Bodegas TV launched NYC's first in-store video network, bodegas.tv, on June 4, 2026, at the #NYTechWeek Bodega & Small Business Innovation Summit. The Summit took place from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Stuyvesant Yacht Club, 10 Centre St., The Bronx. Co-hosted by the Bodega & Small Business Group (BSBG) and Cortes Global Equity Partners, the event convened 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.
Panels explored four pillars of bodega modernization, all anchored in the “Sovereign Bodega” thesis: modernization without displacement, technology without erasure. Media Tech & AI focuses on transforming storefronts into hyper-local media hubs through decentralized broadcasting and intelligent automation. FinTech deploys integrated financial systems and frictionless micro-payments that unlock new revenue streams for small businesses. Security uses AI-powered ambient systems to protect assets while enhancing the customer experience. Infrastructure synchronizes inventory, data, and content across distributed physical locations.
Panelists included Andre Ureña, Co-Founder & Chairman of Centro AI; Milbert Kiggundu-Bentham, Co-Founder & CEO of Alvix Advisory, a former Bank of America executive; Samira O., Founder of Building Experimental AI Products, with an 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; 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; Riya Goel, Investment Banker at Bank of America and Founder of Barnard Investment Group; and Steve Yanovsky, Founder of Brand Alchemy, a media innovation veteran who led digital strategies for Apple, ESPN, Microsoft Xbox, Pepsi, Unilever, and Atlantic Records, and co-founded DriverTV, acquired by NBCUniversal.
Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson emphasized, “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 stated, “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, “Bodegas are institutions that are highly community focused... I'm amazed by the level of support from all the participants and bodega owners and people who are part of Tech Week, and the amount of commitment and resolve to protect bodegas.”
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. This 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 end of 2026, and 2,000 bodegas within three years. For more information, visit bodegas.tv.
