1AQ Quick Reference

1AQUANTUM

Competition Day Quick Reference

Print this. Keep it in your pocket. Review before you pitch.
📊

The 10 Numbers You Must Know

Memorize these. They're your foundation.

95%
AI projects that FAIL (MIT)
11%
Hispanic AI specialists (vs. 20% of population) (Harvard)
21%
Hispanic entrepreneurs who receive full funding (vs. 40% white) (McKinsey)
2x
Hispanic business AI adoption rate when given access (Latino Donor Collaborative)
30%
Cost advantage competitors get with back-office AI
67%
Time savings (accounting firm: 8 hrs → 2.5 hrs)
$17B
Houston Hispanic professional services annual contribution
$250K
Your funding ask
Month 9
When you reach profitability
$800K-$1M
Year 1 revenue projection (conservative)
👥

30-Second Founder Intro

Memorize this word-for-word.

"Buenos días."
"I'm Marisabel Escalona, cybersecurity analyst and former COO who's spent my career in oil and gas watching businesses struggle with AI adoption. This is my co-founder Juan, Navy veteran, full-stack developer, and former Army and Air Force program analyst. We're both Hispanic, we've both navigated Anglo-dominated tech circles, and we've both spent years watching businesses fail at AI—not because they lack capability, but because they don't understand their own processes, data, or security. We built 1AQuantum because we've LIVED this problem and we know how to solve it."
🎯

Core Message

The Triple Crisis

"Three crises are converging:

First: 95% of AI projects fail—but the 5% that succeed follow specific patterns around strategic partnerships and back-office focus.
Second: Only 11% of AI specialists are Hispanic. This isn't about English—we speak English. This is about representation. AI is developed in Anglo and Asian circles. We're not at the table, creating systematic delays.
Third: Hispanic businesses get 21% funding rate versus 40% for white entrepreneurs. Already competing with less capital, now facing competitors with 30% cost advantages.
Result: Competitors operate at 30% lower costs. They're stealing clients—and businesses think it's service quality. It's backend operations."

The Hope Message (The Turn)

"Here's the critical insight: Latino Donor Collaborative found Hispanic businesses adopt AI at 2x the rate when given access to implementation expertise.

The problem isn't capability. It's ACCESS.

And when implemented correctly, businesses see 67% time savings, 30% more capacity, ROI in one season. It works."

The Solution (One Sentence)

"1AQuantum bridges this access gap using MIT's proven success formula—we implement proven tools in ways that fit YOUR business, following the patterns that give you 67% success versus 33% going alone."
💼

The Accounting Firm Example

Memorize this story. Make it vivid.

"8-person accounting firm. Pain point: 60-hour tax seasons, drowning in document processing.

⚠️ BEFORE

  • 📊 8 hours per client
  • ❌ 12% errors
  • 😓 85 clients max
  • 💤 Exhausted owner

✅ AFTER (6-week implementation)

  • ⚡ 2.5 hours per client (67% faster)
  • ✓ 5% errors (42% improvement)
  • 📈 110 clients (30% more capacity)
  • 😊 45-hour weeks
ROI: One tax season.

Owner reclaimed 15 hours weekly, serves 25 more clients, increased profit. They can now charge 10% less, make 20% more, and provide better service. They're not working harder—they have better operations."

⚡

Your Unfair Advantages

Marisabel

  • Cybersecurity analyst + Former COO = Security + Operations
  • Oil & gas experience = Complex workflows, compliance
  • Latinas in Tech, Latinas in Cyber, WICS = Community embedded
  • Can speak to: Engineers, executives, finance, legal, procurement

Juan

  • Navy veteran + Gov contractor = Discipline + procurement expertise
  • Full-stack developer + Data analyst = Build AND analyze
  • Veteran-owned status = Government contracting access (billions in set-asides)
  • Army/Air Force experience = Mission-critical systems understanding
Together: "We understand operations AND technology. We're embedded in AI circles AND the Hispanic community. We've lived this problem. Most consultants sell customer-facing AI because it's exciting. We sell back-office automation because it WORKS."
❓

Top 6 Q&A with Perfect Answers

Click to expand. Practice these out loud.

