Oct 15, 2025

But despite their momentum, they continue to face one of the most persistent funding gaps in venture capital. Together, Latino and Latina founders received just 1.5% of total U.S. venture capital funding according to a 2022 report , a share that has unfortunately barely budged in a decade. Despite having figures from pre-pandemic times since no updates have been released yet, these numbers reflect a systemic disconnect, suggesting that the funding gap persists and remains largely unaddressed. However, they have also sparked a new class of investors (many of whom are women of color themselves) who are writing checks and rewriting the rules. To build financial stability and create solutions to the challenges Latinas experience firsthand, access to capital is essential, whether through grants , loans, or venture investment. That is why, during this Hispanic Heritage Month, I sat down with a group of venture capitalists (VC) and angel investors who are actively working to support Latina entrepreneurs. Let us go over what these investors are looking for and how founders can position themselves to secure the support they need. Funding Diverse Innovation Through a Marketing Lens Laurel Mintz, managing partner of Fabric VC , started her career as a corporate attorney, moved into marketing, and now leads the U.S seed fund only investing in diverse founders across consumer tech, health tech, and fintech. Her transition into venture was driven by a unique insight: "We were already serving diverse leaders and founders through our agency, and private equity firms kept approaching us for help. One GP finally said, 'You need to launch your own fund.'" However, what drew her to this market was not just the impact she was going to make, but also the results and returns of the deals. As she engaged more deeply with diverse founders, she saw a clear pattern: When these entrepreneurs got access to capital, they often delivered stronger performance than their better-funded peers. "When diverse founders do receive capital, on average, we return at a 25% higher return rate, because we've had to be scrappier with less. We make a dollar stretch to five," she told me on the Brown way to Money Podcast. "There was a model here that was being ignored by mainstream venture. That's the edge Fabric is built to capitalize on," she added. Fabric VC evaluates deals using a mix of traditional diligence and marketing analytics. "We don't invest in anyone pale, male or stale," Mintz said. "They have enough. Our focus is on overlooked talent that can generate outsized returns." Mintz says she evaluates founders using what she calls a blend of art and science. "It starts with a gut check," she said. "Do I think this founder is solving a real problem? Do I think they're the right person to solve it? And how do I think they'll handle adversity?" Beyond instinct, her team incorporates a proprietary marketing-focused diligence process, leveraging listening software from her agency to verify traction, market differentiation, and growth potential. "We ask: are their numbers real? How far are they from their competitors in an omnichannel environment? Can our check meaningfully close that gap?" One standout example is Gina Sánchez, a Latina founder in deep tech and fintech. "She had both high IQ and EQ, which is rare in that space. Everyone at the table saw her potential, but no one followed up except me. That disconnect is exactly why we're here, to close the gap where others aren't paying attention." Investing In Innovation Rooted In Identity That Shapes Future Generations Ashley Balla began her career in early-stage tech investing, but her path took a defining turn when she joined Halogen Ventures , an LA-based venture fund that exclusively backs companies founded by women. As a Latina investor, the work is personal. "Growing up, I didn't see people in venture who looked like me or shared my experiences," she said. "Now I get to change that narrative, backing founders who are building from lived experiences." At Halogen, Balla focuses on companies that reshape the way we live and care for our families, which she refers to as the "future of family" market. The firm has built a $15 billion portfolio that includes 75 companies, five unicorns, and a 100% female-founder rate. "Female founders are designing products they needed but couldn't find," she said. More than representation, Balla sees these founders as outperformers. "These women operate leaner, generate twice the return per dollar, and build businesses grounded in real problems." Her portfolio spans childcare, healthcare, financial wellness, and inclusive beauty, sectors often overlooked by mainstream VC. Her belief is simple: Solving for underserved communities is not only a social good, it is a smart financial bet. "When these founders win, their success ripples out. It's how we build sustainable, community-rooted innovation." Backing Up Community And Legacy Julissa S. Germosén became an angel investor after one conversation that changed the trajectory of her career. A co-founder of Angeles Investors introduced her to the mission: empowering Latino founders through