Why Investing in Latino Entrepreneurs Strengthens Our Entire Economy
A Vision for Minnesota, the Midwest, and the Future of American Entrepreneurship By Vamos Impact — A 501(c)(3) nonprofit empowering Latino entrepreneurs through education, training, and community investment
The Opportunity: Latino Businesses Are Growing — But Remain Underinvested
Latinos represent one of the fastest-growing entrepreneurial groups in the United States. National research shows an unmistakable pattern: Latino business creation is accelerating, yet investment and support have not kept pace.
Two respected national research organizations — The Brookings Institution and McKinsey & Company — have documented the significance of this moment:
1. Brookings Institution (2024): Latino-owned firms are expanding, but remain underrepresented in the business landscape
Brookings found that Latino- or Hispanic-owned employer firms have been growing at a strong pace, but are still significantly underrepresented compared to the Latino share of the U.S. population.
Source: Brookings Institution – “Investing in Latino or Hispanic-owned businesses is a winning strategy to drive regional and national growth.”
Their conclusion: Investing in Latino entrepreneurs is a direct investment in America’s economic growth.
Not charity — economic strategy.
2. McKinsey & Company (2024): Unlocking the potential of Latino businesses could add over a trillion dollars to the U.S. economy
McKinsey reports that Latino-owned businesses start at higher rates than any other demographic, yet face persistent barriers in lending, revenue generation, and access to high-growth sectors.
According to their analysis, improving access to capital and closing key performance gaps could generate over $1.4 trillion in additional economic output for the United States.
Source: McKinsey & Company – “The economic state of Latinos in America.”
This is not only a Latino opportunity — This is an American opportunity.
Minnesota & the Midwest: A Region Poised for Latino-Led Innovation
Minnesota’s Latino community is young, diverse, entrepreneurial, and deeply invested in building strong families and communities. With each new generation — Gen Z, Millennials, and those coming after — the desire to create, innovate, and build wealth is accelerating.
Yet despite the talent and ambition, many Latino entrepreneurs lack:
- Access to culturally relevant training
- Early-stage capital
- High-quality business support
- Opportunities to scale
- Representation in high-growth industries
This gap is not due to a lack of potential — it is due to a lack of investment and infrastructure.
And that is where Vamos Impact comes in.
Our Mission at Vamos Impact
To empower Latino entrepreneurs, students, and families with practical business education, community support, and economic opportunities — building generational wealth and strengthening local economies across Minnesota and the Midwest.
We believe Latino entrepreneurship is a force for economic mobility, a driver of innovation, and a pathway to thriving communities.
We invest in:
- Entrepreneurship training
- Workshops and cohort-based programs
- Access to business resources and advisors
- Scholarships for emerging entrepreneurs
- Mentorship and community engagement
- Technical support for business startups and growth
We are NOT here to “help the vulnerable.”
We are here to elevate potential, remove barriers, and build an ecosystem where Latino entrepreneurs thrive — and take their rightful seat in the American economy.
Why Support Vamos Impact?
Whether you are an individual, business, foundation, or corporate partner — your investment multiplies far beyond the Latino community.
1. Strong ROI for Communities and Neighborhoods
Research consistently shows that entrepreneurs reinvest their earnings locally — creating jobs, filling commercial corridors, purchasing from neighborhood suppliers, and contributing to the tax base.
When you invest in Latino entrepreneurs, you invest in:
- Economic activity
- Job creation
- Community vibrancy
- Local innovation
2. A Young and Growing Workforce
The Latino population is younger than the U.S. average.
Gen Z and Millennials make up the majority of Latino Minnesotans — meaning the entrepreneurs you support today will fuel the economy for decades.
3. A Proven Engine for Startups
Latinos launch more businesses per capita than any other demographic.
Imagine what happens when those businesses finally receive the support they deserve.
4. Direct Impact on Minnesota’s Future
Minnesota needs new entrepreneurs, workers, and innovators to keep the state competitive.
Latinos are poised to fill that gap — if they receive strategic investment.
5. Your Partnership Helps Build a Sustainable Nonprofit
As a young nonprofit, we are building a foundation that will serve tens of thousands of people in the future.
Your support helps us:
- Expand programming
- Hire instructors and trainers
- Create scholarships
- Build a sustainable organization
- Reach underserved parts of the Twin Cities and the Midwest
A Message from Juan Llerena
Founder of Vamos Impact
Entrepreneur • Immigrant • Philanthropist • Business Advocate
“As an immigrant, entrepreneur, and now nonprofit leader, I’ve seen firsthand what Latino talent can accomplish when given opportunity and support. I’ve built businesses. I’ve mentored entrepreneurs. I’ve fought through the obstacles that so many of us face — language, access, networks, capital. What I know today is this: - Latinos are not a community to be rescued. - We are a community to be invested in. - Minnesota and the Midwest have a chance to become a national hub for Latino entrepreneurship, innovation, and wealth creation. Let’s build it together — not just for our community, but for the economic future of the region we all call home.”
Join Us in Building the Future
Your support helps us deliver training, resources, mentorship, and opportunities to entrepreneurs who are eager to build. And when they grow — our communities grow with them.
Ways to Support:
- Become a monthly donor
- Sponsor a workshop or cohort
- Fund a scholarship for a Latino entrepreneur
- Partner with us as a corporate or foundation supporter
- Invite us to present or collaborate in your community