San Jose, CA (Nov. 30, 2021) — The Silicon Valley Leadership Group today unveiled its new Launch Circuit Initiative, a startup support network in which a dynamic and diverse selection of founders will gain access to training, networks, events, access to capital, and mentoring curated to propel them toward success. SVLG CEO Ahmad Thomas emphasized the importance of supporting entrepreneurs in a highly competitive business environment.
“With California’s innovation economy on the upswing as we continue to emerge from the pandemic, the Silicon Valley Leadership Group is poised to be a key player in readying startups to compete for funding and market share,” said Thomas. “By fostering diverse and high-potential startups, we can become a key resource for our entrepreneurial community.”
The SVLG Launch Circuit initiative seeks to build bridges between SVLG established member companies and next generation entrepreneurs, with a particular focus on female founders and founders of color. This exciting program prioritizes networking, learning and access to capital opportunities, providing a space for entrepreneurs to learn, grow, and progress with the help of a network of experienced professionals and established firms.
“The Launch Circuit will not only foster community among startup founders who may have previously found themselves on the outside looking in,” said SVLG VP of Business Development Pedro David Espinoza. “It will also put them in touch with some of Silicon Valley’s most dynamic business leaders and expose them to key information that will exponentially increase their chances of success in a highly competitive environment.”
Espinoza has been named to the 2021/22 HITEC100 list of the most influential and notable Hispanic professionals in the technology industry. The HITEC 100 celebrates leadership and achievements in all sectors of the US tech industry.
Launch Circuit Offerings
The Launch Circuit Initiative includes a dynamic speaker series, office hours with one-on-one access to experts, and future plans for pitch competitions in which participants can showcase their ideas.
100 Startups
Launch Circuit dovetails with SVLG’s 100 Startups Initiative. With 100 Startups, SVLG will add to its membership at least 100 high potential or venture-backed startups over the next two years, with at least 25% of their founders from underrepresented groups. To date, SVLG has added dozens of leading startups, including Drift, Udacity, R-Zero, Numly Inc., Robin.io and Kloudspot Inc.
Speaker Series
The Launch Circuit Speaker Series is an exclusive track of programming that features dynamic Silicon Valley senior executives networking with emerging startup leaders, focusing on Silicon Valley’s unique ecosystem for innovation and entrepreneurship. Our pilot programming has featured national business leaders, such as Monica Lozano, President and CEO of College Futures Foundation and the first Latina board member of Apple, and Annamarie Huerta Franc, Managing Director of SAP Labs US. Future speakers include Carlos Gutierrez, Chairman & CEO at EmPath and former U.S. Secretary of Commerce; Rodrigo Liang, Cofounder and CEO of SambaNova Systems; Christina Hall, Chief Human Resources Officer at Instacart; and Patty Hatter, Chief Customer Officer of Palo Alto Networks.
Office Hours
Launch Circuit helps connect founders with complimentary access to industry-leading experts in legal, marketing, human resources, finance, fundraising and business development. The monthly programming features drop-in style conversations that are open to entrepreneurs of all backgrounds.
To learn more, please visit SVLG’s new Launch Circuit page.
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