capital and community. "I wanted to put my money where my mouth is. I realized I could help solve the problem instead of just naming it," she said. As she dove deeper into investing, Germosén began to recognize a strong return opportunity others were missing. "I've been in business a long time, and I saw immediately that I had the tools to assess whether a founder had something real," she said. "This isn't just about representation. It's about ROI. I can grow wealth and reinvest in my community at the same time." Today, she looks for founders who combine innovation with grit, people who can navigate real-world obstacles and still deliver. "I look for battle-tested founders solving real problems with community traction," she said. "Show up with data. Show up with customer proof. And don't get defensive, we're asking tough questions to understand how you think." Germosén believes Latina founders bring an unmatched perspective. "Our lived experiences give us insights others overlook. We know the gaps because we've lived them." For instance, because of my own experience with financial education lacking context around emotional triggers and long-term repercussions (something deeply intertwined with how we as Latinos interact with money), I founded a financial education platform focused on financial trauma for women of color in business. For many of us, that experience becomes the foundation for building solutions that the market has long overlooked. For her, investing is as much about building a legacy as it is about growing capital. "No one is coming to save us," she said. "So we have to invest in each other. I'm here to help create more Latina-led companies and more Latina investors. That's the kind of legacy that builds real, lasting wealth in our communities." A Global Perspective On Latina-Led Innovation Lolita Taub, founding partner of Ganas VC , brings a cross-border vision to early-stage investing, backing community-driven companies across the U.S. and Latin America. Her thesis is rooted in the belief that underestimated founders building for overlooked markets can generate competitive returns. "The best founders know their market, know their customer, and bring ganas , the grit to push through," she said. Ganas VC focuses on sectors with everyday impact, from education to logistics to health. Her portfolio includes Manzana Verde, improving healthy food access in LATAM; Papaya Tutor, opening educational pathways in the U.S.; and Neopausia, tackling menopause care in Latin America. "The best stories aren't about raising money, they're about solving overlooked problems at scale." Taub urges founders to stay grounded in fundamentals: "Build for customers, not investors. Know your numbers. Know your why. If you're not clear on your customers, no term sheet will save you." As a Latina investor, she views this work as both a strategy and a mission. “Our cultural values, particularly ganas, already prepare us to succeed. The key is believing we belong here, asking for help when needed, and knowing we already have what it takes to build successful companies globally. Latinas already have what it takes. We just need to own it.” Her long-term vision is clear: To see Latinas recognized as global innovators leading the next wave of community-driven companies. What Latina Founders Should Know Before Pitching These investors are not just writing checks; they are opening doors to what venture capital could look like when it is inclusive, intentional, and aligned with impact. They want to back founders who are building real solutions, rooted in lived experience, with the grit and clarity to scale. If you are a Latina founder looking for capital, study what each of these investors values. Understand their thesis. Show them why you are the founder who not only fits their vision, but also expands it. They are telling you exactly what they are looking for. Here is the blueprint: Be overprepared. Know your financials, your market, and your customer. Prove traction. Data beats design. Come with sales, user metrics, and cost clarity. Lead with authenticity. Your lived experience is a competitive advantage. Do not chase tiny markets. Investors want scale, not niche. Focus on fit. Align your company with the fund's mission or portfolio. Network relentlessly. Warm intros open doors. Cold emails are a start. Ask for help. Use tools, accelerators, and communities to close the knowledge gap. Although Latina founders received less than 1.5% of total VC investments, some investors bet on them, recognizing their work, stories, and impact as key to growth and market development. These investors are not only addressing the systemic funding gap but also shaping the future by supporting founders who represent their communities. From marketing-driven diligence models to sector-specific theses based on lived experience, they exemplify what inclusive investing looks like. Each conversation in this piece provides founders with insights they can use to secure funding. For a group that is long been underestimated yet consistently overdelivering, the message is clear: There is a seat at the table. These women are funding it.