HipChicas.com Targets Tween Latinas with Eco-Friendly Virtual World Hip Venture Co. is the latest company to enter the crowded virtual worlds market for kids, tweens and teens (KT&T) with the imminent launch of HipChicas.com. But what separates this Flash-based virtual community from some of its competitors is its focus on socially conscious, young Latinas, and its "eco-friendly" stance, differentiators that analysts say may help it stand out from the pack. The world is modeled after real locations in North and South America, including cities like Miami and New York, as well as habitats like the Everglades and the Amazon. Girls learn that their actions directly affect the environment through games and challenges. Adding plants and cleaning up a habitat, for example, will cause a native endangered species to flourish. According to Lazaro Fuentes, founder and CEO of Hip Venture Co., the creative team spent about a year figuring out how to help girls understand the connection between their everyday activities and the environment without being "preachy."....