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.
Summit programming focused on four pillars of bodega modernization: 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; Security, using AI-powered ambient systems to protect assets while enhancing customer experience; and Infrastructure, synchronizing 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; Samira O., Founder of Building Experimental AI Products; Charlie Barnet, Co-Founder of World Mobile; Arabel Alva Rosales, J.D., President & CEO of AAR Tech; Jean Michael Lif, Co-Founder of RDÉ; Riya Goel, Investment Banker at Bank of America and Founder of Barnard Investment Group; and Steve Yanovsky, Founder of Brand Alchemy, who co-founded DriverTV, the automotive industry’s first contextual video-on-demand network, acquired by NBCUniversal.
Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson said, “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, LLC noted, “Bodegas are institutions that are highly community focused. I care because I’m a member of the world community, and I support small businesses.”
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 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.
The Bodega & Small Business Group (BSBG), led by President Francisco Marte, represents thousands of NYC bodega owners and serves as the community anchor for this initiative. Cortes Global Equity Partners, LLC, with Ozzie Cortes as Founder & CEO, is an Investor & Advisor on the Bodegas TV project.
