Black startup founders compete for $17,500 in seed money at We Rise’s first pitch event
Six local business owners will compete in front of a live audience June 29 in Phoenix for $17,500 in seed money during the first We Rise Demo Day pitch competition.
Each competitor is a graduate of We Rise, Local First Arizona’s six-month, no-cost business boot camp for Black entrepreneurs. The six finalists were selected from a larger pool of graduates after submitting written pitches.
As Arizonans prepare to celebrate Juneteenth, Demo Day will showcase the skill, ingenuity and creativity of Arizona’s Black-owned businesses, while providing crucial seed funds to the most promising concepts.
The public and members of the media are invited to enjoy this free, groundbreaking event and meet and interview the entrepreneurs.
When: Thursday, June 29
5-6 p.m. Pre-Game: Join the team behind Venture Café, an initiative of the Center for Entrepreneurial Innovation, to learn about their emerging tech boot camp and chat with local founders.
6-8 p.m. We Rise “Demo Day” Pitch Event
Where: Venture Café, 850 N. 5th St., Phoenix, AZ 85004
Cost: Free. Parking and two complimentary drinks provided by Venture Café
RSVP: https://xg112.infusionsoft.app/app/form/werise-demo
Judges will award cash prizes of $10,000 for first place, $5,000 for second place and $2,500 for third place.
Prize money is courtesy of Growth Partners Arizona, a certified Community Development Financial Institution that helps forward-thinking nonprofits and underserved small businesses gain access to capital in communities across Arizona.
Accessing capital is the largest barrier entrepreneurs face, even more so for Black-owned businesses. Studies show that Black entrepreneurs start businesses with about $35,000 of capital compared to $107,000 for white entrepreneurs and that Black applicants have a harder time obtaining loans than white applicants. Only 4% of Black-owned businesses survive the startup stage. Local First is changing this narrative through We Rise, Demo Day and collaborators like Growth Partners.
The We Rise Demo Day competitors are:
Conscious Gear - Charlotte Bowens
Conscious Gear specializes in providing outdoor gear and apparel for bigger bodies. Its flagship product, Vestpak, is the world's first hydration vest designed for bigger, curvier and taller bodies. Conscious Gear offers a hydration solution that is sized from XL to 8X, so that anyone can comfortably enjoy indoor and outdoor movement while meeting their hydration needs.
Deafinitely Communicating - Germaine Graham
Deafinitely Communicating is a speech and language practice dedicated to meeting the communication needs of deaf and hard-of-hearing children and adults in the Phoenix metro area. Germaine is passionate about this work and is ready to connect with various professionals to learn the nuts and bolts needed to take her business to the next level.
EstiBlack Aesthetics - Yolanda Robinson
EstiBlack Aesthetics is an inclusive, corrective and preventive care spa suite where clients receive treatments ranging from custom facials to advanced services such as microneedling and chemical peels to heal damaged skin from trauma. EstiBlack focuses on corrective procedures and preventative education while offering clinical and medical grade skincare.
The Diaspora Collective - Evelia Davis
The Diaspora Collective is an immersive experience to celebrate Africa and the African diaspora. This business celebrates Black joy, love and purpose. It is a place to celebrate, discover and connect with the food, culture, music and people of Africa and the African diaspora.
Trades of Brit - Brittny Johnson
Trades of Brit is a chemist-created business that believes we should love our bodies, embrace our beauty and elevate our brains. Owned by Brittny Johnson, the brand showcases small-batch, handcrafted soaps and body items utilizing natural, high-quality ingredients including oils, butters and botanicals while avoiding harmful substances and chemicals.
Total Nourish Beauty - Sammi Tolliver
Total Nourish Beauty specializes in a variety of hair care services from natural hair care to hair extensions. Sammi also provides retail consisting of hair extensions, hair products and custom hair growth oils. She is currently working on expanding the services to include wellness and a product line that will offer herbal hair growth teas, bath and body products.
Headshots are here.
About We Rise
The We Rise Business Accelerator aims to end age-old racial wealth gaps and unfair banking and lending practices by connecting Black business owners in Arizona to mentors, customers and sources of capital. More than 50 Black business leaders have graduated from the course since 2020.
Classes cover a wide range of topics such as business model development and planning, financial literacy, business licensing, customer service and networking. The six-month program also opens a dialogue between mentors and participants about social injustice issues associated with being a Black business owner and how to navigate doing business while Black.
There is no fee to participate, but entrepreneurs are required to save at least $1,000 while developing a plan to use the funds to grow their businesses. Upon graduation, Local First matches what the participants have saved up to $1,000.
Applications for the next We Rise cohort open in October at localfirstaz.com/we-rise-cohort-app.
Classes are held online twice a month on Wednesdays from 5 to 7 p.m. Applicants must be at least 18 years old, have some experience running a business and need assistance with the fundamentals of their business. Scholarships to fund high-speed home internet, childcare and other needs are available.
About Local First Arizona
Founded in 2003, Local First Arizona is a community and economic development organization working to strengthen local economies. Local First’s areas of focus include developing entrepreneurship, rural and urban community development, racial equity, environmental action and food access. Local First is the largest local business coalition in the U.S. and advocates for independently owned businesses of all sizes by assisting local owners with technical assistance designed to help them compete and collaborate, which ultimately strengthens Arizona's economy and builds hometown pride. Visit www.localfirstaz.com for more information and a directory of more than 3,000 locally-owned businesses.
About Venture Café
Venture Café partners with companies and organizations that are evolving business, education, technology, social justice, science and the arts within Phoenix and beyond. Along with pitch nights, thought-provoking content and one-on-one sessions, our flagship program – Thursday Gathering – provides you with hundreds of connection and action opportunities each week. When you take part in a Venture Café event, you can meet hundreds of creative, resourceful people who are just as invested in improving life in Phoenix as you are.
About the Center for Entrepreneurial Innovation
The Center for Entrepreneurial Innovation was created by GateWay Community College and the Maricopa County Community College District to provide incubation space for bioscience entrepreneurs in Phoenix. Since 2013, the incubator has supported over 80 startups that have created 765 jobs, secured $117.5 million in capital and generated more than $160 million in gross revenue.
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