Univision, Seed Spot partner to find next great idea
By: Hayley Ringle
Univision Arizona and Seed Spot are partnering to find the next breakthrough idea – hopefully in the Latino community.
The “Véndeme tu Sueño/Pitch us your Dream” competition, part of Univision Contigo’s Hispanic Entrepreneurship Campaign, will give Arizona-based entrepreneurs a chance to compete for office space, mentorship and capital.
“We’re looking for game-changing ideas,” said Seed Spot CEO and co-founder Courtney Klein. “How can they scale or impact the community in a meaningful way?”
Seed Spot is a Phoenix incubator that supports early-stage social entrepreneurs launching ventures that create a positive impact in the community.
Interested entrepreneurs in any industry and at any stage of their business idea can audition from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 16 at Univision Studios, 6006 S. 30th St. in Phoenix.
Twenty companies will be chosen to receive scholarships to go through Seed Spot’s five-day boot camp this summer. The businesses will receive training and mentorship at the camp to advance their business idea.
Three finalists will then be selected to participate in Seed Spot’s full-time venture program in the fall, where the businesses will get 250 hours of education, networking, mentor access and support from attorneys, accountants, designers, developers and investors to take their idea to product development.
The finalists will be announced at Seed Spot’s next Demo Day on May 19. The Demo Day, at the Herberger Theater Center in Phoenix, will showcase the current venture group finishing Seed Spot’s Spring program.
Univision Arizona will feature the stories of the semifinalists and finalists with weekly webisodes and news coverage on UnivisionArizona.com.
“There is immense talent and entrepreneurialism within our community in Arizona and with the support of Seed Spot and ‘Véndeme tu Sueño,’ we will help find and launch the next venture,” Roberto Yañez, vice president and general manager of Univision Local Media in Arizona, said in a statement. “We encourage all local entrepreneurs to come out and audition for a chance of a lifetime.”
The idea for the partnership came about after Yañez’s son went through Seed Spot’s high school program last summer. Klein and Yañez had several conversations on how they could work together, and then they decided on this call for entrepreneurs to pitch their ideas, Klein said.
The goal is to reach out to the Latino community, although all entrepreneurs with a great idea are invited to try out, Klein said.
In February, Seed Spot received a $100,000 grant from the charitable wing of New York-based investment firm Blackstone (NYSE: BX) to help expand its incubator model into Phoenix’s Hispanic community through targeted recruitment and marketing efforts.
Applications are available at SeedSpot.org or UnivisionArizona.com and are encouraged to fill out prior to the May 16 auditions.
Univision Communications Inc. is the media company serving Hispanic America.
Source: Phoenix Business Journal