NEW YORK, July 13, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In the United
States, multicultural entrepreneurs have reportedly received only a
2% share of venture capital annually over the last
decade.[1] SIA Scotch Whisky, an award-winning
spirits brand founded by a first generation Hispanic entrepreneur,
is looking to help bridge this gap by partnering with celebrated
activist, actor and producer Wilmer
Valderrama to launch The Entrepreneurial Spirit Fund by
SIA Scotch. Spearheaded by SIA's founder Carin Luna-Ostaseski and inspired by her journey
of building the brand from the ground up, this initiative aims to
challenge conventions and inspire others to achieve the
unexpected.
This disruptive new grant program will deploy a quarter of a
million dollars to multicultural small business owners in need of
support, especially after the additional challenges they face
because of COVID-19. It will also offer recipients access to
mentorship opportunities with SIA's founder, who is one of the
first Hispanic people in history to create a Scotch Whisky,
and who faced a myriad of challenges during her own
entrepreneurship journey.
"SIA Scotch Whisky was born out of passion, determination and
perseverance - the same characteristics that drive many other
entrepreneurs. As a first generation Cuban American, I experienced
so many uphill battles, from securing funding to dealing with
regulations and securing investors," said Carin Luna-Ostaseski. "But, after finally
getting crowdfunded on Kickstarter and seeing those first bottles
on shelves, I knew my purpose was to help inspire other
underrepresented entrepreneurs achieve their dreams too. I am so
proud of The Entrepreneurial Spirit Fund and its mission to embrace
the cultural diversity that helps define our country."
"Throughout my career I have always pushed for inclusion and
diversity in everything that I do," said Wilmer Valderrama, who has worked tirelessly
over the years to push for this mission. "Supporting the progress
and perseverance of multicultural entrepreneurs who are trying to
achieve their dreams and disrupt the status quo is incredibly
important to me. I'm so honored to partner with SIA Scotch Whisky
on The Entrepreneurial Spirit Fund and I believe that their work
will make a big impact, especially during these difficult
times."
The Entrepreneurial Spirit Fund by SIA Scotch launches in
partnership with Hello Alice, a free online platform that guides
business owners through the growth of their company and matches
individuals with the resources to make their dreams a reality.
"Now, more than ever, it's important to recognize the impact
that multicultural small businesses have on their communities,"
said Elizabeth Gore,
President & Cofounder, Hello Alice. "In the last 10 years,
multicultural entrepreneurs have represented over 50% of new
businesses started and created 4.7 million new jobs, yet they are
largely excluded in funding.[2] We are thrilled to
be continuing our support for this community in partnership with
SIA Scotch Whisky."
The Entrepreneurial Spirit Fund by SIA Scotch will award
$10,000 grants to 25 qualifying
entrepreneurs who self-identify as people of color, for a total of
$250,000. To apply, visit
siascotchfund.helloalice.com. To be eligible, the business
owner must be a citizen or legal permanent resident of the United States, 25 years or older, and must
operate in at least one of the following states where SIA is sold:
California, Florida, Illinois, Nevada, New
York and/or Texas. For
complete eligibility criteria and important restrictions, visit the
application site. Applications are open now through August 10, 2021, grant recipients will be
announced by September 14, 2021 and
funding will be distributed by October 8,
2021.
SIA Scotch Whisky is a multi-award-winning brand, which scored
an impressive 96 points at the Ultimate Spirits Challenge (2016)
and a Double Gold at the prestigious San Francisco World Spirits
Competition (2014), thanks to its unexpected blend for the modern
palate. When getting into the entrepreneurial spirit or when
sipping on actual spirits, SIA encourages consumers of legal
drinking age to drink responsibly.
About SIA Scotch Whisky:
SIA is an unexpected blend for the modern palate and everything
you'd never expect from a scotch whisky. Since its launch on
crowdfunding site kickstarter.com in 2012 and appearing on shelves
in 2013, SIA Scotch Whisky has been challenging conventions and
inspiring others to achieve the unexpected. As one of the first
scotch whisky brands in history to be launched by a Hispanic
entrepreneur, SIA has an approachable taste profile that features
warm vanilla, salty-sweet caramel, refreshing citrus, clover honey,
buttery toffee and just a hint of smoke. Distilled, blended,
matured and bottled in Scotland, SIA Scotch Whisky is a
multi-award-winning brand, scoring an impressive 96 points at the
Ultimate Spirits Challenge (2016) and a Double Gold at the
prestigious San Francisco World Spirits Competition (2014) - and
called "one of the best in its style" by Whisky Advocate Magazine
(2015). SIA is delicious in cocktails, neat or on the rocks, and is
best served in places and spaces where potential is poured and
friendships are celebrated. Look for SIA Scotch Whisky on
ReserveBar.com, as well as in your local liquor stores,
restaurants, and bars. For more information follow us on Instagram
@SiaScotchWhisky or visit our website siascotchwhisky.com.
