---
title: 'Portland continues to improve upon the Startup Weekend model with Portland Startup Weekend Latino'
date: '2015-06-25T19:07:45-07:00'
type: post
word_count: 323
char_count: 2258
tokens: 420
categories:
  - '#featured'
  - Events
  - Oregon
  - Portland
  - Startups
tags:
  - latino
  - Portland
  - 'portland startup weekend latino'
  - 'startup weekend'
---

# Portland continues to improve upon the Startup Weekend model with Portland Startup Weekend Latino

We were [pretty early adopters](http://siliconflorist.com/2008/01/11/portland-startup-weekend-could-it-be-what-the-rose-city-needs/ "Portland Startup Weekend: Could it be what the Rose City needs?") of the—[now Techstars owned](http://www.techstars.com/techstars-acquires-up-global/ "Techstars Acquires UP Global Including Startup Weekend and Other Programs")—Startup Weekend model. It didn’t hurt that the creator of the concept, [Andrew Hyde](https://twitter.com/andrewhyde "Andrew Hyde"), was an Oregon native. But still, it struck a chord. We got it. It matched our collaborative and collegial spirit. And it just seemed to work. But there was still room for improvement. So we kept mucking with it.

And this weekend, we’ll get to see [Portland’s latest take on the Startup Weekend model](http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/blog/techflash/2015/03/new-startup-weekend-targets-latino-entrepreneurs.html "New Startup Weekend targets Latino entrepreneurs") with [Portland Startup Weekend Latino](http://www.up.co/communities/usa/portland/startup-weekend/5545 "Portland Startup Weekend Latino"). And with all of the momentum behind [Portland creating a more diverse startup scene](http://siliconflorist.com/2015/06/17/building-startup-scene-techtown-portland-companies-diversity-pledge/ "Building a more diverse startup scene"), the timing couldn’t be better.

> Startup Weekend Latino will be the first of its kind in Portland and just the third such Startup Weekend event on the West Coast.

> “We want to ignite and empower the Latino community, and hopefully they will be able to participate in Portland’s already thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem,” said Juan Barraza, CEO of VDO Interpreters and one of the event’s organizers.

And it all kicks off this weekend, June 26-28, 2015.

Not Latino? No worries. You’re more than welcome to join in the weekend. The name is meant to be inclusive of a broader group—and to engage Latino entrepreneurs. It is by no means exclusionary.

For more information or to attend, visit [Portland Startup Weekend Latino](http://www.up.co/communities/usa/portland/startup-weekend/5545 "Portland Startup Weekend Latino").