On June 4, 2026, Bodegas TV launched New York City's first in-store video network, bodegas.tv, at the #NYTechWeek Bodega & Small Business Innovation Summit. The event, held from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Stuyvesant Yacht Club in the Bronx, was co-hosted by the Bodega & Small Business Group (BSBG) and Cortes Global Equity Partners. It brought together over 100 NYC bodega owners, startup founders, investors, and technologists to discuss the “Sovereign Bodega” framework—a concept focused on modernizing the corner store’s digital infrastructure without displacing the cultural identity that makes bodegas essential to their communities.
The summit featured panels covering four key pillars of bodega modernization: Media Tech & AI, FinTech, Security, and Infrastructure. These sessions aimed to transform storefronts into hyper-local media hubs through decentralized broadcasting and intelligent automation, deploy integrated financial systems for frictionless micro-payments, implement AI-powered security systems, and synchronize inventory, data, and content across distributed locations.
Panelists included industry experts such as Andre Ureña, Co-Founder & Chairman of Centro AI; Milbert Kiggundu-Bentham, Co-Founder & CEO of Alvix Advisory and former Bank of America executive; Samira O., Founder of Building Experimental AI Products with experience at Amazon and Scale AI; Charlie Barnet, Co-Founder of World Mobile; Arabel Alva Rosales, 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; Riya Goel, Investment Banker at Bank of America; and Steve Yanovsky, Founder of Brand Alchemy, who led digital strategies for Apple, ESPN, and Microsoft Xbox.
Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson emphasized the community role of bodegas, stating, “Our bodegas are always open. They are the ones who are building relationships, community, and they are the ones creating jobs.” Carlos Collado of the National Supermarket Association and Bodega and Small Business Association added, “Technology is something we can all integrate into our businesses. We are in every corner and we are here to stay.” Ozzie Cortes of Cortes Global Equity Partners noted the support from participants and the commitment to protect bodegas, saying, “People really love and care about bodegas, this is the beginning for bodegas to involve more technology.”
Bodegas TV is a smart-screen video network deploying inside NYC’s bodegas to deliver hyper-local media, advertising campaigns, and AI-curated content directly at the point of purchase. The network targets Latino and urban communities, contributing to $45 billion in annual spending in NYC's corner stores. The launch at NYTechWeek marks the beginning of a planned expansion to 500 bodegas by the end of 2026, and 2,000 bodegas within three years. This initiative has the potential to transform how small businesses leverage technology, providing new revenue streams and strengthening community ties through localized content and services.
