"How might we empower Latino entrepreneurs, nonprofits, and young changemakers to overcome funding and support barriers, connecting them to resources, mentorship, and recognition that can amplify their impact on healthier and longer lives within Latino communities?"
The Challenge
In response to the unprecedented challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) sought a new way to support Latino entrepreneurs, nonprofits, and emerging changemakers facing heightened barriers to funding, visibility, and business development. Recognizing that traditional grantmaking alone would not address these needs, CHCI partnered with Create& to conceptualize, design, and launch the Pitch Competition—a first-of-its-kind innovation platform that combined funding opportunities with mentorship, coaching, and national exposure.
Together, the organizations developed an experience that not only identified promising community-led solutions but also equipped participants with the resources, networks, and strategic guidance needed to grow their impact. By centering Latino innovators working to improve health, economic mobility, and quality of life, the Pitch Competition became more than a competition—it became a launchpad for community-driven innovation and a lasting investment in the next generation of Latino leaders.
The Sprint
Create& led the Design Sprint alongside CHCI staff, volunteer advisors, and mentors from diverse backgrounds, including seasoned Latino entrepreneurs, angel investors, and community leaders. This cross-functional team ensured a robust support system for applicants and finalists.
To bring the Pitch Competition to life, Create& facilitated a highly customized Design Sprint to define the competition's purpose, participant experience, evaluation framework, and implementation strategy. Drawing inspiration from Google Ventures' Design Sprint methodology and nationally recognized entrepreneurship competitions, including the George Washington University Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship's New Venture Competition, the team worked collaboratively with CHCI leadership to design a program that reflected the organization's mission while addressing the unique challenges Latino entrepreneurs, nonprofits, and young changemakers faced during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The sprint began with stakeholder alignment and expert "Lightning Talks" to better understand the barriers to funding, mentorship, and visibility experienced by Latino innovators. Using Human-Centered Design activities, including "How Might We" exercises, the team identified opportunities to create a competition that would not only award funding but also provide meaningful business development support, mentorship, and national recognition.
With the strategy established, Create& designed the end-to-end participant journey—from the application process and judging criteria to finalist coaching and live event production. The team developed multiple competition tracks for entrepreneurs, nonprofit leaders, and youth changemakers, ensuring each applicant could showcase their ideas within a framework tailored to their stage of growth. To create a seamless experience, Create& selected and configured the YouNoodle platform, allowing applicants to easily submit written applications, pitch decks, and video presentations while providing judges with an intuitive review and scoring process.
Following the Design Sprint, Create& transitioned from strategy into implementation, serving as the lead program manager responsible for coordinating timelines, stakeholder communications, sponsor engagement, marketing, finalist preparation, and production of the inaugural virtual Pitch Competition. Beyond the event itself, Create& helped position participants for long-term success by connecting finalists with mentorship, business development resources, and potential funding opportunities. The competition ultimately awarded grants of up to $5,000 across multiple categories while establishing a scalable model that CHCI continues to use to identify, celebrate, and invest in Latino innovation nationwide.
The CHCI Pitch Competition quickly evolved from a response to the COVID-19 pandemic into one of the organization's signature innovation programs during Hispanic Heritage Month. What began as a virtual initiative to address an immediate need has since become an annual platform for identifying, celebrating, and investing in Latino entrepreneurs, nonprofit leaders, and young changemakers who are improving the health and well-being of communities across the country.
Over four years, the program has supported dozens of emerging leaders by providing funding, mentorship, business development resources, and national visibility. Through Create&'s human-centered design approach, the competition created more than a funding opportunity—it established an innovation ecosystem that connected participants with business leaders, subject matter experts, investors, and peer entrepreneurs, helping transform promising ideas into scalable ventures with lasting community impact.
"Working with Create& to launch CHCI's Pitch Competition was instrumental in transforming an idea into a nationally recognized platform for Latino innovation. Together, we built more than a competition—we created an ecosystem that empowers entrepreneurs and changemakers with the resources, mentorship, and visibility needed to turn bold ideas into lasting impact."
Marco A. Davis, President and CEO, CHCI
The Design Sprint methodology proved instrumental in accelerating the development of the competition, enabling CHCI to move from concept to implementation in a matter of weeks while creating a program that could be replicated and refined year after year. By designing both the participant experience and the operational framework, Create& helped CHCI launch a sustainable offering that continues to strengthen its entrepreneurial ecosystem and advance Latino innovation nationwide.
Key Outcomes
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Designed and launched CHCI's inaugural Pitch Competition during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Established a sustainable, annual entrepreneurship program that continues to support Latino innovators.
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Supported entrepreneurs, nonprofits, and young changemakers through funding, mentorship, and business development resources.
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Connected finalists with industry leaders, investors, and strategic partners to accelerate venture growth.
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Increased national visibility for Latino-led ventures through CHCI's Leadership Conference, digital platforms, and media outreach.
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Created a scalable program framework that continues to evolve and serve future cohorts of innovators.
What we learned after the design sprint
Now it's your turn
The CHCI Pitch Competition reinforced one of the core principles behind Create&'s Community Experience Design (CxD) framework: the strongest solutions emerge when the people closest to the challenge are actively involved in shaping the outcome. Rather than designing a competition for Latino entrepreneurs, nonprofits, and young changemakers, we designed it with them—engaging founders, ecosystem partners, mentors, and industry experts throughout the process to understand the barriers they faced in accessing funding, mentorship, visibility, and long-term support. This community-informed approach allowed us to create an experience that extended well beyond a pitch event, resulting in a program that participants viewed as a genuine launchpad for growth rather than a one-time competition. Community Experience Design (CxD) emphasizes creating immersive, collaborative environments where stakeholders become co-designers of solutions, ensuring that programs are more relevant, trusted, and ultimately more successful.
Perhaps our greatest insight was that innovation ecosystems are built through relationships, not just resources. Funding alone was not enough to help founders succeed; they also needed trusted mentors, peer networks, coaching, visibility, and opportunities to continue growing after the competition ended. This realization has become foundational to our Community Experience Design methodology. Today, Create& intentionally designs experiences that connect people, ideas, and institutions into lasting ecosystems where collaboration, learning, and shared ownership continue long after a workshop or event concludes. Whether we are facilitating a Design Sprint, launching a new initiative, or reimagining a public program, our goal remains the same: to create experiences that communities not only participate in, but genuinely own, champion, and sustain over time.
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