Twelve Latinx-led startups joined 1871 in late October for a 12-week accelerator program co-facilitated by 1871 and the Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. As they progress through the cohort program and prepare for their Demo Day March 1, we’ll be posting Q&As with each company on the 1871 blog to introduce them to the community. This week, Jorge E. Samayoa, CEO of Tripmate, talks about the travel platform he and his co-founders are building to help travelers experience Panama like a local.

At 1871, each staff member is allocated a cash allotment to donate to a charity of their choice. On the 1871 blog, we’re highlighting the stories behind these donations throughout the month of December and beyond. Read on to learn about the causes Jeanne Reidy, VP of Events; Lakshmi Shenoy, VP of Business Development; and Tom Alexander, COO are passionate about.

A look at the 2016 Entrepreneurial Champion Jai Shekhawat, Founder of Fieldglass.

Our “Mentoring at 1871” interview series will feature 1871 community members who have made a valuable contribution to our network. The new interview initiative is a collection of stories, stories that highlight what Chicago leaders have gained by participating in the 1871 mentorship program. Here’s what William Robinson, Vice President at Silicon Valley Bank, has to say about mentoring at 1871:  

The next speaker for our event series “1871 Talks” was none other than Howard Tullman, labelled by Inc. Magazine as “the most accomplished, best-connected entrepreneur you have never heard of.” A serial entrepreneur, investor, advisor, art collector, teacher, lecturer, lawyer, marathon runner, and friend of both Bill Clinton and Tyra Banks, Tullman has done it all.