latinx entrepreneurs: Latinx-owned businesses contribute $27 billion to U.S. economic output, but their access to capital has historically been limited. For example, Latinx business founders receive approximately 2% of available funding in the technology and venture capital sector. In comparison, Latinx investors in this industry are less than 2%, and their numbers declined in 2018-2021.

Of course, many factors go into explaining these numbers. Still, the numbers also point to a clear need to bring capital and access to capital closer together, which is why Cheryl co-founded La Familia. This movement brings together the world’s largest Latinx communities of entrepreneurs and venture capitalists (VCFamilia and FounderFamilia) to create an ecosystem that has a direct and meaningful impact. Supported by institutions such as Techstars, Comcast and Samsung Next, the organisation aims to build new pathways to the capital, networks and resources needed for Latinx entrepreneurs and investors to thrive.

Our guest on the next TalkX started on the investment team at Republic, a platform that democratises access to private markets, in 2018, until she found her passion: entrepreneurial partnerships and brand growth, a department for which she was responsible. In the last two years, Cheryl did a terrific job upgrading the company to a unicorn status (you know, companies that are worth $1bn).

Her work at the company didn’t stop there, as the entrepreneur built the first complete investment ecosystem to create a community ready for the next generation of diverse investors. Through Republic’s business partner programme (specifically for investors aligned with the company’s goals), she increased deal flow by 600% year-on-year, bringing a third of new business to the sales platform and building a solid investor pipeline. She also founded the Fellows and Partners programme to give aspiring venture capitalists a foundation and allow them to connect with more experienced people, gain a foothold in the investment world and ultimately become partners in the firm.

Cheryl joined The Community Fund as the youngest investment partner: to date, she has led 13 investment processes. Having built and managed communities, she knows which startups are betting on hers. She is also a researcher at Lightspeed, leading eight deals focused on femtech, silvertech and web3. In total, she has invested $1 million in venture capital.

Before this, the co-founder of La Familia worked as an analyst at a debt and private equity firm, emphasising minority and women‘s entrepreneurship. She began her career in the Investment department of a bank, working in the Financial Institutions department and Financial Structure; she supported a total of $8 billion in transactions, including the securitisation of the Yum! brands worth $2.5 billion.

In addition to an honours degree in Economics from Harvard University, Cheryl has worked as an actress and model (HBO, Tom Ford, Christian Louboutin, Cole Hann…). One thing is for sure: her talk will not leave us indifferent.