NEW YORK, March 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading
entertainment and lifestyle retailer, HSN, is proud to announce the five finalists selected as part of its Project American
Dreams initiative. The finalists will launch their products during a special edition of The Monday Night Show with
Adam Freeman on March 13, 2017 at 6
p.m. EST.
HSN teamed up with award-winning entrepreneur and Dreamers Ventures creator Liliana "Lili" Gil
Valletta and Bob Circosta, "TV's Billion Dollar Man," to search for new and exciting
products from Latino/a entrepreneurs to launch on HSN. Project American Dreams is part of HSN's American Dreams program to
cultivate entrepreneurs and introduce new products to market.
The five finalists were selected from nearly 100 applicants for the opportunity to launch their products on HSN and reach a
national audience. On March 13 th, 92 million American households will be able to tune
in and buy these innovative products.
The selected Project American Dreams top five finalists are:
- Hipatia López (Saddle Brook, NJ), created the patented invention the
Empanada/Pastry Fork, making it up to five times faster to shape and seal anything from empanadas to calzones, apple
turnovers and more.
- Juan Luis Pedro Sánchez (Madrid, Spain) created the patented KeepFresh
Sheets, offering a natural and chemical-free way to extend the shelf life of fruits and vegetables, keeping fruits fresher
longer.
- Frances Prado (Jamul, California) created the
patented Hanging Secrets, offering women a new solution to hang, organize, protect and find their lingerie at home or on
the go.
- Victoria Flores (New York, NY), co-created the
patent-pending Lux Beauty Club's GLAM-N-GO Hair Bun, providing natural and inexpensive off-the-shelf hair buns and hair
extensions uniquely constructed to fit and match almost any hair color.
- James and Kathryn Smith (Dallas, Texas) co-created
the patented Giraffe Razor Extension Handle, offering a solution to people limited in flexibility and mobility by adding
15 to 20 inches to a razor handle and an easy pivoting head that rotates for personalization and convenience.
The finalists, who hail from across the U.S. and Spain have spent the past weeks preparing to
launch their product live before 92 million households.
Delivering a compelling pitch is not the only element to entrepreneurial success, and U.S. Bank, the presenting sponsor, has
been there alongside the winners, providing specialized mentoring to each finalist. U.S. Bank has a strong commitment to
small-businesses as the third-largest lender of Small Business Administration loans in the country, providing $838 million in SBA loans during fiscal 2016.
U.S. Bank will sponsor the winners for a chance to attend the Stanford Latino Entrepreneur Leaders Program (SLEP), if
qualified and take part in an immersive six-week program that provides the education, networks, mentorship and access to capital
to grow their business. If qualified, up to three winners will be selected to participate in the Access Latina women-entrepreneur
accelerator program, and one winner will receive a cash prize by U.S. Bank, as part of a social media challenge that rewards the
contestant with the most hashtag votes via Twitter and Instagram.
For more information about Project American Dreams, please visit ProjectAmericanDreams.com and its social channels:
Facebook: @DreamersVentures
Instagram: dreamersventures and
Twitter: @DreamersVenture
Join The Conversation #HSNProjectAmericanDreams.
About HSN:
HSN is a leading entertainment and lifestyle retailer, offering a curated assortment of exclusive products and top brand names to
its customers. HSN incorporates entertainment, inspiration, personalities and industry experts to provide an entirely unique
shopping experience. At HSN, customers find exceptional selections in Health & Beauty, Jewelry, Home/Lifestyle,
fashion/Accessories, and Electronics. HSN broadcasts live to approximately 92 million households in the US 24/7 and its website -
hsn.com features more than 50,000 product videos. Mobile applications include HSN apps for iPad, iPhone and Android. HSN, founded
40 years ago as the first home shopping network, is an operating segment of HSN, Inc. (Nasdaq: HSNI). For more information,
please visit www.HSN.com, or follow @HSN on Facebook and Twitter.
About U.S. Bancorp:
Minneapolis-based U.S. Bancorp (NYSE: USB), with $446 billion in
assets as of Dec. 31, 2016, is the parent company of U.S. Bank National Association, the fifth
largest commercial bank in the United States. The company operates 3,106 banking offices in 25
states and 4,842 ATMs and provides a comprehensive line of banking, investment, mortgage, trust and payment services products to
consumers, businesses and institutions. Visit U.S. Bancorp on the web at www.usbank.com.
Dreamers Ventures:
Dreamers Ventures is an alliance of investors, mentors and resources committed to fuel Latino business growth. With a focus on
product innovation, this accelerator was co-founded by award-winning entrepreneur Liliana Gil
Valletta, entrepreneur, investor and digital expert Enrique Arbelaez, and is supported by
industry leaders like the legendary "TV's Billion Dollar Man" and author of the best selling book "Life is a Pitch", Bob Circosta, among other experts. Signature programs launched and managed by Dreamers Ventures include HSN's
Project American Dreams, a business competition that discovers, mentors, and fast tracks Latino entrepreneurs to launch their
products live on HSN.
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SOURCE HSN