UK-based entrepreneur initiative Black Girl Fest has revealed the latest cohort for its Launchpad programme, with founders hailing from eight countries and over a quarter based in the UK.
Founders in the second Black Girl Fest cohort will receive mentorship over Zoom and the opportunity to pitch for funding up to £15k.
Black Girl Fest was originally launched by Nicole Crentsil in 2017 as a one-day event and is now a creative studio based in East London providing early-stage support to Black female and non-binary founders – a demographic that has historically been marginalised by the startup world.
Nicole Crentsil, founder of Black Girl Fest, said: “At BGF we are driven by the wants and needs of this community and we are dedicated to creating engaging experiences and creative opportunities for Black women, girls and non-binary people.”
The UK founders that made the latest cohort are:
- Dana Endundo Ferreira, London, Pavillon 54
- Eunice Jiya, London, Start Here
- Faith Ida, Guildford, KoboFarm
- Joanne Safo, London, Lukango
- Josephine Oyinlola, London, Mummy and Me
- Micheline Khan, London, Althea Therapy
- Moriam Balogun and Zainab Onisarotu, London, Planaday
- Mutsawashe Matanga, London, Ungana
- Olivia Hylton, London, Sistren
- Perola Da Cruz, London, Odd Space
- Phellecitus Montana, Durham, EduYo
- Rose Sterling, London, The Pro Box
- Som Akudu, London, Szolira
- Stella Dyer, London, Millicent Labs
Other founders on the list come from countries such as Nigeria, Switzerland, Ghana and The Netherlands.
“Through our platform, our Launchpad and Academy programmes and today’s launch of our first dedicated physical space, we want to enable networking, connection and collaboration,” added Crentsil.