Spelman Alum wins $100,000 award from Black Ambition Prize

2017 Spelman graduate and former student trustee Mya Havard recently received a $100,000 award from Pharrell Williams’ Black Ambition Prize to support her startup company. 

Harvard plans to use the funds to support her company, Shea.d. Shea.d is a shopping platform, designed to help shoppers find products that they already use being sold by black entrepreneurs. Essentially, Havard wants black shoppers to use their buying power for good. 

 “Shea’d is a browser extension that finds consumers conscious (Black-owned, sustainable, American-made) alternatives to products they are currently looking for online. With Shea’d, consumers don’t have to break their existing shopping habits to be able to shop consciously,” reports the founders.

During her time at Spelman, Havard majored in Mathematics and minored in computer science. She also served on the board of trustees from 2014-2017. Upon graduating from Spelman, she attended graduate school at Stanford University where she obtained her Masters degree in Management Science and Engineering. 

The Black Ambition Prize, which is in its first year, provides a platform for eligible entrepreneurs to access growth capital, pitch feedback and mentorship.