Bodegas TV officially launched bodegas.tv, New York City’s first captive-audience in-store video network, on Thursday, June 4, 2026, at the Bodega & Small Business Innovation Summit, an official event of #NYTechWeek 2026. The Summit, running from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Stuyvesant Yacht Club in the Bronx, convened over 100 NYC bodega owners, startup founders, investors, and technologists to explore 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.
The Summit was co-hosted by the Bodega & Small Business Group (BSBG), Tech Ranch, and Angeles Investors. Panels explored 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; FinTech deploying integrated financial systems and frictionless micro-payments; AI-powered security systems; and infrastructure synchronizing inventory, data, and content across distributed locations.
Confirmed panelists included Andre Ureña, Co-Founder & Chairman of Centro AI, with 30+ years across insurance, fintech, real estate, and technology; Milbert Kiggundu-Bentham, Co-Founder & CEO of Alvix Advisory and a former Bank of America executive; Samira O., Founder of Building Experimental AI Products with AI strategy background at Amazon and Scale AI; Charlie Barnet, Co-Founder of World Mobile (MVNO), who built a family telecom business to $100M+ in revenue; 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.
The implications of this launch are significant for NYC’s small business ecosystem. By integrating digital media and AI into bodegas, the network could unlock new revenue streams for owners, enhance customer engagement, and preserve the cultural fabric of these neighborhood staples. For advertisers, it offers a direct channel to a high-spending demographic. For the industry, it sets a precedent for how technology can uplift—rather than replace—traditional businesses.
