Fall is in full swing for those of us in northern climates. In addition to changing leaves and cooler weather, that means the world is ready to get down to business. That’s especially true in the climate sector.

We’re less than a month out from the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27), where world leaders, climate activists, and CEOs will gather to make progress on an array of issues critical to tackling the climate emergency. Already, conversations are heating up. Regulators continue to push forward on developing more stringent rules around sustainable investment products — which could help ease concerns about greenwashing in the sector. And the recent passage of the US Inflation Reduction Act is fueling interest in clean energy as businesses look to capitalize on the surge of funding. A recent article in The Atlantic predicts that “the climate economy is about to explode.”

And we have more than the climate on our minds. Tomorrow is the last day of Hispanic Heritage Month, making this a good time to reflect on the contributions of Hispanic entrepreneurs to our economy. As cited in a recent Forbes article, the number of Latino-owned businesses grew by 35% over the last decade, compared to 4.5% for white-owned businesses — and that’s driving demand for financing. In our Fearless Feature this month, we spotlight one Latina entrepreneur who has found success by embracing her heritage. She is just one of many and we continue to find inspiration in the rising innovators who are shaping our world for a better future.

As a Latina artist and entrepreneur, Susie Jaramillo is using books, games, and digital content to help Spanish-and-English-speaking bilingual kids to think critically and creatively. She’s the co-founder and CEO of Encantos, a story-teaching platform — and the first Latina CEO of a children's entertainment company.

Jaramillo, who was born in Venezuela, saw a gap in the children’s educational market while raising her own bilingual family in the US. She notes that one-quarter of kids in the United States are Latino, but only 5% of roles in children’s media are represented with Latino talent. So she launched Encantos to help parents connect with their kids while teaching them about Hispanic culture.

One key to Jaramillo’s success: refusing to be put in a box. She told POPSUGAR earlier this year that she always knew that she had a purpose, and that “it wasn't going to be the same path that everybody else was taking.”

In a recent interview with CBS News, Jaramillo offered this advice to other Latinx entrepreneurs. “Lean into what you do well and follow that. Don't let anything hold you back.”

 Impact Investing Soars

Honoring Women of Influence

Investing in Underrepresented Founders

Amazon plans to invest $150 million in outside venture capital funds that are backing underrepresented founders. The new initiative will allocate money into more than 10 funds supporting around 200 companies at or before the seed stage of investment, all with Black, Latino, female, Indigenous, or LGBTQIA+ founders. The online retailer isn’t the only tech company supporting such endeavors. Last year, PayPal announced it would deposit $100 million of its capital into investment funds and depository institutions that are led by women or focused on serving women.

Electrifying Manhattan