There are new grants and accelerator programs listed below in the Opportunities section. Jump down there if that’s what you came for. Or read some of my thoughts below on where we’re all headed.
The Biden Administration is almost here. (If you pray, pray for a peaceful inauguration.) Vaccine rollout continues, though not without hiccups. Governor Cuomo has promised programs to revitalize the State’s economy with programs from legalizing marijuana, to online sports betting, to major transportation initiatives in rail, road, and air. The list is long and we’ll learn more soon. These plans include addressing racial and social inequities through expanded broadband access, inexpensive housing, and expanded voter access. NYC, as the major economic driver of the state, will figure prominently in all of these plans. While it’s not, ‘Morning in America’, – probably a good thing – I’m hopeful. Let’s see what comes to pass. Read the Governor’s words
cela — a team of accelerator experts, hosts of the world’s only global accelerator summit, and a global membership network of accelerators — is hosting cela Office Hours for Disability Founders #2.! Founders who identify as Disabled, apply for a chance to meet with investors, entrepreneurs, and technologist who identify Disabled as well. Visit https://celainnovation.com to apply, or email cela@cela.nyc with questions!
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RAISING FUNDSSuitably (Seed Round) is a woman owned professional womenswear brand that offers seasonless wardrobe staples, all machine washable and under $100, without asking customers to compromise on style, comfort or quality. Suitably’s products are thoughtfully created for evolving professional contexts—from workplace to Zoom call—by prioritizing what women want and offering a simplified shopping experience. Suitably launched in February 2020, and is raising a seed round to rapidly scale. For more information please contact annabel@suitably.com
DOLLOP is Japan’s first direct-to-consumer CBD lifestyle brand focused exclusively on products that cater to the Japanese market. We have finalized the initial product line, gotten past the regulatory hurdles, and are implementing a go-to-market strategy. The team is made up of experienced entrepreneurs with strong ties to both the hemp and Japanese business/govt communities. We are raising a pre-seed round. For more information please contact shigeki@dollop.co.jp
New 1863 Ventures 3R Grant Program – $5K grant to Recover. Rebuild. Resilience. Apply by June 1
New ASCAP x NYC Media Lab Immersive Music Studio Challenge: We’re seeking startups & university teams eager to explore new ways artists can create music, connect with their fans, & interact with sound. Learn more & Apply by Jan 29
New NYC Media Lab Synthetic Media Challenge: We’re calling on current grad students to help us explore new ways we can make media content more relevant, memorable, & engaging using machine learning, GANs, & other emerging tech. Apply by Jan 22
New SAP.iO Foundry NYC & SF Virtual Spring 2021 No-Equity Programs for Software startups in Professional/Business Services and Future of Work. SAP’s Corporate VC & Global Accelerators for enterprise startups; founder-friendly, no-equity, seed to Series D; access to SAP’s technology, global customers, mentorship; virtual programs; various themes & deadlines now open for global Foundries; NYC focused on women or POC founders – Apply by Feb 10th
New Ad Astra Get to Even Founder Bootcamp for female founders (2/24 – 3/2) Apply by Jan 22(Full or partial scholarships are possible)
Startup Woman Entrepreneurship Class COVID-19 pressured many women to reinvent their careers. Startupwoman.info is offering an entrepreneurship class (Four 2-hr sessions beginning Jan 19) to help women’s new projects get off the ground in 2021. Price: ($29.90, free in case of financial hardship). For 10% off, use Promo code: BETTER2021 Learn more & sign up
New 1863 Ventures Apply for a $5K grant
New The NYC LMI Storefront Loan is an interest-free loan up to $100,000 to help storefront businesses located in low-to-moderate income (LMI) areas of New York City restart or continue operations after experiencing challenges from COVID-19. The NYC Department of Small Business Services is partnering with Pursuit to service these loans.
Rebuild Your Brand Post-COVID-19 Apply for $5k grant, curated learning, business coaching, + access to the 1863 Ventures member network. Learn more
WeWork Labs digital platform is opening its startup and small business support to all WeWork member companies with fewer than 20 employees for FREE (with an All Access membership and up). Join a community of founders like you and get access to one on one mentorship as well as hundreds of live and on-demand events to support your personal and professional goals. To request access to WeWork Labs digital platform go to https://www.weworklabs.com/labs
Kaleidoscope Creative Challenge Grantawards a monthly cash prize to emerging artists for a new work that can be completed within 3 months of receiving the grant. The project must have a budget of less than $5k. All formats, genres, and categories of projects will be considered,
VentureCrushFG Pods: A Digital Cohort to Enable Founders to Network During a PandemicWhy? Network, Guidance, Support. No equity taken. They build a community of founders, investors, and advisors. 8 mo. program. Great track record for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Ford and National Urban League Launch $600,000 Initiative to Help Black Small Business Owners Hardest Hit By COVID-19
Tech & VC: The Foundation is a collection of resources for those interested in breaking into Venture Capital. The range of info here (and it will increase over time) will also be interesting and useful to all founders.
This sheet is a collection of people who have offered to “…chat with Black individuals about their relevant areas of expertise.” The tabs in this sheet cover: People Offering Their Time, Tips on Reaching Out, Job Listings @Companies Actively Hiring.
Female Innovators’ Lab Barclays and Anthemis are committed to bringing more women into entrepreneurship in the financial services ecosystem and closing the fundraising gender gap. Rolling admissions
SCAP is an impact investor focusing on Corporate Social Responsibility to bring about a social change in the Environmental, Food & Biotech industries. Learn more & apply.
Podfund$25k – $50k to support emerging podcast creators Learn more and apply
Office Hours with Sapna Shah, If you are an early-stage entrepreneur in the retail space (B2B, DTC, etc.) and would like to schedule a virtual meeting with me, please use the Calendly link below. Currently, all meetings will be done virtually due to New York’s pause and WFH mandates. Schedule a meeting: calendly.com/sapnaredgiraffe
Office Hours with Laconia Capital Seed Round funding, $500K – $1 Mil. Go here
Check out Matt Hooper’s ” Live! From Tomorrow” an epic musical comedy about tech and innovation, in the hallowed tradition (?) of The Producers meets Gimlet’s ‘Startup’ podcast. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or the app of choice.
Brian Aoaeh, REFASHIONED Ventures
In a recent conversation, we talked about raising a venture fund, the NY Supply Chain Meetup, entrepreneurship, and herding cows. Brian, with great intelligence and warm humor, weaves these topics into a seamless whole. Herding cows is just one of the many things Brian’s grandfather taught him. Listen and learn as I did.
