Black Girl Ventures and NBA are coming together to support HBCU entrepreneurs through our BGV NextGen Program. Black and Brown women attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) will have the chance to bring their business ideas to life through a curated curriculum. This experience will create access to capital, capacity, and community for student visionaries.
BGV's vision is to democratize entrepreneurship for the NextGeneration of business leaders. This will help change the playing field for Black and Brown women-identifying founders while closing the generational wealth gap, strengthening families, and creating a more equitable society.
Selected students will work through the curriculum then present their viable business ideas on demo day through a tournament-style pitch competition.
To Qualify You:
Must have a viable business idea.
Must be enrolled in an HBCU.
Must be 18-24 years old.
Must Identify as a Black or Brown woman.
Must have the ability to commit to approximately 3 hours per week for 8-weeks.
Must be interested in growing your network and being a part of a community of student entrepreneurs across the country.
Must be a full-time student enrolled in Fall 2021 and Spring 2022 semesters.
How To Apply
Complete this application form.
Submit a short video introduction of you and your business/business idea.
What You Get If Selected
You'll receive a $5,000 stipend.
Through the BGV Jetpack for Early Entrepreneurs curriculum, you'll gain entrepreneurship skills development training.
You'll gain access to a network of student visionaries, mentors, and expert feedback to solidify and grow your business.
You will have the opportunity to showcase your business to funders.
And so much more!
There will be 25 participants, but only seven will be selected. Submissions will then undergo a review process, and if selected, you'll receive an email notification detailing the next steps.
To get a head start, watch previous pitch competitions of BGV participants and alumni, get to know our founders, and grab some resources to prepare. The submission deadline is February 4th, 2022.
HBCUs are invaluable to the future of Black and Brown communities. Their services to students and surrounding communities are of paramount importance. The BGV NextGen Program creates an opportunity to connect students with VCs, successful founders, technical resources, training, and potential customers, accelerating their path to possible success. We understand that this program is unique in the ecosystem, capitalizing on the diverse strengths of the BGV community and partners.
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. Also, be sure to join our new community BGV Connect!