Beyond the Pitch: HEI Day 2026 Celebrates Hispanic Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Community Prosperity

What does it take to build a thriving entrepreneurial community? More than a great business idea. It takes access to education, mentorship, meaningful relationships, and an ecosystem of organizations committed to helping entrepreneurs succeed.

That spirit of collaboration was on full display October 1, 2026, as the Hispanic Entrepreneur Initiative (HEI) hosted its 2nd Annual HEI Day Celebration & Business Pitch Competition at Lynn University in Boca Raton.

Presented by the Boca Raton Airport Authority, the event celebrated HEI's seventh anniversary while bringing together entrepreneurs, business executives, educators, elected officials, and community champions for an evening dedicated to innovation, economic opportunity, and entrepreneurship.

The event, emceed by Nikki Cabus, Founder and CEO of Studio Solian, combined a startup pitch competition, keynote presentation, community recognition awards, and networking reception.

At its core was a message that extended well beyond the competition: entrepreneurship creates opportunity, but community helps turn that opportunity into lasting prosperity.

Seven Founders Step Into the Spotlight

The centerpiece of HEI Day was its second annual Business Pitch Competition, where seven entrepreneurs presented their businesses to a panel of experienced judges and an audience of regional business and community leaders.

The participating founders represented a diverse range of ventures:

• Marisol Castro — Lanterni

• Juan Rojas — Sparke

• Mercedes Cavalie — Alana Party Decorations

• Natalia Guevara — NG Image Consultant

• Ivan Flores — Forteneer

• Nancy Boyle — Next Step Senior Solutions

• Patricia Strawser — Spiritual Engineering

Each founder had eight minutes to present their business, followed by three minutes of questions from the judging panel.

For early-stage entrepreneurs, opportunities like these provide far more than the chance to win a competition. They offer a platform to refine their business models, practice communicating their value proposition, gain exposure, and connect with professionals who can help accelerate their growth.

The competition culminated with the first place winner Juan Rojas, a Florida Atlantic University student and Founder of Sparke, being recognized for his entrepreneurial vision and business pitch building a company offering customized uniforms and soccer attire for clubs.

While Rojas took home the top honor, all seven founders gained something that can be equally valuable in the entrepreneurial journey: visibility, feedback, connections, and a community invested in seeing them succeed.

A Distinguished Panel of Judges

Evaluating the entrepreneurs was a panel of leaders whose expertise spanned business development, entrepreneurship, education, innovation, and social impact.

Dr. Jean Claude Crissien, Founder and Executive Director of CUC University, brought experience in entrepreneurship, finance, mergers and acquisitions, and higher education.

Martha Rios-Bohorquez, Director of Strategic Partnerships & Innovation Operations at Broward College's Entrepreneurship Experience (BCEx), contributed more than 15 years of experience developing entrepreneurial programs, strategic partnerships, and innovation initiatives.

Dr. Henry Canfield, Director of Business Engagement and faculty member in the Executive Education Center at Florida Atlantic University, brought a background in international business, entrepreneurship, executive education, and organizational growth.

John Moreno-Escobar, CEO of JME Consultants and Chief Visionary Officer of PODER Collective, rounded out the panel with extensive experience in social entrepreneurship, education, and community impact, including helping raise more than $40 million for initiatives.

Together, the judges represented the kind of cross-sector expertise that emerging businesses need as they navigate the challenges of launching, operating, and scaling their ventures.

Connecting Entrepreneurship With Community and Economic Development

HEI Day also brought together leaders representing local government, higher education, and the business community, reinforcing the importance of collaboration in building a stronger regional economy.

Among those participating in the program were Palm Beach County Commissioner Joel Flores, Boca Raton City Council member and former Deputy Mayor Yvetter Drucker, and Christian Boniforti, Chief Strategy & Technology Officer at Lynn University, representing the event's host institution.

Clara Bennett, Executive Director of the Boca Raton Airport Authority, also participated in the program, representing the event's presenting sponsor. Bennett, who also serves as Chair of the Boca Chamber Board, brought a perspective connecting infrastructure, business development, and regional economic opportunity.

Elizabeth Rivera, Vice Chair of the Hispanic Entrepreneur Initiative's Board of Directors, represented the organization's leadership and its commitment to advancing entrepreneurial success.

Their participation reflected the broader importance of entrepreneurship as an economic development priority.

Small businesses and startups do more than generate revenue. They create jobs, introduce new products and services, strengthen local supply chains, and contribute to the economic vitality of the communities they serve.

