HBCU students and alumni compete to win big at Pitch:HBCU 2022

November 30, 2022December 2, 2022 HRM Staff Advancing Black Pathways, Alston Clark, bEHR, Black Owned Businesses, EMU Gaming, Gemini Energy Solutions, Hampton University, HBCU, HBCU Futures Conference, Howard University, JPmorgan Chase, Monocle, ncat, Pitch:HBCU, Plexo Capital, Student-Led Businesses, Supporting Black Businesses, The HBCU Advocate, The National Science Foundation, Transition, XULA

By: HRM Staff

Howard University alum on a mission to improve the health and wellness of his community wins $10,000 at the third annual competition

Six HBCU student and alumni startup founders competed live in the HBCU Futures Conference’s 3rd annual Pitch:HBCU Competition. These six founders were selected as competition finalists from an impressive pool of applicants from across the country, representing more than 50 HBCUs. The competition highlighted various business environments ranging from e-books, beverages, career services, health systems, gaming, and energy solutions. Though only one winner could be picked to win the $10,000 prize sponsored by JPMorgan Chase, Plexo Capital, The National Science Foundation, and the HBCU Advocate, all businesses showed out and represented their companies and their HBCUs well. All of the companies presenting at Pitch:HBCU were invited to join the HBCU Advocate’s HBCU business incubator.

Monocle provides users with a social reading experience in real-time, sharing perspectives that will have the reader hooked. Readers can connect through the app that is available on both iOS and Android sharing annotations and insights with friends, classmates, or others within the e-book. The co-founders are Austin Washington, and Uthman Alibalogun and Leslie Winston III, who are both North Carolina A&T alumni.

Transition, co-founded by Kayla Wright-Jackson, Hampton alumna, and Corey Shaw, Morehouse alum, is a career service platform that touches on the widespread shortage of essential workers in the healthcare system. Trying to bridge the gap, Transition applies allied health training schools to employers to enhance student results.

bEHR Healthy systems, founded by the CEO, Kwame Terra, who attends Xavier University in New Orleans, Louisiana, brings medical, lifestyle, and social solutions for healthy living to the African American community.

EMU Gaming Inc. brings the world of gaming communication from one platform to many. Using their app, friends, families, and teammates can come together to have a great time virtually. The founding team includes Eric Hustler, Jarell Brown, Eric Patel, and Chase Tomlin.

Gemini Energy Solutions, founded by the CEO, Dr. Anthony D. Kinslow II, also a NCAT alum, uses both energy audit and cleantech companies to provide affordable, investment-grade energy audits for small commercial buildings and develop shovel-ready Clean Energy Hubs to generate a clean energy transformation. Through their collaborative efforts, they provide swift and equitable changes.

Though each contestant offered great insight and pitches, Alston Clark, the founder of Zion Roar, is the winner of the 2022 Pitch Competition. Coming in strong in his elevator pitch, he states, “Health is wealth. Fitness is vital. Never let your body stay idol drink Zion Roar all the time! Stay Alkaline.” Zion Roar is a black-owned instant sea moss beverage available in both liquid and powder form. Founded in 2020, Clark is a 4th generation herbalist and data engineer who combines technology and deep herbal knowledge. His product aids in promoting a healthy and mighty lifestyle.

Jumping with joy when he heard that he won, Clark was ecstatic to receive the funding he needed to expand his business and provide the world with the “one and only” instant sea moss beverage powder. He plans to use the funds to work on co-packing and expanding operations to a bigger size. Committing to his community, it is important to him to be a present and active figure in his community as it aligns with his plans. With the intention to redistribute into the community and invest the money back into his business, his goal is to spread holistic health initiatives and accessibility.

“We are pleased to be able to support HBCU alumni and student-led startups again this year through Pitch:HBCU,” said Angela Jones, founder of Pitch:HBCU, the HBCU Futures Conference, and the HBCU Advocate. “With the support of JPMorgan Chase’s Advancing Black Pathways program, Plexo Capital, and the National Science Foundation, we were able to engage students and alumni from nearly every HBCU during the HBCU Futures Conference. Because of the attendees’ exposure to our entrepreneurship tract, which included panel discussion and fireside chats with many highly successful entrepreneurs like Fisk University alum Dr. Mathew Knowles and Howard University alum Lonye Ford, attendees were able to take valuable knowledge back to their spheres of influence and hopefully inspire more entrepreneurship activity in the HBCU ecosystem.”