Description
Startups on the Blocks Founders and Future Founders Pitch Competition seeks African American and Latino Founders located in Northwest Florida
REGISTER EARLY TO PITCH YOUR BUSINESS IDEA!
Initially
Launched in 2020, Startup on the Blocks has a mission to empower Northwest Florida's African-American and Latin communities to create and cultivate their ideas in the rapidly growing startup ecosystem. According to a 2020
Founder Institute article "...Harlam Capital report in 2018, “just 105 companies with black or Latino founders have raised rounds of $1 million or more since 2000.” And according to CB Insights, black founder funding rate was 10X below demographic equity, citing "In 2015, only 1% of funded startup founders were black, but made up 11% of the overall US population.” Additionally, a TrustRadius survey found 63% of African Americans and 52% of Latins found it more difficult to find mentorship in the field of technology, according to
Computerworld.
Through this inaugural competition, Startup on the Blocks provides an opportunity to cultivate your idea from the very beginning and catapult Black and Latino founders into the vast landscape of startup resources available. The Founders and Future Founders Pitch Competition is the first step of a pre-accelerator program designed to pair founders with mentors to make their idea solve problems and develop into a sustainable and profitable business.
STEP INTO THE STARTUP ECOSYSTEM! STARTUPS ON THE BLOCKS will prepare you and connect you to the resources to transform your idea into a product or service.
APPLY TODAY!Special Thanks to
Kukuka Institute's
Startups on the Blocks Pitch Competition Sponsors and Supporters.
Innisfree Hotels,
Small Business Development Center at UWF,
Greater Pensacola Chamber of Commerce,
Gulf Coast Minority Chamber of Commerce and
Bantucola.com
What an Applicant can Obtain
AWARDS SUMMARY:
Total Financial Cash Awards
Pilot Cohort Startups Category: $1,000
CASH will be awarded to the FINAL TWO (2) PITCH Winners:
1st PLACE: $700
2nd PLACE: $300
Founders and Future Founders Category: $1,000
CASH will be awarded to the FINAL TWO (2) PITCH Winners:
1st PLACE: $700
2nd PLACE: $300
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Cash Award
- 1st Prize $700.00 + 1-year memberships to both the Greater Pensacola Chamber of Commerce and the Gulf Coast Minority Chamber of Commerce + A premium listing in the Bantucola.com Black Business Directory
- 2nd Prize $300 + A premium listing in the Bantucola.com Black Business Directory
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10 Semifinalist will be offered have access to the following:
- F6S.com - Products and Services
- Startups on the Blocks – Startup framework and project management support valued at $1080
- Startups on the Blocks - Mentoring
PRIZES: All prizes are subject to verification of eligibility and compliance with these Official Rules.
Winners may waive his or her right to receive prizes. Prizes are non-assignable and non-transferable. No substitutions allowed by winners. Prizes and individual components of prize packages are subject to availability and the Sponsor reserves the right to substitute a prize or prize component of equal or greater value. Winners are solely responsible for reporting and payment of any taxes on prizes, as well as license and registration fees, transportation costs, and other incidental costs incurred by participating in the Contest. Winners will be required to provide his/her valid EIN to the Sponsor for tax purposes and complete an IRS W-9 form in order to claim the prize. Winners will be issued an IRS Form 1099 based on the prize value determined by the Sponsor. Failure to comply with these Official Rules, including failure to be present when the Prize Winners are announced, may result in that winner’s disqualification, the forfeiture of his or her interest in the prize, and the award of the prize to a substitute winner. A substitute Prize Winner will be chosen based upon the Finalist with the next-highest score who is present at the Event. The sponsor will select up to two (2) alternate potential winners for a particular prize, after which that prize will remain unawarded. All prize details are at the sole discretion of the Sponsor. All prizes must be claimed by August 12, 2021.
