Bodegas TV launched New York City's first in-store video network, bodegas.tv, on June 4, 2026, at the #NYTechWeek Bodega & Small Business Innovation Summit. The Summit, co-hosted by the Bodega & Small Business Group (BSBG) and Cortes Global Equity Partners, convened over 100 NYC bodega owners, startup founders, investors, and technologists at Stuyvesant Yacht Club in The Bronx. The event explored 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 at the Summit covered four pillars of bodega modernization: Media Tech & AI, FinTech, Security, and Infrastructure. Topics included transforming storefronts into hyper-local media hubs through decentralized broadcasting, deploying integrated financial systems and frictionless micro-payments, AI-powered ambient security systems, and synchronizing inventory, data, and content across distributed 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 Steve Yanovsky, Founder of Brand Alchemy. Yanovsky, a media innovation veteran who led digital strategies for Apple, ESPN, and NBCUniversal, 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 added, “Technology is something we can all integrate into our businesses. We are in every corner and we are here to stay.” Ozzie Cortes, Founder & CEO of Cortes Global Equity Partners, noted, “I’m amazed by the level of support from all the participants and bodega owners... this is the beginning for bodegas to involve more technology.”
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.
