LOFT Innovation Track

An initiative of the Hispanic Heritage Foundation

Background documentSeptember 2013

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LOFT will diversify America’s tech sector with under-represented minority talent

This LOFT Innovation document includes the following:• Background on Hispanic Heritage Foundation (HHF) and its

Leaders On Fast Track (LOFT) initiative• Research on under-represented minorities in technology• LOFT Innovation programs and impact• Innovation Advisory board details• Partnership benefits• Innovation programs: Innovation symposium, Coding course,

Video gaming fellowship, Innovation house, Dev bootcamp, Tech startup accelerator

• LOFT background information on programs

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LOFT is an initiative of the Hispanic Heritage Foundation, which dates back to 1987

Established by the White House in 1987, the Hispanic Heritage Foundation (HHF) identifies, inspires, prepares and positions Latino leaders in the classroom, community and workforce to meet America’s priorities. HHF believes Latino youth are leaders of today not tomorrow.

Leaders On Fast Track (LOFT) is the workforce development program of HHF for under-represented minorities (URMs) focused on “priority fields” including science, technology, engineering, entrepreneurship and other areas with hundreds of placements into internships, fellowships and full time positions. Tens of thousands of students and young professionals are connected to each other and provided with priority-field-tailored trainings across the country.

Hispanic Heritage

Foundation

Leaders On Fast Track

The LOFT Innovation Track consists of coding boot camps, general innovation symposia, software development fellowships, and entrepreneurship programs, which help us build a pipeline of technically talented URMs to diversity the technology sector and other innovation roles in the workforce.

LOFT Innovation

Track

Background

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HHF cycle of impact begins with the Youth Awards

Leaders On Fast Track (LOFT)

Youth AwardsHigh school seniors apply to Youth Awards as the main feeder to LOFT

National public awareness campaigns

Innovative programs, acceleratorsLeadership and industry-specific trainings and accelerators helping members impact thousands more

LOFT Members:• Youth Awardee

applicants and • their peers in college

and in their professional careers

• LOFTNetwork.org proprietary social network• Innovation track

including symposia, coding school, fellowship, and startup accelerator

Campaigns reach broad Latino market, and attract more members, featuring• celebrities•business,

political, and civic leaders• young

innovators within network

Background

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LOFT Innovation Track is needed to address disparity in STEM academic programs

URMs comprise 34% of the general population, however, they only make up 12%, 7%, and 3% of students in STEM undergraduate, graduate, and PhD programs, respectively.

Research

population

undergraduate graduate PhD

34%

12% 7% 3%

URMs’ degrees in STEM vs Percentage in Population

Source: National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering Inc. (NACME)

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Disparity persists in STEM career disciplines

2% 1%

4%1%

5%

87%

Black MaleBlack FemaleHispanic MaleHispanic FemaleAsian FemaleOthers

Research

URMs comprise only 13% of professionals in STEM careers

Source: NSF.gov/statistics

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LOFT is uniquely positioned to build an innovation track because of its talent pipeline

LOFT’s assets include• Pipeline of 5,000 applicants annually from top students

nationwide since 1998• Technical education and innovation programming– coding bootcamps– online training– Formal and informal mentorship programming

• Partnerships with university administrations and students

Through our cycle of impact, we are able to build a robust pipeline of

technically talented people

LOFT Innovation

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The LOFT Innovation Track executes events and talent sourcing year-round

LOFT Innovation

Talent sourcing Educational and technical events

Coding boot-camps and hack-a-thons

Innovation Symposiums

Online trainings and mentorship

Talent sourcing

Identification of technically talented Latinos, Blacks and Women

Relationship management

Placement into all levels of technical positions

The mission of the LOFT Innovation Track is to identify, prepare, and place technically talented under-represented minorities (URMs) in the workforce

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A diverse team of tech-related professionals and academics will serve as advisors

The LOFT Innovation Advisory Board will be a diverse team of professionals in technology, computer science education, or startup financing-related roles, who will:• Help LOFT develop partnerships with technology companies,

departments, and business units to aid them in increasing the diversity of their employees

• Consistently interact with students and professionals in software engineering or related fields to increase the national pipeline of technically talented under-represented minorities

• Provide insight and knowledge of industry trends and new technologies to aid in executing our mission

