ATLANTA – May 18, 2021—Georgia State University’s Entrepreneurship and Innovation Institute (ENI) has announced follow-on funding for select Main Street Entrepreneurs Seed Fund (MSESF) alumni companies. Seven companies from Main Street’s inaugural cohort (Cohort 1), which graduated from the business accelerator program in 2020, will be receiving an additional grant of $7,500 to use in scaling their ventures.
Prior to selection, the alumni were asked to submit a video pitch outlining their progress and achievements since program graduation, the next steps for their business and the proposed use of follow-on funding. A committee of faculty and staff reviewed the pitches and evaluated the companies based on the criteria outlined.
“We recognize continued support of our Main Street founders is key to the growth and success of their businesses” said Jennifer Sherer, director of the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Institute. “This additional funding is critical for these underrepresented founders whose companies are creating jobs and positively impacting the Metro Atlanta community.”
The alumni companies and entrepreneurs from Cohort 1 receiving follow-on funding include:
- Angel Assistance – Savannah Samples (College of Education & Human Development, B.S.Ed. Middle Level Education ‘16)
- ArtzyBella Ashley Daramola (College of Arts & Sciences, B.I.S. in Arts Administration ’10)
- KemNu – Viraj Patel (Robinson College of Business, MBA ‘21) and Vishwa Mudigonda (Robinson College of Business, B.B.A. Computer Information Systems ’19 and MBA ‘21)
- MyTotem – Ashley Richardson (Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, B.S. Economics ’17)
- Natural Leaders Media – Daniel Fitch (College of Arts and Sciences, B.A. African-American Studies and Film ’16)
- Students Expressing Life through Fashion (S.E.L.F.) – Gynella Ngounou (Robinson College of Business, B.B.A. Marketing and Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, B.I.S. Social Entrepreneurship ’19)
- SweatPack– Umama Kibria (Robinson College of Business, B.B.A. Marketing ’14)
The Main Street Entrepreneurs Seed Fund is a part of Georgia State’s effort to create an entrepreneurial ecosystem of resources to support entrepreneurs and innovators. The business accelerator program has received international recognition and was a recipient of the Specialty Award for Most Innovative Program from the International Business Innovation Association (InBIA), as well as the Award for Excellence in Specialty Entrepreneurship Education from the Global Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers in 2020.
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