66 www.blackeoejournal.com Black EOE Journal
SUPPLIER DIVERSITY
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hen you realize how lucky you are to be in the constellation of the universe, and when you learn how it really works, you stop buying vehicles and you create vehicles to drive you, Pharrell Williams said of his nonprofit, Black Ambition, Thats what Black Ambition is. Its a vehicle for impact. At Black Ambition, we find you and then we fund you. For the second year in a row, Black Ambition will continue its promise to empower Black and Latinx innovators and communities by funding ventures in con- sumer products and services, media and entertainment, healthcare, technology and Web 3.0 through their annual competition. Winners of the competition will receive up to $1 million to help establish and grow their businesses uninterrupted. In 2021, Black Ambition completed its inaugural prize cycle, awarding fund- ing and resources to 34 prize winners and supporting an additional 250 entrepre- neurs with mentorship to strengthen their ventures. Over $3.2 million dollars were
Pharrell Williams performs during 2015 Lollapalooza Brazil at Autodromo de Interlagos in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Pharrell Williams Helps Fund Latinx & Black Ambition
PHOTO BY MAURICIO SANTANA/GETTY IMAGES
awarded to finalists, and these individuals have collectively raised over $40 million dollars since receiving a Black Ambition prize. The Black Ambition prize offers more than access to capital. It is a commitment to cultivating the pipelines of diverse tal- ent through mentorship and access to resources, founder-friendly investment terms and a promise to increase the num- ber of Black and Latinx entrepreneurs who succeed at raising the startup capital needed for their businesses. The Black Ambition Network will also provide access to both proven entrepreneurs and aspiring peers towards building a community com- mitted to building the companies of tomor- row. Black Ambition is committed to leveling the playing field and fos- tering the ingenuity, determination and resilience of underrepresented entrepreneurs. Felecia Hatcher, CEO of Black Ambition and former founder, author and advisor, states the bold question at the core of the nonprofit: Who are you uninter- rupted? And what would the world
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