Advisory Board

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Expectations of the Advisory Board can be outlined into four principal responsibilities

Bi-monthly conference call to stay abreast on programs

Promotion of LOFT Innovation initiatives on digital platforms

Regularly contribute expertise and ideas to the LOFT Innovation team

Allow LOFT to publish name as an Advisory Board member

Advisory Board

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Partners benefit from our public affairs, marketing, and talent sourcing efforts

• Position partners as agents addressing lack of URMs in technology and other competitive fields to policymakers, thought leaders, and general public

Recognized as leader in programs for

under-represented minorities (URMs)

• Regularly reach over 50k influencers, celebrities, and young under-represented minority leaders through various online and offline platforms

Broad Latino market reach through

events, media, and social network

• Identify, train, and place top talent of URM background to fill in-demand roles in American priority fields such as STEM, finance, and education

Consistent placement of talented URMs in

competitive industries

Public Affairs

Marketing

Talent Sourcing

Partnerships

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Current partners include national and community based organizations

• Building Knowledge (BK) Nation• Nuevo South• Sabio• NTS Group• Black Association for Science and Engineering (BASE)• Entertainment Software Association (ESA)

Partnerships

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Innovation programs range from entry level workshops to advanced workforce bootcamps

• Innovation Symposium: introduction to innovation jobs and overall technology industry

• Coding Course: Introduction to computer programming course• ESA LOFT Video Gaming Fellowship: platform and grants for top

video game developers• Innovation House: Residence for under-represented minority

computer science majors• LOFT+Sabio@Nuevo South Dev Bootcamp: trains non-technical

workforce-ready people for software engineering careers• South Los 180: Technology startup accelerator for founders of

under-represented minority background

Programs

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Innovation Symposium introduces participants to innovation roles and technology sector

The following are workshops and expectations of a Symposium:• Design thinking: developing and executing innovative ideas• Start-up financing: phases of funding and venture capital 101• Mobile revolution: understanding the “third screen” market• Utilizing technology for social change in education,

community service, civic engagement, leadership, etc.• Career guidance within the field of innovation and technology• Relationship building amongst the attendees and industry

professionals• Speakers and workshop facilitators include VC professionals,

entrepreneurs, and other leaders in the innovation space

Symposium

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Introduction to coding course provides key benefits for under-represented communities

The Computer Programming Course1) Supplies underrepresented

minorities with the introductory skill of web-design & computer programming

2) And actively encourages entrepreneurship

By encouraging Latino & African American young innovators to explore a career in technology gives them the skills to compete in today’s workforce and places them on a path to financial stability.

Computer Programming Course will provide innovators, new to programming, a chance to explore a career in technology with the ability to have 1on1 mentorship with technology professionals and the doorway to learn more advanced programming languages and skills.

Coding Course

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Coding course curriculum includes web design using HTML & CSS

• Introduction to HTML: The basics of HTML, the language used to create websites.

• HTML Structure; Using Lists: More advanced HTML structure and begin customizing your pages

• HTML Structure; Tables, Divs, and Spans: Use tables, divs, and spans to flush out our pages and make them capable of a wide range of content and style.

• Introduction to CSS: The basics of CSS, we'll begin learning how to style our webpages.

• CSS Classes and IDs: In this unit, we'll cover how to group CSS selectors into classes or identify a single selector by ID.

• CSS Element Positioning: Here we'll cover how to control precisely where and how your HTML elements appear on the page

Coding Course

Provided by Codeacademy.com

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ESA LOFT Fellowship will serve as platform for top minority game developers

The ESA LOFT Gaming Innovation Fellowship will 1) encourage underrepresented

minorities to advance in careers within the video gaming industry and

2) actively challenge youth to identify and make change through technology

By identifying and promoting the top 20 Latino and African American young innovators (16-24 years old) who can create video games that will focus on new, technology-based approaches to address local and global social issues.

