Overview

LTX Fest, the largest annual conference and gathering of Latinx professionals in technology, was founded in 2017 in response to the growing need for a centralized platform for the Latinx technology community. This year, in partnership, organizations such as Kapor Center, Latinas in Tech, LA Collab, Latino Community Foundation, LatinxVC, Outco, 3Lopez and Techqueria came together to design this unique and timely digital experience. LTX Fest strives to bring together thousands of Latinx professionals to network, learn and create opportunities for the Latinx community while building collective power and pushing the tech industry forward.

Why we do this

The Latinx community is the least represented across the technology sector, with only eight percent Latinx employees in the US technology workforce, and despite being the country’s largest ethnic community. With the economic potential and upward mobility tied to the industry, it is urgent that we provide centralized resources and equitable access to tech career paths. LTX Fest is the community-centric solution to the parity problem in the technology industry and technology-adjacent sectors. LTX Fest brings together Latinx leaders from across industries merging tech and philanthropy, uplifting our community in advocacy and civic engagement.

LTX Fest annual conference

Expected to draw more than 4,000 attendees, LTX Fest takes place over four days and brings together thousands of Latinx technologists, business leaders, philanthropists, investors, developers, innovators, designers and content creators to network and learn as a collective. This year, LTX Fest will take place in a new digital format, with pre-recorded and live online streaming sessions that includes a virtual networking platform leveraging AI-powered matchmaking tools. Attendees will benefit from enhanced networking opportunities at the conference.

The conference activities include:

• Keynotes
• Interactive panels
• Speed networking
• Round table discussions
• Celebrity entertainment
• Skill-building workshops  

Speakers (partial list)

• America Ferrera, Actor, Activist & Director
• Eric Garcetti, Mayor, Los Angeles
• James Loduca, Senior Director of Global Inclusion & Diversity, Twitter
• Amanda Doamaral, Founder & CEO, Fiveable
• Pilar Manchon, Senior Director of Research Strategy, Google AI
• Elias Torres, Founder and Chief Technology Officer of Drift
• Paola Ramos, Host/Correspondent/Contributor of VICE, Telemundo, MSNBC
• Adeyemi Ajao, Managing Partner, Base10
• Beatriz Acevedo, CEO & Co-Founder, SUMA Wealth
• Julia Figueiredo, Director LATAM, Silicon Valley Bank
• Mariana Matus, CEO and Co-founder, Bibot Analytics
• Cristina Jimenez, co-founder of United We Dream
• Tom Chavez, Co-Founder super{set}

Scale & Impact

LTX Fest has hosted 1,500+ attendees since 2018, with more than 350 connected to job resources and 250 connected to investors. Between 2018 and 2019, LTX Fest experienced a 2x growth in duration, 4x growth in attendees, 3.5x growth in speakers, and 4x growth in sponsorship money raised. 97 percent of LTX Fest 2019 attendees reported feeling more connected to the Latinx community.

LTX Fest Organizers

LTX Fest organizers are community leaders with a shared philosophy: Collaboration over competition, always! The Latinx in tech movement is replete with resources and support services. However, it is still overwhelmingly decentralized and fragmented. To best serve our community, we decided that a collective approach would lead to prompt results and amplified impact, and lo and behold, LTX Fest emerged. Below are the organizers of LTX Fest:  

• Kapor Center: Social impact center working to improve access to opportunity for underrepresented communities.
• Latinas in Tech: Non-profit that connects, supports, and empowers Latina women working in tech.
• LA Collab: Collective impact group advancing Latino access and representation in the entertainment industry, supported by the Office of LA Mayor Eric Garcetti.
• Outco: Coaching and skill sharpening service for software engineers.
• LatinxVC: Group of experienced venture investors that connect, engage, and foster the Latinx VC ecosystem.
• Latino Community Foundation (LCF): LCF is an independent statewide foundation on a mission to unleash the civic and economic power of Latinos in California.
• 3Lopez: Video production, photography and web design company focused on multimedia storytelling.
• Techqueria: Non-profit providing Latinx professionals with resources and support to thrive in the tech industry.

SPONSORS & COMMUNITY PARTNERS

Conference sponsors and community partners

LTX Fest 2020’s founding sponsors include Comcast NBCUniversal and the Kapor Center. Other top sponsors include Twitter and Splunk Inc, Google.org, Silicon Valley Bank, Zendesk, VMWare, Square, XPRIZE and New Profit. Additional community partners include but are not limited to Black and Brown Founders, Voto Latino, SHPE, Pop-Up Magazine, and DigitalNest. The full list of sponsors and community partners can be viewed here.