Favela ’ s enthusiasm for working with founders from underserved communities comes in part from his own family story . His father immigrated from Mexico to Chicago , unable to speak , read or write in English . Yet through a combination of hard work and good luck , he was able to provide a comfortable and stable environment for his family with all of his children graduating from college and obtaining advanced degrees .
“ When I see anyone trying to create a life for themselves , I see my parents making a generational legacy for their own kids , for their own community ,” he says .
In 2014 , after two decades working at Hewlett Packard , Favela opened Border X Brewing in San Diego ’ s Barrio Logan neighborhood . Today , it ’ s the largest Latino-owned craft brewery in the U . S .
“ Because of his 20-plus years of experience , David does a lot of the business coaching ,” says Russell , “ and I work as a support system to help the founders understand what blockages are keeping them from executing their plans .”
Russell , author of the Talent Foundry ’ s grant , came to the project with 15 years of experience in grant funding and management , a large network of connections and familiarity with the startup space through We Tha Plug . But she also brings another skill that is unexpectedly valuable in the startup space : emotional intelligence .
Through her early career in youth and family services counseling , Russell gained a thorough understanding of the impacts of marginalization on entire communities . It ’ s important to her that each person she spends time with feels seen , heard and recognized and for founders to understand who they are and how it connects with the greater vision that they are pushing forward . Both are crucial to their ability to build and scale their ideas .
With its first year complete , the Talent Foundry is flourishing with 85 companies in its pipeline and 15 now housed in the Design and Innovation Building .
“ Diversity in the startup space at UC San Diego and in the wider San Diego region not only enriches the academic and business landscapes but also contributes to economic growth , social equity and global competitiveness ,” says Russell . “ We hope that seeing this diverse group of founders on campus will inspire underrepresented students to pursue entrepreneurship , knowing they have the support and resources to succeed .” •
Learn more about the Talent Foundry at talentfoundry . ucsd . edu .
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