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BGV Celebrates History While Also Embracing The Future

Updated: Apr 15, 2021



Black History Month serves as a reminder of the important achievements and exploits of Black people in America over the centuries. It’s an opportunity to reflect upon the general social and economic progress by which African-Americans have advanced throughout history. Let’s use the past as a point of reflection. It guides us, inspires us, and reminds us we can always change. Let’s celebrate our history, and embrace the future.

The future is shining bright ya’ll and we’re excited to take every one of you along on the journey. We have quite a few more announcements coming up and we’re energized by the growth of Black Girl Ventures. We finished our first pitch competition of the year in the #Bham. It was fire! There’s still time to support. And as supporters, we’re asking you to invest in your favorite founder by also checking out the pitch competition schedule below!

The BGV Tea

Here is the BGV 2021 Pitch Competition schedule, RSVP to support and invest in your favorite founder!


There is still time to apply to pitch. If you've been thinking about it, well now is the time.

  • BGV Durham Pitch Competition - February 25th, 2021

  • BGV x Kim Crawford Pitch Competition - March 11th, 2021

  • BGV x Manifestation Babe - March 25th, 2021

  • BGV Miami Pitch Competition - April 8th, 2021

  • BGV x AfroSheen Pitch Competition - April 22nd, 2021

  • BGV x Equilibria Pitch Competition - May 6th, 2021

Financial Empowerment

Why is personal finance important? Money Empowers you. Improving your financial literacy and knowledge gives you the power to reach your goals, scale your businesses, be free from debt, and gain control of your finances, and start working towards generational wealth. Tune into our financial empowerment series to receive useful and powerful information about financial health.


Change Agent Fellowship by BGV

Change agents make things happen in their communities. They see a problem then focus on solutions. They motivate and influence their communities helping them to thrive. Change agents are heroes in our communities. Are you ready to be a Change Agent? Join the Change Agent Fellowship by BGV, a 9-month leadership skills development program. Apply before there are no more spots left.


WE BAG

Pharrell Williams' Black Ambition seeks to increase the number of Black and Latinx entrepreneurs who succeed at raising the startup capital needed for their business and “break the cycle” experienced by entrepreneurs who have been under-invested in due to bias and unequal opportunity.

Black Ambition HBCU Prize – will award grant funding to seed or early-stage ventures with at least one Black and/or Latinx founder/co-founder that is an HBCU undergraduate, graduate student, or a former student. Black Ambition will award up to $50K in grants for a Business Concept idea (ventures that have yet to generate revenue or raise dilutive funding) and up to $250K in grants for an Early Business idea, which has raised less than $1M in dilutive funding and has a minimum viable product.


Black Ambition will invest in seed or early-stage ventures with at least one Black or Latinx founder/co-founder. Eligible Black Ambition Prize ventures will compete for up to $1,000,000 in funding for ventures that have raised less than $1M in dilutive funding and have a minimum viable product.



Merchant Maverick Opportunity Grant is open to for-profit businesses that are 51%+ owned by a Black woman (cisgender or transgender) or a Black femme-identified individual. The program will award $10,000 grants to a total of four businesses each year. This year, our Opportunity Grants will focus on businesses owned by Black women.


The Women Founders Network is an organization that provides both capital and mentorship to women business owners. WFN is an excellent grant opportunity if you have an innovative company that you want to take to the next level. This is a “Shark Tank”-style competition to compete for more than $30,000 in cash prizes and over $50,000 in professional services.


Paycheck Protection Program is now open to business clients considering a first or second draw Paycheck Protection Program loan. Before you begin your PPP application make sure you have an M&T Bank business checking account.


The PRIME program for micro-entrepreneurs. The SBA’s Program for Investment in Micro-Entrepreneurs (PRIME) provides assistance to various organizations. These organizations help low-income entrepreneurs who lack sufficient training and education to gain access to capital to establish and expand their small businesses.

Subscribe to the Digital Orange Juice for juicy ideas and the people who fund them. You can find out about our next pitch competitions here. Don't forget to check out the SheRaise platform for more pitch events.


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