On Thursday, June 4, 2026, Bodegas TV will officially launch bodegas.tv – New York City's first captive-audience in-store video network – at the Bodega & Small Business Innovation Summit, an official event of #NYTechWeek 2026. The Summit runs from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Stuyvesant Yacht Club in the Bronx.
Co-hosted by the Bodega & Small Business Group (BSBG), Tech Ranch, and Angeles Investors, the Summit will convene over 100 NYC bodega owners, startup founders, investors, and technologists to explore what organizers call the “Sovereign Bodega” framework – modernizing the corner store's digital infrastructure without displacing the cultural identity that makes bodegas essential to their communities.
Bodegas TV is a smart-screen video network deploying inside NYC's bodegas, delivering hyper-local media, advertising campaigns, and AI-curated content directly to the point of purchase. The network reaches the Latino and urban communities that drive an estimated $45 billion in annual spending through NYC's corner store ecosystem. The official launch at NYTechWeek marks the beginning of a planned expansion to 500 bodegas by end of 2026, and 2,000 bodegas within three years.
Summit programming will explore four pillars of bodega modernization, all anchored in the “Sovereign Bodega” thesis – modernization without displacement, technology without erasure: Media Tech & AI transforming storefronts into hyper-local media hubs through decentralized broadcasting and intelligent automation; FinTech deploying integrated financial systems and frictionless micro-payments that unlock new revenue streams for small businesses; Security through AI-powered ambient systems that protect assets while enhancing the customer experience; and Infrastructure synchronizing inventory, data, and content across distributed physical locations.
Confirmed panelists include Andre Ureña, Co-Founder & Chairman of Centro AI and Founder of Latin American Professional Alliance with 30+ years across insurance, fintech, real estate, and technology; Milbert Kiggundu-Bentham, Co-Founder & CEO of Alvix Advisory and former Bank of America executive leading digital engagement for millions of small-business clients; Samira O., Founder of Building Experimental AI Products with AI strategy background spanning Amazon, Scale AI, MIT, and the University of Pennsylvania; Charlie Barnet, Co-Founder of World Mobile (MVNO) who built a family telecom business to $100M+ in revenue across multiple continents; Arabel Alva Rosales, J.D., President & CEO of AAR Tech and former Acting Chairman of the Chicago Transit Authority; Jean Michael Lif, Co-Founder of RDÉ and Harvard-trained policy analyst; Guillermo “Will” DeJesus, CPA/CIA, Co-Founder & CFO of Negozee; Mohamed Toure, Data Scientist at Shopify; and Riya Goel, Investment Banker at Bank of America and Founder of Barnard Investment Group.
"Corner stores have always been more than a place to shop – they are community anchors and, for many families, the first face of entrepreneurship. This collaboration brings together the operators, builders, and investors who understand that deeply. Bodegas TV exists to make sure technology serves the people who built these communities," said Maria Probert of Bodegas TV.