From Building a Business to Building a Brand That Scales

The evening also featured keynote speaker Gabriela Pulido, Co-Founder and President of SCALTO, a business strategy and branding firm supporting organizational growth.

With nearly three decades of experience across the United States and Latin America, Pulido brought expertise in the relationship between business strategy, brand positioning, differentiation, and scaling.

Her participation reinforced an important distinction for entrepreneurs: launching a business is only the beginning. Building a sustainable enterprise requires the ability to communicate value, understand customers, differentiate from competitors, and create a strategy for long-term growth.

SCALTO also supported HEI Day as an event sponsor, further demonstrating the role established businesses can play in helping strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Recognizing the Prosperity Catalysts Behind Entrepreneurial Success

Behind every thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem is a network of organizations working to create opportunities, remove barriers, and connect individuals with the resources they need to succeed.

During the 2nd Annual HEI Day Celebration, the Hispanic Entrepreneur Initiative recognized four community organizations with its 2026 Prosperity Catalyst Awards, honoring their commitment to advancing entrepreneurship, strengthening communities, and supporting HEI's mission of creating greater economic opportunity.

This year's honorees included the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County, Chamber of Commerce of the Palm Beaches, Palm Beach County Housing & Economic Development, and Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties.

Together, these organizations represent the diverse partnerships necessary to build a stronger, more inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem. From philanthropy and community investment to economic development and business advocacy, each contributes to the broader infrastructure that helps businesses and communities thrive.

The recognition also reinforced an important message: supporting entrepreneurship requires more than celebrating successful founders. It requires organizations willing to invest in education, expand access to resources, foster meaningful connections, and create pathways to economic mobility.

For Hispanic entrepreneurs and small business owners, these partnerships can be especially meaningful, helping bridge gaps between emerging businesses and established institutions that can support their long-term success.

As HEI Florida celebrated its seventh anniversary, the Prosperity Catalyst Awards served as a reminder that economic prosperity is not created in isolation. It grows when businesses, nonprofits, educational institutions, government agencies, and community leaders work together toward a shared vision.

Because behind every entrepreneur building a business is the potential for an entire community to grow alongside them.

Why Hispanic Entrepreneurship Matters to South Florida

For South Florida, supporting Hispanic entrepreneurship is both a community priority and an economic opportunity. The region's cultural diversity, international business relationships, and growing innovation economy create a distinctive environment for entrepreneurs looking to build businesses, introduce new ideas, and expand into new markets.

Hispanic entrepreneurs contribute to this growth across industries, from technology and professional services to healthcare, education, hospitality, and consumer businesses. However, launching and scaling a company often comes with significant challenges, including access to capital, mentorship, professional networks, business education, and market opportunities.

For some Hispanic entrepreneurs, these barriers may be compounded by language differences, limited access to established business relationships, or unfamiliarity with available resources. This is where organizations like the Hispanic Entrepreneur Initiative play an important role.

Under the leadership of HEI CEO Yulimar Trumbo, HEI works to empower entrepreneurs with the education, resources, connections, and opportunities needed to transform ideas into sustainable, growing businesses.

Through entrepreneurship programming, strategic partnerships, and community engagement, HEI helps connect aspiring and established business owners with the support systems that can make a meaningful difference in their entrepreneurial journeys. And those benefits extend beyond individual entrepreneurs.

When small businesses grow, they create opportunities for employees, vendors, customers, and surrounding communities. When entrepreneurs gain access to stronger networks, the entire regional ecosystem becomes more connected and resilient.

Supporting Hispanic entrepreneurship, therefore, is not simply about supporting one segment of the business community. It is about investing in the continued growth and competitiveness of South Florida's economy.

The Real Success Begins After the Pitch

As the evening concluded, seven entrepreneurs had shared their visions, business leaders had contributed their expertise, community partners had been recognized, and new relationships had formed across South Florida's entrepreneurial ecosystem.

For the founders, the competition represented an opportunity to gain recognition. For HEI and its community partners, it represented something bigger: an investment in the people creating the region's next generation of businesses.

Because the real success of HEI Day isn't simply about who wins the competition.

It's about what happens next.

The businesses that grow. The partnerships that form. The doors that open. And the entrepreneurs who continue moving forward long after the event concludes.

As HEI Florida celebrates seven years of impact, the 2nd Annual HEI Day Celebration & Business Pitch Competition demonstrated that economic prosperity is not created by entrepreneurs alone.

It's built by a community willing to invest in their success.

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