ESA and LOFT will provide the platform for these young game developers to display to the White House, U.S. Congress, educational community, media, and the rest of our nation’s leaders that young people can develop innovative gaming design to address social issues and create change on their own terms

Gaming Fellowship

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20 Gaming Innovation Fellows to be recognized in Washington, DC

20 Gaming Innovation Fellows will be 1) awarded a $1,000 innovation grant to continue working on their video game and 2) participate in an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, DC where they will:• be recognized for their accomplishments and present their games• meet with White House and U.S. Congressional representatives, ESA

members, U.S. Army Cyber Command, and other leaders/influencers• provide interviews for local and national media• participate in CBC and CHC activities

Gaming Fellowship

The launch of the national outreach program and public affairs campaign will raise visibility for ESA, HHF/LOFT and our partners. Fellows will apply through the LOFT Innovation Track website www.loftinnovation.org. All applicants will also have the opportunity to join http://loftnetwork.org, a social network for minority leaders for ongoing interaction and community building.

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Innovation House’s mission is to increase the number of minorities in computer science

• Nuevo South and LOFT have partnered to increase the amount of under-represented minority (URM) students interested in computer science or related fields

• The Innovation House will provide a safe residential space for current URM computer science students by providing tools and amenities to help them focus on their studies

• In exchange for subsidized amenities, the residents teach weekly computer programming classes for inner-city youth

• Youth will have access to next door Nuevo South-LOFT office property to interact with and learn from current CS students

• We will increase the amount of URM youth interested in and knowledgeable about computer science

Innovation House

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Innovation House for CS majors less than a mile from the USC campus

172 E 35th St, Los Angeles, CA 90011Housing Opportunity for Computer Science Majors

Less than 1 mile to USC campus

Innovation House

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Four-bedroom, two bathroom Innovation House has the essentials and more

• 4 rooms• 2 Bathrooms• Dining room and den• Large front yard and

backyard• Spacious balcony

Innovation House will include subsidized amenities to improve the residential experience of a CS student in exchange for computer programming instruction for inner-city youth. Students will also benefit from their efforts being highlighted amongst the Nuevo South-LOFT national network.

The space Amenities and benefits

Innovation House

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Only for techies willing to teach computer programming and live at a fun place

Internal External

Students majoring in computer science or

related field

Willing to teach youth computer

programming ONE NIGHT PER WEEK

And live in a positive, fun residential

environment with great amenities

Innovation House

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Nuevo South-LOFT Innovation House includes various amenities and cool features

House includes

• New kitchen and appliances• Fully stocked kitchen• High speed Wi-Fi connection• Air conditioning• Video game room with ping

pong table• Paid utilities• Starter set of pots, pans, and

utilities• Towels and linens

Extra benefits at request

• TV/ Shared Netflix Account• Cleaning services • Laundry services• Subsidized transportation

expenses for reasonable academic and professional purposes

• Access to extra computer monitors with HDMI, VGA, DVI and ethernet cables

• Weight room and recreational facilities next door

Innovation House

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LOFT, Sabio, and Nuevo South aim to solve the following problems

A shortage of technology

workers

An acute shortage of

Latino, African American and Women in the

technology sector

A high unemployment

rate

Dev Bootcamp

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The Solution is the LOFT + Sabio @ Nuevo South Developer Bootcamp

What

• Entry level web programmer training• 4 Months to completion• Pay for Success Model• Job Placement Services

Who• Unemployed or Underemployed • Latinos, African Americans, Women• Young Adults

How

• Boot Camp• Immersive Environment• Real World Scenarios• Results Driven• Training by Sr. Level Programmers

Dev Bootcamp

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Our bootcamp will serve a population not served by our competitors

General Assembly

LA + Other Locations

Seminars Varying

Class Types

Varying Cost ($2k-8k)

Dev BootCamp

San Francisco &

Chicago

All Day Class

$12k

$1k Scholarships

Hack Bright Academy

San Francisco

All Day Class

$7.5k

Women Only

App Academy

San Francisco

All Day Class

$10k

Starter League

Chicago

All Day Class

Varying Cost ($2k-8k)

FlatIron

New York

All Day Class

$10k

gSchool

Denver

All Day Class

$20k, $5k up front +

Payments

$5k Scholarships

LOFT + Sabio @ Nuevo South Developer Bootcamp will offer its services in a location which has no bootcamp competitor and target under-represented minorities and women. Our deferred cost makes the program highly accessible and attractive

Dev Bootcamp

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Room/Board Expenses Subsidized

Preparation for a Demo Day

Industry knowledge through Expert Speaker Series

Ongoing Relationship Building with Investors/Tech Community

Public affairs and branding servicesOne on one mentoring

South Los 180 tech startup accelerator provides internal and external resources

The mission of the South Los 180 LOFT Startup Accelerator is to identify, prepare, and empower under-represented minority tech startup founders.

