Pharrell Williams’ Black Ambition Foundation Hosts Demo Day 2023

From its start in 2020, Black Ambition prioritizes mentorship and aims to empower and fund entrepreneurs of color in order to bridge the wealth gap. Founded by musical legend and Louis Vuitton’s men’s Creative Director, Pharrell Williams, and headed by CEO Felecia Hatcher, the nonprofit foundation fulfills its mission on Demo Day.

A one million dollar pitch competition, Demo Day was held on November 9 at Spring Studios in NYC. Through Demo Day, Black Ambition has awarded around 10 million dollars to small businesses since its inception.

An event that began with 50 competitors ended with 36 finalist pitching their businesses on Demo Day. Finalists went home with prizes ranging from $25,000 to $250,000 and in the end, Antoinette Banks won the million dollar grand prize for creating and heading Experts IEP, an app for parents that optimizes AI to create educational plans for children with learning disabilities.

Some of the other prize recipients include Butter’d Bodycare ($50,000), Suds Laundry Services LLC ($75,000), Maïré Rosa’s one stop shop, Ecom Spaces ($250,000) and HBCU Grand Prize Winner, communal e-reading experience, Monocle ($200,000). In addition to funding, the winners also receive something just as important: mentorship.

In a panel discussion held before the prizes were announced, Williams, alongside Warby Parker Co-CEO David Gilboa, stressed to the audience, “Your idea of a building might be cool, but it won’t last if you don’t have the right scaffolding. The right mentorship.” This belief is why recipients were also awarded access to investors, office hours with industry professionals, life coaching and more.

Visit The Black Ambition Prize website to find out more about the nonprofit, and how to get involved next year.

A list of the 36 winners can be found below –
$20,000 General Track Prize Recipients:
BarBella Co., www.barbellaco.com
Bea’s Bayou Skincare, www.beasbayouskincare.com
Hamilton Perkins Collection, www.hamiltonperkins.com
The Jefas, www.thejefas.com
KT Winery Inc., www.momjuicewine.com
$50,000 General Track Prize Recipients:
kweliTV, www.kweli.tv
Clymb, www.clymbup.io
Healthy Oceans Seafood Company (brand: Pescavore), www.pescavoreseafood.com
Boxtown Team, www.boxtownproducts.com
IndiGenius LLC (CDIAL AI), www.cdial.co
Saint Miles, www.saintmiles.co
Cerobrand / Singular Care, www.singular.care
Rektify AI, www.rektify.ai
Redress, www.myredress.com
$75,000 General Track Prize Recipients:
Katapulte, www.katapulte.io
Gently Soap, www.gentlysoap.com
Compensate Community Powered By WorldSafe1st Inc. www.compensatecommunity.com
KIN Apparel, www.kinapparel.com
UnDelay, www.undelayapp.com
Therapeutic Innovations, www.therapeuticinnovations.org
$100,000 General Track Prize Recipients:
MOODEAUX, www.moodeaux.com
The Renatural, www.therenatural.com
Uncle Waithley’s Beverage Company, Inc., www.unclewaithleys.com
$250,000 General Track Prize Recipients:
ECOMSPACES, www.ecomspaces.com
$1,000,000 General Track Prize Recipients:
Expert IEP, www.expertieps.com

$20,000 HBCU Track Prize Recipients:
Tendaji, Inc., www.tendajiinc.org/

WENITE Inc, www.weniteinc.com
$25,000 HBCU Track Prize Recipients:
Parking Pin, www.parkingpin.io
$50,000 HBCU Track Prize Recipients:
DoctorFlow, www.mydoctorflow.com
Scholist App, www.scholistapp.com
Venture for T.H.E.M., www.venture4them.com
Darknore, www.darknore.com
Butter’d Bodycare, www.butterdbodycare.co
$75,000 HBCU Track Prize Recipients:
Suds Laundry Services LLC, www.sudslaundryservices.com
$100,000 HBCU Track Prize Recipients:
Rejuvenation, www.drinkrejuv.com
$200,000 HBCU Track Prize Recipients:
Monocle, www.readonmonocle.com