Future Founders is thrilled to announce the distribution of $12,000 in seed grants to Chicago-based founders in our 2020 Startup Bootcamp program.
For the past three cohorts, members of our Startup Bootcamp program have been given the opportunity to apply for non-dilutive seed grant funding to help offset the costs of growing their businesses. This year, after participating in our first all-virtual cohort, six young Illinois-based founders received grants totaling $12,000, bringing the number of total grants distributed since spring of 2019 to over $35,000!
Read on to learn more about this year’s grant recipients and their businesses:
Ascend Deliveries Founder: Andrew Wilkins Ascend is a drone delivery company that develops software to turn third-party drone hardware into autonomous delivery drones.
CareerBites Founder: Kamesh Darisipudi CareerBites addresses the lack of career exposure by offering a hub of interactive business cases that allows students and professionals to learn about a career in just 15 minutes.
Nefertari’s Palace Founder: Alexis Toney Nefertari’s Palace is an online marketplace that sells everything from jewelry and other accessories to herbal medicine.
These Twenty Somethings Founder: Kristian James These Twenty Somethings is a Social Wellness Club for Black and Brown women in their twenties. The club’s mission is to inspire introspection, guide growth, and to connect like-minded Black and Brown twenty somethings.
Toffie Shop Founder: Lisa Larbi The Toffie Shop is an accessory brand that celebrates womanhood with tastefully simple African body jewelry, namely African waist beads handmade by artisans in Ghana.
Yachti Founder: Liam Poczatek Yachti seeks to help individuals in Chicago become acquainted with the world-famous waterline of Chicago.
Future Founders is excited to support these talented young entrepreneurs as they grow their businesses within and beyond our programs.
Startup Bootcamp is made possible through a generous grant from the Blackstone Inclusive Entrepreneurship Challenge, which is sponsored by the Blackstone Charitable Foundation, World Business Chicago, and ChicagoNEXT.
To learn more about Startup Bootcamp, including details on applications for our 2021 cohort, visit the Startup Bootcamp program page.
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