Mindset Moves: Journal Prompt

Education & Networking

Feb 7th: 

🎁 Product Connect | NYC  

🔗 Register HERE 

💬 Engage in thought-provoking discussions, network with fellow product enthusiasts, and build a supportive community.

Feb 8th: 

📱 Winter Tech Mixer | NYC  

🔗 Register HERE 

💬 Presented by Andrew Yeung, Fidelity, and Coffee Meets Bagel. Join NYC’s extraordinary tech builders, operators, investors, and leaders.

🙅🏽‍♀️ Overcoming Imposter Syndrome for Entrepreneurs | Virtual

🔗 Register HERE 

💬 Learn strategies for building confidence, tackling imposter syndrome, and fostering change readiness.

Feb 9th: 

👩🏽‍🎨 Designing and Testing your Website like a UX Designer | Virtual  

🔗 Register HERE 

💬 Webinar for SMB to improve digital user experience. Learn the basics of UX design and design thinking.

📚 Key Factors: Driving Women Business Owner Success | Virtual 

🔗 Register HERE 

💬 Explore new research and insights for women business owners.

🚶🏽‍♀️ Female Founders Walk | SF

🔗 Register HERE 

💬 Grow your network with like-minded women in the startup ecosystem.

🏃🏽‍♀️ Pitch and Run | NYC 

🔗 Register HERE 

💬 Community for founders, investors, & operators to connect via walking.

Feb 13th: 

🌴 Pitch & Walk: Early-Stage B2B SaaS Founders & Funders | LA  

🔗 Register HERE 

💬 Meet fellow early-stage founders and VCs in the B2B SaaS space with Forum Ventures.

Insider Tips

Lessons on Thriving and Hitting Profitability by Sidra Qasim

Sidra, the founder of Atoms, shares insights on achieving profitability within less than six months of runway despite facing logistical challenges.

Funding & Resources Opportunities

Grant:

📱 Chicagoland Job Creators Grant 

📅 Due Date: Feb 6

💰 Amount: $4,000

🔗 Apply HERE 

💡 Grant for companies in Chicago adding 1-2+ net new premium wage jobs. Includes a scholarship to the Founders First accelerator program.

🏦 Google for Startups Black Founders Fund 

📅 Due Date: Feb 16

💰 Amount: $150,000

🔗 Apply HERE 

🏷️ Criteria: Black founder, tech-enabled, Pre-Seed-Series A, seeking institutional funding.

💡 Provides funding, Google Cloud credits, mentorship, and support to early-stage founders.

💥 AT&T + Hispanic Heritage Foundation: Grow Your Chispa Program 

📅 Due Date: Feb 16

💰 Amount: $10,000

🔗 Apply HERE 

🏙️ Location: Dallas, Miami, LA, Houston, Phoenix.

🏷️ Criteria: For Hispanic entrepreneurs directly impacting their communities.

💡 Grant to alleviate immediate financial challenges.

Pitch Competition:

👩🏻‍🏫 WGU Labs Accelerator Competition 

📅 Due Date: Feb 9

💰 Amount: $50,000

🔗 Apply HERE

🌐 Industry: Post-secondary EdTech using AI or Workforce Education.

🏷️ Criteria: MVP, <$1M in revenue, raised <$2M, pre-money valuation <$15M.

💡 Competition focused on improving educational outcomes. Finalists receive cash investment, services from WGU Labs Accelerator, and a paid pilot with WGU.

📣 Forum x Brex: Live Pitch Competition 

📅 Due Date: Feb 14

💰 Amount: $100,000 (Equity)

🔗 Apply HERE 

🏙️ City: New York

🌐 Industry: B2B SaaS

🏷️ Criteria: Raised <$1M, Pre-Seed, Tech-Enabled, MVP

💡 Pitch competition with the winners receiving investment, acceptance into Forum Ventures’ Accelerator Program, and the top two runner-up companies will also receive entrance into Founder Institute.

👑 Sacramento Kings - Capitalize: Technology Contest 

📅 Due Date: Feb 15

💰 Amount: $10,000

🔗 Apply HERE

🏙️ Location: Sacramento

💡 Showcase local tech entrepreneurs. Winner also receives 3-year access to Dialpad communication services.

