ABOUT THE FUND
The Main Street Entrepreneurs Seed Fund supports Georgia State student entrepreneurs, recent alumni and Georgia State community entrepreneurs with seed funding and mentorship to start and grow new ventures.

HIIHAT
Ngozi Ahanotu, Founder & CEO
Alumni (’10), B.A. Journalism
[email protected]
PROBLEM
The inability of consumers to find a
straightforward way to search for
Black-owned businesses in one place
SOLUTION
hiihat (formerly360BLK.com)
provides a trusted way to search
for Black-owned businesses
BUSINESS MODEL
Revenue is generated by the sale
of pay-per-click advertising
TARGET MARKET
Consumers 25+ that are
intentionally trying to support
Black-owned businesses
KEY COMPETITORS
We Buy Black, Google, Bing,
Official Black Wall Street,
Amazon, Walmart
USE OF FUNDS
50% Technology,
40% Marketing,
10% Administration & Operations
Why did you launch your company?
I wanted to transition my day-to-day life to Black-owned businesses and services but found it difficult with the existing marketplaces and directories. I needed a faster way to source information needed to make a decision. After much research, I found a comprehensive search engine was the only way.
Have you always been entrepreneurial?
Yes. The first business that I can remember was selling rice bowls in high school during lunchtime cause people were tired of cafeteria food.
What advice can you offer to entrepreneurs?
Things will get hard, frustrating, and uncomfortable at times. Always remember ‘there’s no air down there.’ Stand up, take a breath, and face whatever is necessary to get to the next level.
What is your long-term goal?
My long-term goal is to have a retail store with products from Black-owned products which ties directly to how users experience hiihat online.
How has Georgia State supported you in your entrepreneurial journey?
ENI has been a breath of fresh air. Being the Chair of the Georgia State University Entrepreneurship Alumni Network has been a great opportunity for me to learn the many parts of being a business owner while serving my Alma Mater. Connecting with other student entrepreneurs and getting a first-hand look at the next generation of unicorns is inspiring.
FOUNDER INTERVIEW
COMING SOON
ABOUT THE FUND
The Marcus Foundation supports Georgia State student entrepreneurs, recent alumni and Georgia State community entrepreneurs with seed funding and mentorship to start and grow new ventures.