Funding Attracts Silicon Valley, Michigan Investors and Industry Leaders
ANN ARBOR, Mich., Oct. 9, 2018 — Mi Padrino®, an event-planning and crowd-gifting platform for the Hispanic community, announced today that it has secured a Series Seed round. Launched in 2017, MiPadrino.com makes it easy to organize and fund Latino events like quinceañeras and weddings.
Astia Angels led the round which includes industry leader XO Group (TheKnot) as well as Chloe Capital, Invest Detroit, Invest Michigan and others. An all-in-one marketplace, event hosts use Mi Padrino to register for gifts, find vendors, shop for products, and more. The funds raised will accelerate Mi Padrino’s growth trajectory by enhancing its platform, expanding marketing efforts, and investing in user engagement and retention.
“Mi Padrino has quickly become the leading Hispanic event planning platform in the US,” said Kim Gamez, CEO and Co-Founder. “In twelve months, over two million guests have attended Mi Padrino events. This investment allows us to continue to improve the Hispanic party planning experience helping even more Latinx families enjoy and celebrate their traditions.”
According to Mi Padrino Board Member and investor Carol Schrader, “Astia Angel’s investment in Mi Padrino is significant as it extends our mission. Kim and her team presented a compelling opportunity to not only invest in a dynamic female entrepreneur, but also a Latina-focused business based in the Midwest.”
In the U.S. alone, over 400,000 Hispanic girls celebrate quinceañeras (their coming of age event) every year and on average families spend $20,000 on the event. Globally, quinceañeras are a $49 billion dollar industry and combined with other traditional celebrations (weddings, baptisms, tres años, etc.) create a $400B market.
“We’re thrilled to invest in a company that’s serving the Hispanic community with innovative products and services for quinceañeras and beyond,” said Alison Bernstein, Vice President and General Manager, XO Group. “At XO Group, we believe in the importance of celebrations and traditions. Connecting to the right tools, advice and local services is key in planning an amazing party. XO Group is excited to help Mi Padrino become the premier Hispanic event planning marketplace in the world.”
About Mi Padrino:
At Mi Padrino, we believe in the deep and lasting impact of traditions and events in shaping lives and building community. We make event planning easy by organizing and connecting hosts, guests, vendors, products and resources, so that Latino families and friends can focus on what matters: Honoring their heritage and celebrating life’s most significant occasions together.
About Astia Angels:
Astia Angels is a premier global angel network made up of women, men and family offices investing in companies with inclusive executive teams. Since the launch of Astia Angels in 2013, members have made 95 investments into 60 women-led companies across the sectors of technology, life sciences, cleantech and consumer products, from seed to growth stage, representing $20.5M+ in investment and $250M+ in syndicate investments.
