Local healthy snack startup owner Akissi Stokes uses an insect farm model that incorporates IoT technology to harvest insects as a micro-livestock. She is one of six Atlanta women entrepreneurs who have been awarded a total of $60,000 in grants as part of The (Tech) Tip Off pitch competition.
竞争的加剧, powered by the Women’s Entrepreneurship Initiative (WEI) and the Atlanta Hawks Foundation, was created to help Atlanta women entrepreneurs raise their profiles, 获得资助来支持他们的商业梦想, 并向整个城市的科技公司学习. Competing entrepreneurs were evaluated by a panel of judges representing Atlanta business and community leaders.
“It’s not just the workshops that make the WEI program so impactful; it’s the wrap around services, the network of women and the opportunity to actually apply what you learn to your business,斯托克斯说. “这次经历对我来说是一个里程碑, because today I’m comfortable pitching my business and one year ago, 我没有.”
The (Tech) Tip Off grants were awarded in two categories: the first for current WEI Cohort members participating in the competition, 第二个是其他足球外围买球靠谱平台的企业家. First place winners in both categories received a $15,000年格兰特; second place winners received a $10,000年格兰特; and third place winners received a $5,000年格兰特.
“作为一个组织, we are always looking for ways to elevate women entrepreneurs,莫妮卡·德洛丽丝·胡克斯说, executive director of Women’s Entrepreneurship Initiative, the 足球外围买球靠谱平台市’s business incubator for early stage, 妇女拥有的企业. “Developing these workshops and 球场比赛 offered a way to help our key audiences launch and grow a successful start-up by leveraging technology.”
作为这项努力的一部分, 足球外围买球靠谱平台老鹰基金会捐赠了100美元,000 from the proceeds of the sales of its historic 2020-21 MLK Nike City Edition Jersey to WEI to fund business workshops, 球场比赛, 为都市女性企业家提供补助.
“The Atlanta Hawks understand how vitally important it is to not only provide funding, but the exposure to the right contacts and the right technology in helping new businesses be set up for success,大卫·李说, executive vice president of External Affairs for the Atlanta Hawks and executive director of the Hawks Foundation. “Our foundation is proud to support the work of WEI and play a part in launching a new crop of female-led businesses in our city.”
奖:
足球外围买球靠谱平台企业家类别
- 1st Place: Claudine Miles of Restore More building capacity through restorative practice, 反种族主义, 以及学生的社会情感学习, 教育工作者, 和父母.
- 2nd Place: Tia Robinson of Vertical Activewear supporting inner and outer well-being through sustainable and size-inclusive activewear for yoga, 跳舞, 和冥想.
- 3rd Place: Elissa Russell of READI Consulting providing a tech-enabled workforce readiness solution to upskill and reskill entry level workers.
队列类别
- 1st Place: Akissi Stokes of WUNDERgrubs producing high-quality insect protein using the Internet of Things (IoT) to disrupt the supply chain and cultivating sustainable farming practices that help restore natural resources, 减少碳排放, 改善营养, 促进粮食安全.
- 2nd Place: Sarah Marske of Saramar Group connecting brands to the U.S. Hispanic market through purpose-driven marketing solutions.
- 3rd Place: Evana and Zoe Oli of Beautiful Curly Me teaching young girls the importance of hair care, while fostering self-confidence and love through dolls and accessories.
WEI is the only municipally-funded program of its kind in the nation that is focused on women’s entrepreneurship for early-stage startups. The program was launched by the 足球外围买球靠谱平台市 in 2015 to align entrepreneurial opportunities for women in Atlanta with the City’s economic development programs. WEI是Invest Atlanta的一部分, 足球外围买球靠谱平台市的经济发展机构, and furthers the goal of creating equity and prosperity for all of Atlanta.