About Carin
Luna-Ostaseski:
In a terrific twist of fate, 1st generation Cuban
American Carin Luna-Ostaseski set
out to create a Scotch Whisky brand that would change the way
people think about the category. She decided to seek these new
horizons in the form of a grand tour of her local whisky purveyor –
300 bottles of whiskies and countless tasting events later, she
became a dedicated student of this sublime spirit. Carin eventually
left her 17-year career as a Creative director and successfully
funded SIA Scotch Whisky on kickstarter.com, pursuing her dream of
becoming a successful entrepreneur and one of the first Hispanic
people in history to create a Scotch Whisky company.
About Diageo:
Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with an
outstanding collection of brands including Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, Bulleit and
Buchanan's whiskies, Smirnoff,
Cîroc and Ketel One vodkas, Casamigos, DeLeon and Don Julio tequilas, Captain Morgan,
Baileys, Tanqueray and Guinness. Diageo is listed on both the New
York Stock Exchange (NYSE: DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (LSE:
DGE) and their products are sold in more than 180 countries around
the world. For more information about Diageo, their people, brands,
and performance, visit www.diageo.com. Visit Diageo's global
responsible drinking resource, www.DRINKiQ.com, for information,
initiatives, and ways to share best practice. Follow at Twitter and
Instagram for news and information about Diageo North America:
@Diageo_NA.
About Wilmer
Valderrama:
Actor, producer, and activist Wilmer
Valderrama has been making audiences laugh, listen, and
think for nearly two decades. Perhaps most recognized for his role
as exchange student Fez on the Emmy-nominated series That 70s Show,
the role catapulted him to stardom and garnered numerous Teen
Choice Awards. Valderrama currently stars in the #1 TV drama NCIS
on CBS and will next be seen in the indie-drama Blast Beat which
premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival. On the animation
front Valderrama will be the voice of Thurman Sanchez in the upcoming Netflix animated
film Trouble, which he also executive produced. Prior to that
he voiced Gaxton in the Academy Award nominated Disney film Onward,
as well as the first Latino Prince Charming in the animated film
Charming for Netflix, and the main character of Disney's hugely
popular animated children's show Handy Manny, which introduced
preschoolers to Spanish. Other television credits include
appearances in Netflix's The Ranch, ABC's Grey's Anatomy and
Robert Rodriguez & Quentin Tarantino's television series From Dusk
Till Dawn. Behind the camera, Valderrama created and produced the
MTV series Yo Momma, also serving as the host for all three
seasons, in addition to producing other MTV series such as Punk'd,
Blowin' Up and Trippin'. His production company, WV Entertainment,
has multiples projects in development set to be released including
The Turner's for ABC and TV drama The Trail for CBS. In the
beginning of the 2020 pandemic, Valderrama was inspired to turn the
spotlight on frontline workers after a grocery store encounter and
used his platform to give a voice to those being directly impacted
by COVID-19 with his IG TV series 6 Feet Apart. Valderrama is
active in several philanthropic agencies. Valderrama, along with
America Ferrara and Ryan Piers William co-founded HARNESS, a group
dedicated to connecting communities through conversation to inspire
action and power change. In addition, Valderrama serves on
the board of Voto Latino and is
co-chair of their artist coalition. He is also the spokesperson for
CHCI, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, and is the
founder of their Ready 2 Lead program, which educates and empowers
the Latino youth. In 2013, Valderrama was honored with an ALMA
Award for Outstanding Social Activism. Born in Miami and raised in Venezuela from 3 to 13, Valderrama is fluent
in Spanish and English. His family relocated to Los Angeles, where he currently resides.
About Hello Alice:
Hello Alice is a free, multichannel platform that helps
businesses launch and grow. With a community of nearly 500,000
business owners in all 50 states and across the globe, Hello Alice
is building the largest network of owners in the country while
tracking data and trends to increase the success rate for
entrepreneurs. Our partners include enterprise business services,
government agencies, and institutions looking to serve small- and
medium-business owners to ensure increased revenues and promote
scale. A Latina owned company, founded by Carolyn Rodz and Elizabeth Gore, we believe in business for all
by providing access to all owners including women, people of color,
veterans, and everyone with an entrepreneurial spirit. To learn
more, visit www.helloalice.com, as well as Twitter, LinkedIn,
Instagram, and Facebook.
[1] Source: Hello Alice
[2] Source: Hello Alice
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SOURCE SIA Scotch Whisky