Durham, North Carolina, September 23, 2016 – Black Wall Street (BWS), a nonprofit dedicated to increasing the number of minority entrepreneurs who successfully grow scalable businesses, is pleased to announce Magic Johnson Enterprises as the presenting sponsor for its “Pitch, Please!” competition. Contestants will compete for a cash prize and package of services curated specifically for early-stage entrepreneurs. The competition will take place on October 13, 2016 as part of the group’s BWS: Homecoming event in Durham.
“We are honored to support Black Wall Street’s efforts of increasing access to capital for minority entrepreneurs, as it closely aligns with our mission of fostering community and economic empowerment within multicultural communities,” said Christina Francis, SVP of Marketing and Communications at Magic Johnson Enterprises. “We look forward to meeting the talent BWS: Homecoming will bring together and offering our expertise to help them achieve their goals of growing successful businesses.”
Applications will be accepted through the BWS website and six teams will be selected to deliver four-minute pitches, followed by four minutes of questions and answers from pitch judges. Pitching founders/teams must present their technology or tech-enabled company to a panel of venture capital investors, founders and industry supporters without presentation decks or product demonstrations. To participate, entrepreneurs must also register to attend BWS: Homecoming programming. Applications are due no later than September 30, 2016.
The competition offers entrepreneurs of color the opportunity to take the stage to deliver their pitches, seek funding from investors and receive invaluable access to coaches, mentors and the nation’s foremost venture capitalists.
The lineup of venture capital and angel investors attending BWS: Homecoming include:
About Black Wall Street
Black Wall Street (BWS) celebrates innovation and entrepreneurship within diverse, multicultural communities. Created in honor and as an extension of what was built during the heyday of Durham, NC’s Parrish Street, BWS creates conversations and promotes thought leadership around diversity, technology and entrepreneurship. No matter the city or decade, the spirit of Black Wall Street remains the same – building communities and wealth through business ownership. BWS is the remix. Same vision. New day.
About Magic Johnson Enterprises
Magic Johnson Enterprises, formed in 1987, serves as a catalyst for community and economic empowerment by making available high-quality entertainment, products and services that answer the demands of ethnically diverse urban communities. Through investment, partnership and consultation, Magic Johnson Enterprises has a portfolio of companies that strategically work together to reinforce the organization’s focus on serving emerging, multicultural communities. Learn more: www.magicjohnsonenterprises.com.