A: "We're pre-revenue by design. We've spent months studying why 95% of implementations fail and what the 5% do differently. We've created internal tools, worked with initial businesses to validate our approach, and built our methodology on MIT research—the proven playbook the top 5% use. Our founders have combined decades of experience in operations, cybersecurity, military procurement, and development. We're asking for funding to launch with validated methodology, not to experiment."
A: "We're not competing—we're serving the market they ignore. Big 4 firms target Fortune 500. We serve small and medium Hispanic businesses. We're culturally competent, understand relationship-based business models, implement proven tools (not expensive custom builds), and we're the bridge between Anglo/Asian AI circles and the Hispanic community. That's not replicable by a large firm's diversity initiative."
A: "Professional services AI adoption went from 33% to 71% in two years. Small business GenAI adoption went from 29% to 58% in one year. But more fundamentally: our competitors ALREADY have it. This isn't about future trends—it's about current competitive reality. Businesses are losing clients RIGHT NOW to faster competitors. By the time they realize AI isn't a trend, they'll have lost too much market share to recover."
A: "Three reasons: First, only 21% of Hispanic entrepreneurs get full funding—they're capital-constrained and can't afford $30K-$80K implementations until it's too late. Second, this is community-wide intervention—individual failures weaken the entire $17B contribution. Third, our funding creates the initial proof points that make the model self-sustaining. After we prove 6-month ROI with our first 25 businesses, subsequent clients will pay directly. The fund investment protects the community while we build the evidence base."
A: "Even at 50% of our revenue projections, we cover the $250K investment and break even. The methodology is sound—MIT research-backed, 2x adoption rate proven. Our conservative estimates assume we only convert 40% of discovery clients. Even if we're less aggressive in client acquisition, we still prove the model and build foundation for Year 2. The downside risk is delay, not failure—because the market need is real and growing monthly."
A: "Latino Donor Collaborative research: Hispanic businesses adopt AI at 2x the rate of white-owned businesses when given access to implementation expertise. The 2x rate proves capability isn't the issue—access is. Additionally, Hispanic-owned businesses grew 44% from 2018-2023 while white-owned declined. This community is entrepreneurial and adaptive—they just need the bridge to implementation expertise that's concentrated elsewhere. We ARE that bridge."
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Key Phrases to Use Verbatim

  • "We've LIVED this problem"
  • "The problem isn't capability. It's ACCESS."
  • "Not because they lack capability, but because they don't understand their own processes, data, or security"
  • "They're not working harder—they have better operations"
  • "Competitors operate at 30% lower costs"
  • "Will Houston's Hispanic professional community get access—or will the GenAI Divide widen until it's irreversible?"
  • "This is economic justice. The time is now."
  • "We're not asking for charity—we're offering an opportunity"
  • "67% success versus 33% going alone"
  • "Protect $17 billion in community economic contribution"
⏱️

Slide Flow with Timing

Keep this pace. Don't rush the example.

0:00-0:30
Opening & Founder Intro
"Buenos días" → Introduce yourselves → "We've LIVED this problem"
0:30-1:30
The Triple Crisis
95% failure → 11% representation → 21% funding → 30% cost disadvantage
1:30-2:00
The Hope Message
2x adoption rate → "The problem isn't capability. It's ACCESS."
2:00-3:00
The Solution
1AQuantum bridges the gap → MIT methodology → Proven tools
3:00-4:30
The Accounting Firm Example
8 hrs → 2.5 hrs (67% faster) → 85 → 110 clients → ROI in one tax season
4:30-5:30
Why We're Uniquely Qualified
Marisabel + Juan backgrounds → "We understand operations AND technology"
5:30-6:30
The Funding Ask
$250K → Breakdown → Month 9 profitability → $800K-$1M Year 1
6:30-7:30
The Impact
Per business + Community-wide → Protect $17B contribution
7:30-8:00
The Close
"This is economic justice. The time is now." → "Gracias."
🎤

What to Emphasize

✅ DO

  • Make eye contact during "we've LIVED this problem"
  • Pause after big numbers (95%, 11%, 2x, $17B)
  • Smile when saying "2x adoption rate" (positive, hopeful)
  • Speak with confidence when stating $250,000 ask
  • Gesture naturally to emphasize key points
  • Show passion for community protection
  • Stand tall—you're uniquely qualified

❌ DON'T

  • Apologize for being pre-revenue (it's a strength)
  • Rush through the accounting firm example
  • Hedge or soften the funding ask (be direct)
  • Oversell or hype (let data speak)
  • Get defensive if questioned (confidence, not combativeness)
  • Forget to close with "Gracias" (cultural bookend)
🏆

The Competitive Edge

Traditional Consultants 1AQuantum
Build custom AI Implement proven tools
Customer-facing AI Back-office first (highest ROI)
Sell and leave Transfer ownership, train your team
No cultural competence Navigate AI circles FOR you
Generic approach Understand relationship-based business
"Big 4 firms target Fortune 500 with $500K-$5M budgets. We serve small and medium Hispanic businesses with $20K-$100K budgets. We're culturally competent, bilingual when needed, and we understand relationship-based business models. That's not something a large consultancy can replicate with a 'diversity initiative.'"

The Power Statement

I am Marisabel Escalona / I am Juan.

I have spent my career watching businesses struggle with AI adoption.

I have the rare combination of skills to solve this problem.

I am backed by MIT research, Harvard data, and Latino Donor Collaborative proof.

I am asking for $250,000 to protect $17 billion in community contribution.

I will be profitable in 9 months. Self-sustaining in 12 months.

I am not a risk. I am an opportunity.

I am the bridge the Hispanic community needs.

I've got this.
🔥

Final Pre-Pitch Ritual

30 Minutes Before

  • Read this document one more time
  • Practice the founder intro out loud
  • Visualize the accounting firm example
  • Review the 10 key numbers
  • Take three deep breaths

5 Minutes Before

  • Stand tall
  • Remember: You've lived this problem
  • Remember: You know the solution
  • Remember: You're uniquely qualified
  • Remember: The community needs this
Right Before You Walk In:
"This is economic justice. I'm protecting $17 billion in community wealth. I'm the best bet in this room."

You Are Ready. You Are Qualified. You Will Win This.

Vamos. Let's go protect our community.

PRINT THIS KEEP IT IN YOUR POCKET REVIEW BEFORE YOU PITCH
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