Internal External

Accelerator details

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South Los 180 provides robust platform for top minority startup founders

South Los 180 will: 1. encourage under-represented

minorities to develop innovative and profitable technology companies

2. actively challenge startup founders to create solutions for large addressable markets

By identifying and promoting the top Latino and African American young innovators who can create companies that will develop new, technology-based products to solve problems.

South Los 180 is a platform for engagement between under-represented minority founders and the growing technology startup ecosystem, i.e. investors, technologists, influencers, consumers, academic institutions and the media. The startup founders in the accelerator will not only enhance their skills and take their companies to the next level but will inspire the next generation of under-represented minority technologists.

Accelerator details

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Examples of Potential South Los 180 Founder Profiles facilitated by LOFT Network

Chinaka Dodge• USC Film School • 27 year old African-American, former Technology consultant• Mobile App - professional film editing at 1/10x industry standard price

Gregorio Diaz• Wharton MBA• 30 year Old Dominican-American, formerly at JP Morgan • Remittances to Latin America in form of gifts cards via SMS

South Los 180 will benefit from the established network of HHF's LOFT Program, which will facilitate the identification of distinctive under-represented minority startup founders and the execution of a national public affairs campaign.

Fellows will apply through the LOFT Innovation Track website www.loftinnovation.org

Accelerator details

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South Los 180 offers favorable terms to technology startup teams

• Room/Board and Co-working Space Provided• 4-6% Equity Stake• $0k• 15 Weeks

• No space provided• 4-8% Equity Stake• $17-20k • 12 weeks

Y Combinator

• Co-working space provided• 4% Equity Stake• $0k • 12 weeks

South Los 180

NewMe Accelerator

Accelerator details

* Equity Stake To Be Determined by Investment Committee comprised of Venture Capitalists and Angel Investors from the LOFT Network

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HHF’s LOFT is about reshaping leadership in America and consists of three elements

• LOFTnetwork.org – Connects leaders to each other and resources

• LOFT Institute – Prepares leaders for service, education and workforce

• LOFT Workforce – which Positions leaders in priority fields

LOFT Background

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LOFTNetwork.org is our proprietary online community for our leaders network

Online community connects LOFT members to: • Peers – Each other for an ongoing support system which helps members

feel comfortable as they attend college, enter the workforce in key fields, make change in communities and have a network throughout their careers

• Mentors – Established Latinos for career paths, mentoring and general guidance

• Resources – Scholarship, job and internship opportunities and other resources

• Best of technology – Mobile applications, productivity tools, etc• User-generated content - Members share best-practices, knowledge and

leverage their expertise• Online trainings – educational content, online mentoring, and academic

and professional tips and tools

LOFT Background

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LOFT Institute provides year-round industry-specific and general leadership trainings

We offer the following learning, mentorship, and advancement platforms:• Events – Over 30 one-day leadership or industry-specific trainings, summits,

and Charlas engaging thousands of LOFT members• Trainings - Industry-specific trainings are commissioned by sponsors or LOFT

members with a focus on STEM, education, public policy, innovation, finance entrepreneurship, and entertainment

• Speakers Bureau – Members perform speaking engagements• Mentorship – Members are connected to more experienced members • Funding – Funding of grants for education, projects or business plans• Social – Opportunities to connect informally with more experienced leaders• Advancement – Network is leveraged to support high school and college

completion, and young professional career advancement• Research – Research surveys and reports through university partnerships

LOFT Background

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LOFT Workforce sources top talent for public and private sector partners

LOFT Workforce programs:• Provide mentorships, fellowships, internships, and full-time positions

with Fortune 500 companies and government agencies based on the needs of our partners and the American economy

• Work with partners to orient candidates on corporate culture and prepare them for a specific industry, government agency or company

• Facilitate ongoing support to ensure retention of desired candidates at private and public sector organizations

• Facilitate ongoing communication between partners and candidates not selected for other hiring opportunities

• Guarantee talent sourcing and placement services for private and public sector partners

LOFT Background