The HBCU Founders Initiative and UNCF TechVentures Partner to Establish the HBCU Pre-Accelerator Program to Scale Entrepreneurial Education and Training Across HBCUs and Support Student-led Tech-Enabled Ventures
SAN FRANCISCO, July 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — The HBCU Founders Initiative (HBCUFI), a nonprofit business that supports HBCU learners and alumni together their entrepreneurial journey, and UNCF TechVentures, a tech-entrepreneurial training and instruction plan for African American learners participating in UNCF STEM systems, have announced a partnership to set up the HBCU Pre-Accelerator application. The initiative will scale entrepreneurial instruction and education throughout HBCU campuses and deliver dedicated aid to on-campus pre-accelerator courses that assistance entrepreneurship and the start of college student-led ventures.
The inaugural cohort of the HBCU Pre-Accelerator System will contain the subsequent 7 HBCUs: Bowie State University, Elizabeth Town Point out College, Morgan State University, North Carolina A&T College, Oakwood College, Prairie Look at A&M, and Spelman Faculty.
Every of the campuses will host two, eight-week pre-accelerators (a single in the fall and a single in the spring) in assist of approximately 5 startups for every cohort all of which are comprised of early-phase founders who are past the ideation phase and all set to validate a dilemma and establish an MVP.
Every single pre-accelerator software will consist of matters this kind of as validating the idea, constructing a prototype, shopper discovery, marketing and branding, lawful operations, and fundraising and will be presented in weekly virtual cohort sessions with on campus functions also prepared. Members will have access to workplace hrs with advisors who will assistance them alongside their entrepreneurial journey. The program will culminate in a pitch level of competition the place individuals will be suitable to acquire non-dilutive method awards in assist of MVP growth.
“In line with our dedication to offer entrepreneurial instruction to our pupils, Bowie Point out is fired up to be picked to participate in HBCUFI’s Pre-Accelerator Application. By way of this plan our college students will have the possibility to continue to mature as innovators, develop their company leader mentality, and have obtain to means required to create sustainable companies,” explained Johnetta Boseman Hardy, Executive Director of The Entrepreneurship Innovation Centre (EIC) at Bowie Condition University.
“As an establishment committed to innovation and collaboration, Oakwood University is honored to be selected as 1 of the 7 campuses that will partner with HBCUFI for its Pre-Accelerator Software. We consider that entrepreneurship is a key ingredient of a nicely-rounded education and a main benefit at Oakwood University. We are psyched to grow our entrepreneurial offerings by means of our partnership with HBCUFI,” commented Dr. Theodore Brown Sr., Dean of the College of Organization at Oakwood College.
To-day, more than 500 pupils and alumni from 60+ HBCUs have benefitted from HBCUFI’s programming with contributors elevating in excess of $2M for their startups. Additionally, UNCF released TechVentures in 2020 with assist from the Citi Foundation and Blackstone Charitable Basis. TechVentures promptly delivered entrepreneurial education and coaching support to two cohorts of pupils via 2021 prior to developing the partnership with HBCUFI, which has enabled UNCF to scale and expand the method offerings across HBCU campuses.
“At UNCF, a core portion of our mission is to assistance our institutions in their efforts to develop capability and enable them to reach their aims of turning into hubs and nodes of innovation and entrepreneurship that will have area and regional financial affect. We are psyched about our partnership with HBCUFI and the HBCU Pre-Accelerator System as it represents a unique option to scale entrepreneurial schooling and coaching across HBCU campuses and to stimulate an entrepreneurial mindset among the our pupils. Further, this partnership expands our potential to cultivate the remarkable expertise that exists on our campuses,” reported Dr. Chad Womack, Vice President of National STEM Applications and Tech Initiatives at UNCF.
“Including an in-human being component to our perform is important in making sure the long-time period sustainability of our efforts,” said HBCUFI President, Marlon Evans. “By setting up nearby potential, we will be assisting to foster a culture of innovation on campus and in the surrounding local community. In the long run, we hope to create devoted acceleration programming at dozens of HBCUs launching hundreds of African American-led startups that draw in thousands and thousands of pounds of financial investment money, and in so carrying out, generating hundreds of positions on an annual foundation,” adds Evans. “As SMBs are the lifeblood of our financial state, generating two-thirds of net new employment and 44{ac23b82de22bd478cde2a3afa9e55fd5f696f5668b46466ac4c8be2ee1b69550} of all US financial activity, we believe that our virtual and in-man or woman startup acceleration programming will influence economic inclusion and empowerment.”
