L'ATTITUDE Ventures

The Investment Committee is led by General Partners Sol Trujillo, Gary Acosta, and Laura Donahue. The three bring a blend of large-company operational experience (Trujillo as former CEO of Telstra and US West), entrepreneurial and association-building expertise (Acosta via NAHREP), and institutional investment discipline (Donahue's prior venture roles in Silicon Valley). Day-to-day pipeline management and diligence are run by the GP team from the firm's San Diego base.

The firm's thesis targets US-based companies where at least one founder or key C-suite executive is Latino. This is not a certification requirement but a structural screen aligned with the fund's mandate to address capital access for a demographic cohort that receives disproportionately low venture funding (per the firm's official communications). The firm has publicly stated it evaluates opportunities across all sectors provided the leadership team meets that threshold.

The firm and the conference share co-founders Sol Trujillo and Gary Acosta and operate under a shared brand. The annual conference — a multi-day event drawing corporate executives, investors, and public-sector leaders — serves as both a proprietary sourcing pipeline and a relationship-building platform for the fund. Startups that present at the conference's showcase are often evaluated for potential investment, creating a unique funnel that combines events-driven origination with institutional venture diligence.

The firm writes initial checks ranging from $500,000 to $5 million at the Seed and Series A stages, with capacity to follow on in subsequent rounds (per the firm's official communications). The fund targets a concentrated portfolio — fewer than 20 active companies as of mid-2024 — which implies significant reserve capital for pro-rata follow-on participation in winners.

The fund's mandate is US-focused, targeting companies headquartered in major domestic tech corridors — with significant deal activity in California, Texas, Florida, and New York. The firm has not publicly indicated plans to invest in Latin America or other geographies, distinguishing it from some Latino-led funds that operate pan-regionally (per public record).

Gary Acosta is a co-founder of both L'ATTITUDE Ventures and the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP), a large trade organization representing Latino real estate professionals. NAHREP's network provided early connectivity for the conference and, indirectly, for the venture fund's deal-sourcing ecosystem. However, the fund operates independently and is not a captive investment vehicle of NAHREP.

The primary non-internal pathway is through the L'ATTITUDE conference, which features a competitive startup showcase and matchmaking component. The firm also accepts warm introductions from its LP base — which includes institutions and corporate partners — and from the broader network of Latino entrepreneur organizations and co-investors. Cold inbound is not the firm's stated preferred channel (per public record).