🍔 SNAC Tank Pitch Competition 

📅 Due Date: Feb 16

💰 Amount: $10,000

🔗 Apply HERE 

🌐 Industry: Food

💡 Finalists pitch live, gaining connections and visibility in the food industry.

👏🏽 SBA: Growth Accelerator Fund Competition 

📅 Due Date: Feb 16

💰 Amount: $50,000-$200,000

🔗 Apply HERE 

🌐 Industry: National and Economic Security, Domestic Manufacturing and Production, and Sustainability and Biotechnology.

💡 National innovation support ecosystem advancing small business R&D.

👵🏾 Empire Startups: Everything FinTech 

📅 Due Date: Feb 16

💰 Amount: $10,000

🔗 Apply HERE 

🌐 Industry: FinTech for Senior Citizens.

🏷️ Criteria: <$1M in annual revenue, raised <$15M.

💡 Pitch competition with curated meetings, opportunities at the Empire FinTech Conference 2024.

Program:

💻 Goodie Nation and Google’s Tech Equity Collective 

📅 Due Date: Feb 11

💰 Amount: $50,000

🔗 Apply HERE 

🏷️ Criteria: Black-led or core programming focused on Black technical talent, demonstrated impact.

💡 Supporting startups improving prospects for aspiring Black technical talent.

👗 SHEIN x Challenge 2024 

📅 Due Date: Feb 15

💰 Amount: $3,000-$10,000

🔗 Apply HERE 

🌐 Industry: Fashion

💡 Aspiring designers submit three complete Spring-Summer 2024 women’s looks. Top 20 advance to showcase in London and launch in SHEIN.

🌤️ Larta Institute x Wells Fargo: Venture Fellows Program 

📅 Due Date: Feb 15

💰 Amount: $25,000

🔗 Apply HERE 

🏙️ Location: LA and Miami

🌐 Industry: ClimateTech, Sustainability

🏷️ Criteria: Idea-stage

💡 9-month program offering support to turn ideas into scalable startups for impact on local communities.

🦾 Google for Startups Accelerator: AI First 

📅 Due Date: Feb 15

💰 Amount: None; Other Resources Offered

🔗 Apply HERE 

🌐 Industry: AI, ML

🏷️ Criteria: Traction, Seed-Series A, scalable, commitment from CTO.

💡 10-week program providing mentorship, technical support, and access to AI tools.

🆙 LadderUp Accelerator by Shipt 

📅 Due Date: Feb 16

💰 Amount: $5,000

🔗 Apply HERE 

🌐 Industry: Brick & Mortar in Grocery/Beverage, Floral & Gifts, or Health & Beauty.

🏙️ Location: Birmingham, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Detroit, Miami/Ft. Lauderdale, Minneapolis, or Tampa.

💡 8-week program to help retail store owners grow.

Other:

🌱 LVMH Innovation Award 

📅 Due Date: Feb 9

💰 Amount: None; Other Resources Offered

🔗 Apply HERE 

🌐 Industry: RetailTech, Sustainability, and GreenTech

💡 Awarding 18 startups across 6 categories. Showcase innovation at Viva Technology in Paris. Selected startups can join La Maison des Startups LVMH.

👢 Founded in Texas 

📅 Due Date: Feb 10

💰 Amount: None; Other Resources Offered

🔗 Apply HERE 

🏙️ Location: Texas

🌐 Industry: B2B or B2B2C SaaS

💡 2-hour investor feedback session.

🐣 Comerica Hatch Detroit Contest 

📅 Due Date: Feb 16

💰 Amount: $100,000

🔗 Apply HERE

🏙️ Location: Detroit

🏷️ Criteria: viable and sustainable business, fills a retail gap in the city, positive impact on community.

💡 For entrepreneurs opening their first brick-and-mortar storefront in Detroit.

News Watch

• Sisters-Turned-Co-Founders Raise $2.4M For Their Health Tech Startup To Improve Pre- And Postnatal Care For Black Women

• They Didn’t Plan to Be at the Center of a Civil Rights Battle. Then the Fearless Fund Was Sued

• Welcome Back to the Unicorn Club, 10 Years Later