Aid from businesses fully commited to range and inclusion has been main to HBCUFI’s accomplishment. HBCUFI Founding Associate, Franklin Templeton, is among the these, possessing not too long ago declared its ideas to continue on to aid HBCUFI in 2022. For the 2022-2023 tutorial yr, Franklin Templeton will supply support to the pre-accelerators at Morgan Point out and North Carolina A&T College, providing arms-on guidance to the founders via its staff members who will serve as mentors, advisors, and pitch competition judges. Other organizations supporting HBCUFI for its second year involve Intel, AARP, Cooley, Perkins Coie, and Concrete Rose.
“As a founding spouse, Franklin Templeton has labored hand in hand with HBCUFI to tell the fintech method choices and supply help to new entrepreneurs. This plan is a excellent chance for pupils at HBCUs to develop their understanding of the startup landscape and acquire crucial competencies they will want in their entrepreneurial journeys and broader professions,” Regina Curry, Main Range Officer at Franklin Templeton.
HBCUFI is now accepting apps for the slide pre-accelerator. HBCU learners from the seven collaborating colleges are inspired to implement (alumni applications will be reviewed, but choice will be presented to current college students). HBCU pupils and alumni not affiliated with just one of the taking part colleges are also inspired to use and take part in the digital drop pre-accelerator.
To understand more and to apply, pay a visit to: https://www.hbcufi.org/pre-accelerator
Media Get hold of
Maggey Hoffmann
E mail: [email protected]
About the HBCU Founders Initiative
Introduced by Nex Cubed, the HBCU Founders Initiative (HBCUFI) aims to catalyze investment decision in African Individuals by supporting HBCU pupils and alumni along their entrepreneurial journey, encouraging them to go after know-how solutions that shut the racial prosperity gap ranging from rising entry to healthcare, schooling, and monetary expert services.
From the ideation stage to the investment stage and beyond, the HBCU Founders Initiative provides plans (accelerators, hackathons, business webinars, and pitch competitions), money and technical assets, as very well as a large community of advisors committed to supporting HBCU founders pursuing entrepreneurship.
As of the starting of 2022, in excess of 500 students and alumni from 60+ HBCUs have benefitted from the system. Individuals in our programming have lifted above $2M for their startups, positioning them to build jobs in their community.
About UNCF
UNCF (United Negro College or university Fund) is the nation’s greatest and most successful minority schooling corporation. To provide youth, the community and the nation, UNCF supports students’ education and enhancement by scholarships and other applications, supports and strengthens its 37 member colleges and universities, and advocates for the value of minority training and faculty readiness. Though totaling only 3{ac23b82de22bd478cde2a3afa9e55fd5f696f5668b46466ac4c8be2ee1b69550} of all faculties and universities, UNCF establishments and other traditionally Black faculties and universities are really productive, awarding 13{ac23b82de22bd478cde2a3afa9e55fd5f696f5668b46466ac4c8be2ee1b69550} of bachelor’s degrees, 5{ac23b82de22bd478cde2a3afa9e55fd5f696f5668b46466ac4c8be2ee1b69550} of master’s degrees, 10{ac23b82de22bd478cde2a3afa9e55fd5f696f5668b46466ac4c8be2ee1b69550} of doctoral levels and 24{ac23b82de22bd478cde2a3afa9e55fd5f696f5668b46466ac4c8be2ee1b69550} of all STEM degrees earned by Black learners in greater education. UNCF administers much more than 400 courses, which includes scholarship, internship and fellowship, mentoring, summer season enrichment, and curriculum and school enhancement courses. Nowadays, UNCF supports extra than 60,000 college students at above 1,100 schools and universities throughout the nation. Its brand options the UNCF torch of leadership in schooling and its greatly recognized trademark, ‟A mind is a terrible factor to waste.” ® Learn much more at UNCF.org or for continuous updates and information, adhere to UNCF on Twitter at @UNCF.
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