Hispanic inventors and entrepreneurs

Read our stories about Hispanic innovators 

National Hispanic Heritage Month, held each year from September 15 - October 15, celebrates Hispanic cultures and heritage, while recognizing the many contributions Hispanic Americans have made to society.

These stories of Hispanic inventors and entrepreneurs and the challenges they overcame —including immigration, starting (and restarting) from scratch, learning English, and facing loss and even natural disasters— are part of our monthly Journeys of Innovation series about innovators who have made a positive difference in the world. We hope they will inspire you to bring your ideas to fruition.

Vea esta página en español.

Chemist in lab coat and safety goggles surrounded by lab equipment
The cactus chemist: Dr. Norma >
Dr. Norma Alcantar
Dr. Norma Alcantar's journey with cacti and the women who inspired her Full Story >
Francisco Laboy and Vanessa Carballido, co-founders of Genmoji, standing in front of a backdrop that reads “GES Global Entrepreneurship Summit 2019 United States | The Netherlands.”
A renewable resolve >
Vanessa Carballido Clerch and Francisco Laboy Colondres
A struggle for reliable and low-cost energy in Puerto Rico Full Story >
Daniela Blanco, a brown-haired young Latino woman, wears a white lab coat, safety glasses, and plastic gloves as she stands amid chemistry equipment in a well stocked lab. She pauses her experiment momentarily to smile at the camera.
A sustainable pivot >
Daniela Blanco
A chemical engineer and entrepreneur uses artificial intelligence to help others develop greener chemicals Full Story >
Johnny Pacheco sits on cushions and faces the camera. He wears an embroidered linen shirt.
Inventing salsa >
Johnny Pacheco
Johnny Pacheco founded Fania Records in 1964 and created the Latin music and dance sensation that came to be known, simply, as “salsa.” Full Story >
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